SORROW PARTY

Tonight, she refuses to be strong
refuses to be brave
All night long she goes over
every time her heart has missed a beat
every time it has beat in unison with another
every time it has bled
She replays every promise
slow motions every disappointment
She compels her soul to wallow
tells her heart to grieve
Her eyes need no telling
thier bountiful spring cool her face
Tonight she unleashes all her feelings
embraces her sorrow
enjoys her pain
The pain that is her past, present and fairy future.

SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER




I'm on skype with my five year old cousin.
"Smarter than a 5th grader" is showing on thier American screen.
We're having a very animated conversation about toy cars, trucks and wheels.
All my little cousin's luxury vehicles seem to have numbers inscribed on them.
I seize an opportunity to talk about numbers.
So, we're having a whole conversation about all the great things there are about the number 100 - which I'm just learning is his favourite number.
"Maame, so is 1 the first number?"
"Yes darling" I say, happy to have sustained his interest this long.
"Noooo. 0 comes before 1" he says with an excited pitch in his voice and a glint in his eye. My little cousin tricked me!
My auntie is lmao'ing in the background. "You're not smarter than a 5th grader"- she screams from the kitchen.
Hmmm ... adorable kids of today!!!

THE CANDY JAR

She sits across from him ...
her two eyes fixed on the candy jar atop his table top fridge
beautiful, blue, ball like ...
There is another woman
Only a woman would appreciate this practical piece of art
at this exact spot
This other woman knows him well too
Well enough to know about his most unlikely addiction to sweets
Whoever she is, she thinks herself the madam
decorating her man's office!
For how long will she continue to fight silent wars with invisible women?
With his two eyes, he traces her stare to the
beautiful, blue, ball like candy jar
Four eyes are fixed on a jar
Two eyes fall
Two eyes fill up with tears
The beautiful, blue, ball like candy jar 
atop a white table top fridge in an executive office
is all the strength she needs to walk ...
... for good!  

JUST "JOHN" ?

It's the Chandos Road Building at the University of Buckingham.
I'm seated with Kiran, Indian from Canada and Patrick, White British.
We are out of our rooms this cold winter night in quest of knowledge.
The Right Honourable John Bercow, MP for Buckingham and Speaker
for the House of Commons is about to give a public lecture to his
constituents on our campus.
Brilliant delivery by any standard.
It is question time.
He will take questions on his delivery about the work of parliament
and all other constituency matters.
The first to "ask" is a shrill looking gentleman, not a day older than my younger brother.
"John ..." he starts, addressing THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS!
"John"? Just "John"? ... I'm thinking, (Ghanaian girl from Ghana where even the Assemblyman is referred to as "Honourable") waiting for the MC to put him to order.
... I wait in vain!
"John" graciously answers his question and everybody else's
Oh! and every body else addressed him as "John" !!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Loving responsible parents
"Nutty" crazy brothers
keeping things real
Uncles, aunties and cousins
whose love and support astound
Friends who care
and add colour
to life's occassional grey
You give reason to
open the big book
pick the small pen
You make chasing after
dreams, visions, aspirations
worthwhile
For all the joys you bring
May boundlesss love engulf you
Happy happy valentines day!

... ALL DEAR

Dark night
Chilly beach
A knight! Come to save me
On bended knee, watered eyes
... "dilemma of a ghost"
The charm of awkwardness
The allure of fantasy
"I love you!"
"I loved you!"
That you proved untrue
That my heart lies in tatters
... I hold it all dear

HEART TREATS

The first look
The first smile
The first word
The first touch
The first kiss ...
The sheer awesome excitement
Each of these little treats bring to the heart
Love is beautiful!!!