Afenyo Martins commissions Ghana's silly season!

 The silly season is here, clearly!

Alexander Afenyo Markin has officially declared Ghana's electoral silly season opened!

I mean, how else does one explain how a State Of the Nation Address debate in Parliament so degenerated into the newly named Majority Leader going into such an illogical attack on Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang. 

Speak of ageism! Gendered ageism! That all of the glaring nuances in this very problematic speech were lost on a sitting MP, NPP's Leader in Parliament, shocking!

Listen, Dear Sir, Parliament is not the place for loose talk. Keep such unsavory destructive thoughts to your living room. Not our house of Parliament! And not about Prof! Ghana's first female Vice Chancellor of a public University. Distinguished politician. Amazing all round woman. A stateswoman who stands tall as a symbol of hope for Ghanaian women.

What is baffling is that this is coming from an MP whose President is in his eighties. How rich! The only way this adds up is if you consider that he may have been throwing shades at his own boss, the President, as has become fashionable these days in this "it wasn't me, blame Akuffo Addo" narrative that's being pushed. Speaking to God by pretending to speak to the wind. We see you Honorable!

Everything else that was said was just as illogical. 

That she didn't make impact in the last elections? Please, check the records. Numbers don't lie. If you're tone deaf and do not know what time it is, certainly, you can appreciate basic mathematics.

To say Prof performed abysmally at the Education Ministry and then proceed to speak about the construction of the E-blocks in the same sentence can only be disingenuous at best; as Leader of a side whose government is responsible for this nightmare of an educational system we're grappling with!

In a country where notoriety pays, sadly even in politics, one can see why in his new role and eager for some attention, Afenyo Markins made this unfortunate choice. So sad!

Small piece of advise though ... This election is far too important for juvenile popularity games. So much rests on this election for us as Ghanaians and your politics of illogicality would not be countenanced! Not this time. Not when our country needs saving. Not at the dawn of our historic first female VEEP!

BISHOP ACKUN SAID YES!

Many many years ago, while still a student at The University of Ghana, Legon, and before two of my uncles became a Pastor and a Priest, I went to visit my "old" Church - Victory Bible Church International, Kokomlemle.  After the service, I waited to say "hello" to my "old" Pastor, Pastor Ackun. He was happy that I had made Church that day but he wanted to know why he was not "seeing" me in Church anymore. I told him it was the distance. That the journey seemed a bit much so I went with my mum to the Methodist Church which was nearer home. He said he understood. Then, he did something which has since stayed with me - he gave me money! So this is not about the money, I can't even remember how much it was. I can remember clearly however that I was shocked. He said to use it for transportation ... buy fuel ... just try to visit once in awhile.

I am not sure even he realised the impact of that simple gesture on me. Here was a man of God, a Pastor, sitting down with me, genuinely happy to see me and asking about my welfare, talking about mundane stuff like school ... not witchcraft or spiritual attacks or anything like that. And then, digging into his pocket and giving me money to facilitate my attending Church. How very practical! How kind! How human! Isn't this what Christianity is supposed to be about?

As I drove back home that Sunday, I said to myself, when the time comes for me to exchange vows with that person whom I willingly give the power to make or break me, it has to be Pastor Ackun officiating. He has to be the one interceding on my behalf on that all important day.

You see, I don't take these things lightly. For me, the significance of that ceremony on a life needs an intermediary you trust to have a real relationship with God, a good heart, somebody who has your welfare at heart and will atleast occasionally remember you in prayer. A wedding, at least for me, has to be meaningful - there will be plenty opportunities for "show" later, no? Should it not be a gathering of well wishers in celebration? Ok, we may not be sure of the intentions of our "well wishers" (maybe I've seen too many Nigerian movies) but, we can atleast be sure of the one administering the vows! The one officiating this "journey of no return".

That day I thanked God for providing the Pastor and reminded him about the "groom".

