Dreams of Home

Someday I will go home
Where the sky is blue everyday
Birds chirp and don’t migrate
The air is the same all year
And the people look like me
But it does not bother them at all
Someday I will really go home.

Someday I will be home
To feel normal again as a child
To stretch my arms out in the rain
To breathe what freedom feels like
To speak wollof and not be strange
Maybe to even play with children
Who are just like me, a little different 

This was supposed to be good
Papa promised
This was supposed to make our lives better
Mama whispered in my ears
But my eyes saw different
And my heart beat way too faster
I still dreamt of some place called home.

People around me always seem happy
May be they were finally home
Walking on the streets, arms swinging in the air
Nobody seems to be scared about them
But my little six year old hands
Always tucked closer to my skin
Because this was not my home

I am just a child, I will learn faster
Says the adults around me
I do not understand how lucky I am
Says the people who have never been here
Someday I will surely get back home
Through the same sea of death that I came
And then I will share my dreams with my people.

Here's where you last left me

Here’s where you last left me

Right out here in the cold biting wind

Cuddling myself in a never-ending shiver

Staring at the frosty air that escaped my mouth

Afraid but brave, lost in the mirage that got us here

My feet, numb, dipped deep into this makeshift

You called it a forever, but you knew it was a trap

You said to be strong, it was what made us

Here’s what you last said

“Listen up, I am here, will always be.”

So reckless I was to believe you at that moment

But how could I not have with that voice

That sweet, heart satisfying voice you charmed me with

You failed to explain what you meant by ‘here’

When all I can feel is a wind of emptiness

Is that really how promises are kept?

Here’s what you left me with

A journey of how to keep going without you

As you can see I was able to pack up and start up

But then I got here and time froze on me

I do not know for how long I have been here

I don’t want to go, I will stay till you come

Bring me back your warmth and tender loving

So, I can begin to live again for another day

Here’s how I will always remember you

When you slid your hand into mine on the streets

When you covered my shame before the world

When you took my pain and made it yours

I want to remember you for the dreams we had

That never really got to see the light of day

I want to remember what it would have felt like

If you were here today, it would never have been the same.

IT'S A GIVEN...

It’s a given…

From the earth we came, to the earth we will go

It is just a matter of time for each of us

Your time didn’t seem it would be this soon

But we are here, at least to see you for a last

But why?

Just how far was your phone

You always called, you always talked

What could have made you think we wouldn’t listen

How could you possibly think it was okay to just go

It’s a given…

The sun might not raise the same again

Just tiny sparkles to mend our broken hearts

Leaving us with nothing but scars

To always remind us that you were once here

Odhiambo Wuod Awiti

You didn’t do right by us

Just when we thought life was happening

You have sent us a dark cloud over us

You never left a script of how to keep up after this

And it’s a given…

That it will never be the same without you

We will never be the same without your aura

That life after the last drop of soil will be different

Forever empty except for the memories we had together

I envy the flowers that will grow atop you

Their roots will know your soul more than we did

I envy that they will be in touch with your heart

We will never know how much pain you felt

Or just how peaceful this may have been for you

Odhiambo Wuod Awiti give us a sign

Something to tell us that we can wait on you

That you are still amongst us despite the distance

Talk to us son of the African soil

Tell us if you need us to avenge this

Go well our brother, friend, confidant

You lived your life the best way you deemed

You warmed our hearts with your undivided love

Young you may have been, but

You stood by the things you believed in

As heavy as this moment may be,

It is well with our souls

Remember us even in your new home

Send us your shining star to watch over us

It is a given…we shall surely meet again

TRIBUTE TO NISHA...

For every rain that drops, a flower grows from the ground

You were this beautiful flower that grew and lived in our midst

When there was drought you hanged in there and held tight with your roots

When there was rain you opened wide your petals and let each drop renew you

You were never scared of the weeds that struggled beside you

You never let them rob you of your own memories

The many days you would go home to your family and put a smile on their faces

Or the many days that you walked into the office and made everything okay

You were easy, patient, and calm and you stretched your hands out yet still kept your cool

We will miss you for the little moments of laughter that kept this work place alive

We will miss you for the times when you had to be hard for work to be done

We will stare into your empty seat and wait on your voice to call us into the office

But we may never hear it...yet still memories of you will never be rubbed out

You stamped every bit of it in our minds so that we may never forget you

There can never be a better place for you Nisha...it is well with your soul

Watch over us, watch over your family and let the memories you created here

Be the reason we are grateful for you to have shared this time with us

Till we meet again, fare thee well...