Many many years later, he provided the groom. I said Yes! (Of course 😁) And then I thought about Pastor Ackun. At this time, I had not seen him in years. Still, it had to be him! The boo drove with me one evening after work to meet with Bishop Ackun (now). We asked him together to do us the honour of officiating our marriage ceremony. He said "Yes"! Thank God! And the man who works for him!😊

GLORIOUS GLORIOUS SUN!

It's 21 degrees today.
21 degrees!!
All is well with the world
The realisation just hit home - I've been moody and grumpy for eight months (counting from September when I left home)
This morning I took a little longer to get ready
I wore make up
I left home in heels
Yes! made the walk to the bus stop in heels
I had the best smiles for the receptionist and when she mentioned my happiness, I said to her;
The sun is out!
Did not have a great class
Still, my mood is intact
Cant touch this happiness!
What's the point of this post?
Nothing!
The sun is out ...
It's a blessed world!
Oh! I'm inspired to try to blog again :) 

WHY IS PARLIAMENT EMPTY ??

So I'm watching local television this afternoon and like I always do, I'm constantly flipping channels. No, I don't have a short attention span and I don't think local stations are horrible. I just love to fully enjoy the benefits that multiple choice offers.

I chanced upon a new channel, GTV Govern - love it! I think the channel is dedicated to parliamentary proceedings - perfect! now we actually have eyes in parliament and can "see" for ourselves what our parliamentarians are up to - if only they showed up to work!

Yes! Actually, No! the chairs were empty! in some shots, I could count on one finger the number of MP's seated. No wonder they are always looking for reasons to boycott! they just do not want to show up for work! Where are they and what are they doing that is more important than the business of making laws which is why people queued for hours on end to get them elected so that they could have representation in the process?

When NPP MP's boycotted the vetting process, I was upset. I felt short changed. I felt deceived into believing that parliament will have a minority which is "Oh! so important" in the democratic process of governance. Now I'm upset because it feels like the whole process is a joke, well, at least to the MP's because they cant even be bothered to show up!

There's this belief or perhaps joke that there are parliamentarians who just sit in parliament and contribute NOTHNG all year round. The joke's on us apparently, because we should be grateful for those MP's who at least show up and sit through it, if for nothing at all, they will scream "yeah yeah" at the end of the day! 

I don't know about you, but i'm keeping an eye out for my MP every day! It's time to mark attendance. If you cant be bothered to show up for work in an air conditioned, chauffeur driven, fuel paid for, state of the art vehicle being provided you by the state for your work, I cant be bothered to queue for hours in the scorching sun to vote for you! Stay at home and over indulge in whatever precious thing is keeping you from parliament! Simple!!

AFRICA IS NOT FOR SISSIES

Last thursday was a particularly hectic day. Went from one office to the other in meetings that simply left the throat dry from over exertion - too much talking.
By late morning, I was hungry and tired. It didn't help that I was seated in one of the offices of KFC Ghana - my thoughts were centered on spicy juicy chicken.
And then something on the desk caught my attention. It was a carving of the African map and underneath it was the inscription - "Africa is not for sissies".
My host was on the phone but he noticed my fascination with his carving and got off the phone for a few seconds to say " yes, Africa is not for sissies" to which I replied with a nod, a smile and "true" muttered ever so softly.
These words saw me through the day, the week and perhaps will see me through the year.
Africa is indeed not for sissies! Think about it ...
In our part of the world, nothing works as it should. Structures? institutions? - non existent or all over the place, leaving most things to individual discretion and (good) judgement ... which is asking alot of a system which is still aspiring to understand itself. We do not have the discipline needed to exercise discretion and good judgement, we NEED the structures and institutions.
Simple and mundane things like getting on a bus, buying food, going through registration processes (on campuses, at the National Service Secretariat ...) are a struggle - literally! (I'm talking physical fights).
Education - the frustration and confusion in the system (medical school, law school ...) ...
Or perhaps trying to get a job or worse, trying to establish your own "company" ...
It beats my mind that today, in 2014, giving birth (procreation - nature at it's very core) is still a matter of life and death for a sizable number of the population.
The cost of living is high ... salaries are low ...
How does one survive, not to talk of flourish in these parts? Not by complaining, that's for sure.
Survival of the fittest. That could explain the corruption. I refuse to accept that as the only way.
One has to be fit to survive, yes! It's why we have to keep pushing and knocking and learning and teaching and going the extra mile ... that must be the way!
There has to be a way because this our place, our Africa, it aint for sissies!

PROFESSOR KOFI AWOONOR

Professor Kofi Awoonor was a celebrated poet and author, a political activist, Ghana's ambassador to the UN, Cuba, Brazil, the head of the committee against apartheid, president of the pan-African writers association, chairman of the council of state, a Pan-Africanist, a traditionalist, a lecturer of African literature in various universities including the University of Cape Coast where he was the head of the English department ... (I could go on)

My first conversation with Professor Kofi Awoonor was at the University of Ghana. He was my lecturer at the English department. I was about to drive out the car park at "Tingis" after a lecture when I heard him ask for a lift to the department, his driver was late. I quickly offered.  I was in awe of the man and didn't want any other student to have that privilege of driving him. My two friends and course mates who were with me in the car were just as excited as I was.

In the car, he asked us our names. I told him I was Maame Ama, my two friends told him they were Maame Yaa and Dokua. He was happy, we all had indigenous Ghanaian names. The interesting thing is, my friends were Herty and Jane.

That was Professor Kofi Awoonor. A man who asked you your name and had you instantly, unconsciously wanting to own your African identity.

If Professor Awoonor taught you, he was not just your lecturer. He was the man who encouraged you to THINK and express those thoughts regardless how much he disagreed with your thoughts (sometimes his class was one big debate with opinions flying all around). I did not go for his lectures because I had to. I did because I enjoyed them.

This is the man who yesterday, while shopping with his son, was shot dead by "Islamic militants" at WestGate mall in Kenya.
Why? because a group of people want some attention.

The tears in my eyes do not fully express the sadness in my heart. That a GENTLEMAN like Professor Kofi Awoonor, for who he is and all his contributions to this society ...
... this is a moment! one of many moments in recent history that show how utterly inhuman the human race is.

THE BUSINESS OF CHARITY

Prince William's wife had a baby. Subsequently, he's left "his job" with the armed forces and announced a new one - protecting African wild life!

Now before we all break into Zulu dances (as I'm sure is expected of "us") let's take a minute to examine motive. Prince William, his Royal Highness, had the whole world to choose from, all the continents at his feet and he chose Africa. Lucky us!

Interestingly, inspite of all the challenges confronting the continent, he chose to extend his benevolence to our wild life. Is it possible that he cares more about the animals than the people of Africa? Or perhaps this has nothing to do with either but simply, a new father's zeal to have a play ground for his son. Far fetched? The man had this to say at a recent interview about raising his new son (sorry if I seem caught up in the fairy tale of a royal delivery, fairy tales are a general weakness :)) "I'll have toy elephants and rhinos around the room ... we'll cover it in lots of bushes ... make him grow up as if he's in the bush."

To be fair, protecting wild life, anywhere, is a good venture and let's face it, where better to protect wild life than the "jungle"? Besides, he doesn't have to do this (his admirers might say) - which is exactly why I'd prefer for Africans to take up the challenge of protecting our own. If this is about a genuine desire to help, Prince William could very easily have assisted those already on the ground undertaking the venture without making this a fun fair.

I liked Prince William. When I was younger, I liked him because he was a good looking prince, the older me continued to like him because he seemed like a nice warm harmless guy and I refused to blame him for his lineage - he had no control over being born a Prince and he certainly had nothing to do with slavery, colonialism or the exploitation of whole continents for natural resources ...

I am not so sure I like him anymore because now, he has alot to do with all I detest - making Africa a charity case, making charity a business and worse, reducing a whole continent's image to a publicity stunt or gimmick.

Thank you, Prince William for your questionable interest in Africa but no thanks, we already have countless royals of our own looking for ways to justify their privilege. Thanks to INDEPENDENCE, we really don't have to tolerate your "benevolence" no more!

CANDY LIVING

It's been ages! I didn't forget about this space. Actually, I couldn't have, because I had reminders about the neglect and perhaps the most forceful reminder came from Roxanne Sayaka Amihere, who left the sweetest message on facebook "Boo please write more blogs waii. I love the way you engage with your readers, I feel like I'm on the journey with you x" hope you don't mind that I shared boo? :)

So what's new? Pleeeeeeenty (in my typical Ghanaian accent). Rounded up the course in december, did the journey back home, spent Christmas with the family, returned for the paper (graduated), did a wee bit of travelling which was unfortunately cut short rather abruptly because had to rush back home to chase another paper - been back in school, finished the course, trying to get in again (long, I know :( ), met the most awesome people who have affected my life in ways I didn't think possible ... the whole time, spending endless amount of time in hospital because apparently there's an unending battle between the food and the tummy. It's amazing that in all the time I spent away, I was in hospital once but now that I'm back to kenkey and banku and oh! real fufu ... oh well ...!

The great thing about the last six/seven months is that, putting all of the experiences together - chasing dreams, building relationships, battling health ... it's somehow rekindled a zeal for life.

Life is beautiful! You don't realise how much you take it for granted until you're up at 2:00 am on a hospital bed finally not feeling the pain, finally not having to wonder about your life - how you've lived it, regrets and all.

Everyday is a second chance - to make wrongs right, to try to be better, to be the best you can be ... live! really live the "candy living" like it's your last, because it really could be your last.
Maybe we need to remind ourselves of this fact more often :)

MELCOM COLLAPSES !!

The more this Melcom disaster is discussed, the faster sadness gives way to anger.
A six storey departmental store building, built with such alacrity lies on the floor. Collapsed. Caved in. Earthquake? No! Sandy? Isaac? Katrina? No! Just regular air - oxygen! A regular day in a sunny African country.  One of the biggest departmental stores in the capital with God knows how many employees and "visitors" if not shoppers, trapped in the debris of a collapsed building.
Now for two days, a nation sits on tenterhooks, watching images of people being rescued, praying that the others are rescued on time before more lives are lost, nobody certain of the numbers of the people who were in the building.
A shameful preventable calamity.
Thank God for Israel (let nobody tell me about opportunistic foreign aid or any other political talk like that when lives are at stake), private companies like Engineers and planners and the citizenry who are working as volunteers, all assisting with the rescue.
Now between the company, the owner of the building, the architect and the Accra Municipal Authority (AMA), we hear people scuffling about playing the blame game - "it was caused by a structural failure", "they didn't have a permit", "AMA did not assign a building inspector", "we only rented the building", "the concrete mix was not to the specification we require" ...
AMA boss says he'll resign if his outfit is found culpable. A six story building lies on the ground - there's still an "IF" ??
There are reports three people have already been picked up - two from the company and one from the AMA - GOOD!!!
Heads must roll! We chant not because we're just eager for someone to assuage the hurt (even though that is perfectly legitimate), we chant because this must not happen again !!

GHANA LAW SCHOOL ... SAY WHAT ???

This issue is one that lies right under my heart, vertically. Normally, when issues are in that position around my organs, i don't like to write about them because I've learned there's a cord that links directly from my organs (all of them) to the subjective part of my brain which means ofcourse that such write ups may not be objective. I leave you to make that conclusion after you read, which means, from here on, I have procured a license to be as unguarded as I possibly can.

So, legal training in Ghana has changed, I'm told. Among other changes, now, when you have an LLB from outside (the shores of Ghana, that is) and you go back home to do the bar, you have to go through a series of interviews and tests while clutching your hard earned degree under your arm (obviously not enough) and pray that you pass because not passing will mean ...? and when you pass with flying colours - dreamily, you are considered an international student and must pay fees to reflect your status. Never mind that there are people who like me, have schooled their whole life to university level in Ghana and may have only left purposefully for the procurement of an LLB. I wouldn't want to bore anyone right now with details of trying to get into Legon to study law, that is a discussion for a brighter warmer day.

Should you opt to do the bar training here (UK), when before you had to do a three month conversion at the bar school in Ghana to practice, when you have successfully been called to the UK bar, now, you would need to have done pupillage here in the UK after your bar, before that option would be open to you or your bar training from UK is null and void which loosely translates - you have to spend two years doing what you have already done - that is, if you pass the interviews and tests required ofcourse.

Now, pupillage in UK is everybody's dream. Who wouldn't want to be trained on the job in Lincoln's Inn? Go to court and experience first hand, the very place Lord Denning practised his law? Unfortunately, however, pupillage, even though considered part of legal training, is also a full time job which means that one needs a work permit to undertake the prestigious venture. Now, who born dog? where are you "going to pass" to get that permit? Even if you get divinely lucky and get a law firm that is willing to take you on, UK requirements dictate that the firm proves that basically, no one else in the kingdom can do the job apart from you for which reason a work permit should be procured for very special you.

My favourite part, by jove, is the fact that Ghana recognises the state of New York bar training but has all these limitations on recognising UK bar training. Forget colonial masters, forget where we derive our laws from, forget the multiplicity of the legal system in the States ... have I said enough?

All this would be well and good if these changes were given a human touch. It came into being within three months. So one went to bed covered in a quilt as thick as a dozen kente clothes sewn together somewhere in Birmingham as a student almost done with bar training, dreaming of returning home to family, good food, weather ... after a fight well fought and woke up to hear he must go back to his motherland to do the bar training for two years AGAIN.
Equity? Anybody??

HMMM ...

It's a chilly summer morning in Buckingham.
One of those mornings that have me wondering if stepping out to go for class is not a thinly disguised punishment for all my sins.
There's a greater good, a bigger picture, a price to be won ... I repeat the usual pep talk that is now almost a ritual.
Normally, once the discussions start, it is worth any trouble. I love being here. Being surrounded by knowledge. Enjoying the sheer brilliance of the brains in one room - endlessly fascinating.
Today, the class is discussing legal entitlement and beneficiary rights.
I watch my fellow student - the really old African man make faces all through the class. Something is seriously bordering his mind about this area of law.
He shifts in his seat, squints his eyes, scratches his head and then rests his head on his palm ... then he repeats the process ... again, again ...
He has my attention now. I'm watching him like an eagle.
Then I see it - a resolve. It's edged on his forehead, he has come to some conclusion. I see him try to catch the lecturer's attention. He doesn't get the lecturer's attention.
Eventually, he raises a frail finger - I'm giddy with anticipation, cant wait to hear about this brain wave from a wise man's musings ... he speaks ... "Why is the law like that?"
Hmmmm ... is my only reaction.  

HELLO ... :)

So someone said to me today that my blog is impersonal. Among other things, he said he felt i wasn't letting myself through and after combing the blog, a reader knows next to nothing about me. OK! Noted! This is me righting the wrong and baring it all. Consider this our second first meeting so, hello ...

I am a Ghanaian living in the UK where the weather is crazy and totally unpredictable.

My biggest blessing is my family - my dad who is the best there could ever be, my mum who is his best friend and just too cool, my twin brothers who are pain and joy rolled in one or two :), amazing cousins, aunties and uncles who are divine, and incredible friends.

I read English and Sociology at the university of Ghana where the lectures were over crowded and my best memories of tutorials were the ones held under the shade of the trees stretching between the English department and the Sociology department. I was in the best hall, Volta hall ofcourse :).
I'm currently reading law at the university of Buckingham where the lecturers know students by name and the learning experience is a delight.

I've had my stints with the media, columnist, features writer ... I like to think its an ongoing relationship. I've also had my NGO days which started with being Ms. SSS Ghana - a youth ambassador and peer educator on HIV/AIDS and social vices, collaborating with the ministry of Women and Children's affairs to organise events and stage concerts for awareness creation. I dabbled in youth activism which involved chasing people for signatures on the Oxford street and then tripping parliament house and meeting caucuses trying to affect legislature.

Then there were the banking days, first with state owned Ghana Commercial Bank and then with privately owned Zenith Bank.
I'm currently jobless, dreaming dreams of becoming the best gladiator in a suit.

Even during my scripture union executive days in Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School, I always maintained I was a practical Christian. Fanaticism doesn't particularly appeal to me for a host of reasons, religious intolerance being uppermost and then a wariness for making religion a "show" and an uneasiness about the whole "righteous" posturing. I do believe in God and I'm totally convinced that he comes through for me whenever i go to him in prayer :) I'm also a firm believer in love - its the only way humanity makes sense, life has not rubbed me of my fantasies - i refuse to let it :)  

I can eat fufu three times in one day, i love the taste of watermelon and grapes and i have an acquired taste for strawberries, my latest addiction is ice cream - magnum white, strawberry cheese cake ... (cone over cup, ofcourse) and I'd rather have juice or a drink instead of water.

Now how is this for personal ... ?? :))

LAWYERS, CLIENTS AND CASES ...

I was watching a tv sitcom earlier today and a lawyer refused to take on a client because her case wasn't challenging enough. I smiled, wondering if this happened in real life or it was just one of those special tv moments.
And then I started wondering about practising and clients ... what should inform which case you take on ... a good case, a challenging one, one destined to be your claim to fame ... what?
All of these musings got me thinking about current cases in the media.


Kennedy Agyapong's rants
An MP sits on radio and in his own words, declares war. Calling on one group of people to attack another and goes further to "suggest" specific weapons to be used and on which parts of the body.
What do you say to this as a lawyer? Well, Atta Kyea thought it best to go "Shakespearean" with this. He said his client was being "metaphorical". I mean, I've got to give him props for his use of imagery and I must say, its helpful to know that my literature classes could come in handy, atleast all those hours of endless reading were not for nothing - if  talking law becomes impossible, talk literature.
At what point can a lawyer say to a client, "I'm going to do everything in my power to see to it that no other Ghanaian ever grows arrogant enough to make such peace threatening statements and expect not to be sanctioned for it."


Nana Konadu and her umbrella
I've been asking myself what was going on in Stanley Ahorlu's mind as he listened to Mrs. Rawlings the day she took  her umbrella case to him. We're going to do legal battle with the ruling party in government for the use of the party's logo on the grounds of "infringement". Eeerrmm ... your party is infringing by using a logo you designed for it as the wife of the "founder" of the party? (assuming ofcourse that your claim is true) a logo they've been using since the party was "founded'?
I like to think that at some point he almost said "Madam, i did not go through years of gruelling legal training to subject the profession to this" but what we do know for a fact he discussed with her was "intellectual property".


Well, that, atleast is legal, compared to "metaphorical" ... Nobody's job is easy!

SAMUEL OKUDZETO ABLAKWA

He is the youngest minister in the current government. Probably, the youngest in any government. At thirty one, he has served as Ghana’s deputy minister of information for three years. “It's been a great learning experience and a wonderful opportunity to serve my nation."

The young minister is an ambitious one. He is presently preparing to contest in his party’s primaries, hoping to get the nod to represent the ruling NDC for his constituency for parliament in next year’s general elections.

The North Tongu constituency is one of twenty two constituencies in the Volta Region. It has a voter population of close to sixty thousand. The people are mainly farmers and fisher folks. The popular volta river which is the main source of the Akosombo dam runs through the constituency. The Aveyime rice factory and the Juapong textile factory are two major industries in the Constituency which serve Ghana's development well. North Tongu is said to be a "world bank" for the ruling NDC party.

I visited the Constituency with him and watched as he interacted with the people and spoke with his campaign team. His message was simple, he does not need parliament to get visibility to get into government – he is already a serving minister. He wants to get to parliament to be better able to serve by concentrating efforts on the Constituency. He spoke about all the projects he has undertaken in the Constituency in his private capacity such as renovating the Aveyime police station, renovating basic schools across the Constituency, renovating the Juapong clinic, facilating scholarships for hundreds of students, assisting the youth to get jobs, arranging loan schemes for traders and farmers in the Constituency and recently donating two hundred and forty computers to ten basic schools to enhance ICT education in the Constituency. He asked for their mandate to be responsible for their developmental growth.

For Atsu, one of the NDC delegates who would be voting in the January 21st primaries, but for Sammy’s decision to contest in his Constituency, no one knew of them. "He has, just by showing interest in contesting, put us on the map. Now, I hear of us on the radio and in the news papers. For that, he has my vote.”

The issue of experience was topical at the time of his appointment and probably still is. To this, he says “every assignment, every new responsibility brings with it inexperience because we live to take up new challenges and a life worth living is the life that is not scared to take up new challenges. I believe that I'm at my best when under rated, I always prefer to be the under dog.”

When Barrack Obama was contesting for United States presidency, Africans had a hope that his election will mean development for the continent because he is a son of the soil. I did not share this view. For me, there are times when the symbolic role of leadership far outweighs any “developmental agenda” and Obama’s presidency was one such historic moment. He could stay in the White house for four years and not lift a finger and his essence in history would have been achieved. Years of colonialism, exploitation, degradation, the African race’s contribution to the West’s development so unnoticed … for all of these to be acknowledged and celebrated by the appointment of one man – is enough for me.

I have similar sentiments about this man. His being in government, if for nothing at all, for me is symbolic - it is time our generation take our place in the development of our nation.  He does not have the luxury of sitting and doing nothing, we cannot afford it as a nation and certainly, the North Tongu Constituency I visited, looking at the infrastructure, cannot afford it too. Hopefully, youthful energy translates into dynamic leadership.

All the best  … 

DREAMS

 ... She's dancing in the woods
Her white glacial gown brushing against the greens of all around her
She sways her small hips to the left, lingers enough to sway her left hand in agreement
then slowly and deliberately, she manoeuvres her tiny waist to get her hips to face the right this time
With a cookie smile on her face, she's taking in the rhythms churning from the monkey's drums
Suddenly, an alien sound ... too remote from this beautiful symphony ... persisting ...
She's drifting from herself ... drifting from this beautiful world with perfect scenery and enchanting music
She's waking up ... her phone is ringing
"Hello"? he says. 
She turns to her bedside clock ... 2:47
"Baby, sleeping"?
She smiles ... anger, irritation - all alien emotions when he's involved
"I called to tell you that I love you and to hear you say that you love me too"
at two in the morning? her mind is thinking
"I love you baby" her soul says through her lips
"I love you with my life. I'll always love you. Now go back to la la land."
From a dream to another ... she closes her eyes with a smile
Everything is so perfect!
Is it ???      

LOVE HER!

Regret?
No sir!
You dont get the luxury of regret!
Loving me ... loving her ...
Your choice
You chose
Chose to love her
for better for worse
till night falls
Its not dawn yet
The cock has not even crowed
Regret?
Not an option!
Love her!
Love her so my heart aches
Love her so my tears count for something
Love her so my tattered heart was not for nothing

BABY

The first time he called her "baby"
she could feel her tummy breathe
forming a sensation that
left a knot in her throat
Was it his voice
the expression on his face
the need in his eyes
Baby felt like a baby
His baby ... only his!
Today, he calls her baby
She holds her breath
waiting for her tummy to breathe again
like always
anticipating the sensation
that will travel through her spine
and hit her throat
leaving an elegant knot
Not today!
Baby does not feel like a baby
His baby
Baby feels like a woman
a grown woman slapped awake
from an endless dream
She prays silently
"call me "baby" again,
I need to feel like your baby"
"Baby" he says
as if in answer to her prayer
aware of it's potency 
She gulps in spring air
She feels nothing
Her tummy has lost its ability to breathe
She is not his baby anymore
"I am not your baby"
She timidly verbalises the realisation
He is quiet
He knows its deep
Baby knows he will never call her baby again
He just lost one more power

I WANNA CATER!

U got me stealing glances ...
At your full plump dark lips
thinking up all the ways to turn them red with kisses
At your cheeks
figuring out how my fingers can make them quaver
At your ears
imagining them tingling from my nails ...
Damn! I wanna cater to you

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!!!