PROFILING ANN WARUGURU KIAI (KENYA) #BABISHAI2015 SHORTLIST

Ann Waruguru Kiai was born in Nyeri County, Kenya, and raised by a legend – her mother. But, growing up, she almost believed that black girls were not beautiful, until she saw Wangari Mathai.

Ann has a law degree. She writes short stories, plays and poetry and is inspired by the women from her Nyeri village, who she sees as defining beauty, strength and resilience. Ann writes to tell their stories, to sing for them, to celebrate them. She gets to tell the world “You are out of order” in her own way, in our way.

She serves her Country by assisting members of the community especially women and children access legal information and justice.

 Her #Babishai2015 shotlisted poemis here.

Dusk dawn by Waruguru Nyatha Wa Kiai (Kenya)

We walked with our heads bowed

Hands firmly pressed on our butterfly stomachs

We rolled like dead wood, not even once did we sway our hips

How did they know?

We walked on our toes in fright

Our feet never crushed an egg shell

We were silent than the wind

Who told them?

We cemented our breasts with mud

Clogged our vaginas with cow dung

Cut our hair and stopped smiling

Who betrayed us?

We never danced to the drumbeats

Our eyes never sparkled like the sun

We have always held our breath

Never have we lived!

When they chased us down the stream

And slid their hands on our thighs

When they dipped us in water

And discovered our breasts

Was it you who whispered

That we are women?

PROFILING BABAJIDE MICHAEL (NIGERIA) #BABISHAI2015 SHORTLIST

   BABAJIDE MICHAEL OLUSEGUN:

Hails from Ibadan, south west Nigeria and has lived for 22 years. His a graduate of B.A Literature in English from the Obafemi Awolowo University. Is an aficionado of everything literary but a novice to everything the literary muses inspire daily. Gives voice to his poetry in public places and has been published in various literary journals, in Catholic Independent and with Anthology in Honour of Late Dr Maya Angelou from the Platform of Hinovelty as the most recent. Has written with the language of every genre of literature and he has several manuscripts yet to be published: poetry and drama and prose fiction.

Likes to eat, talk, play basketball, read and watch anything adventurous, magical, and fantastic. Is currently a corps member in the service of his Fatherland in Kogi State.         

His shortlisted poem is below:

Diz Poetry      by Babjide Michael Olusegun  (Nigeria)

Diz Poetry go come in many many styles

Since Diz Poetry dey com Uganda

Diz Poetry godey dub reggae reggae free

But Diz Poetry don dey use hin beat

Diz Poetry gat many manytinz to say

So Diz Poetry know know which one to say

Diz Poetry fit no make much sense

For Diz Poetry no come to impress

Diz Poetry fit look- within- personal

But Diz Poetry may dey –without- political.

               Diz Poetry will be so long in longitude

               For Diz Poetry will be very versed in latitude

               Diz Poetry will burst into rhythmic tears

               For Diz Poetry was writt’n with wilderness’s words

               Diz Poetry is speaking from Africa

               As Boko Haram blows up North-East Nigeria

               Diz Poetry won’t call on Cupid

               For Diz Poetry is lonely not blind and stupid

               Diz Poetry is not from “Dis Poetry”

               Diz Poetry is only like “Dis Poetry”.

Diz Poetry 4 lov use Gangan’s mouth

Diz Poetry sef 4 lovdanz with Sekere’sileke

Diz Poetry 4 talk of libarti

But Diz Poetry sef don enta captivity

Diz Poetry won halasom poets

Since Diz Poetry owe demobonge respect.

As I hala: Maya- Angelou- Zephaniah- Neruda, Rudyard. NiyiOsundare-

And Johnson in d States plus Okotp’Bitek for izSong of LawinowitJumokeVerissimo.

May I sharpali say: Una go watch Diz Poetry like say na Play on Words

Cos Diz Poetry dey flow wit watery meanings in stanzas of 4 by 10.

               You may wanna ask

               What Diz Poetry is all about

               Or is Diz Poetry simply all about nothing?

               Never mind, Diz Poetry has no answers to these

               For Diz Poetry gonna slip through my heart to thee

               Diz Poetry might make you laugh

               And you may wanna push Diz Poetry aside

               But Diz Poetry’s two and three

               May make you wanna give it a chance

               Cos Diz Poetry is simply free, M.A.D and booing your mind.

The #Babishai2015 winner will be announced furing the poetry festival from 26 to 28 August at The Uganda Museum, Kampala.

PROFILING SALAWU OLAJIDE #BABISHAI2015 SHORTLIST (NIGERIA)

 

Salawu Olajide is a B.A Literature degree holder from the prestigious Department of English and Literary Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He is presently a postgraduate student of the same Department. He has published strings of works on Saraba Magazine, Stony Thursday (Ireland), Kalahari Review, ZODML, among others. He currently works as a freelance reporter and digital writer for The InfoStride. He enjoys listening to dadakuada music at his leisure time. When he was asked: ‘what piqued your interest in poetry?’ He answered, ‘the nothingness of its everything. Once I am grabbed again in my inside lab, I begin to experiment with those verse-able words.’

His shortlisted poem is here:

                        WOMEN LOVERS by Salawu Olajide (Nigeria)

                        
 

She first said her biology was failing, and then her look, then her smile, then her feeling, then her heart. We look at each other on the rocking chairs. Listen, she says. The tube of her mouth holds something venal and serious. We long for each other. Finally. The finally comes as if it is the only intended word in the middle of the phrasing. She has a way of meaning her adverb. Did you moan on each other’s thigh ‘cept for sex? She says nothing but a nod which means yes. The sun seems to be gossiping through the window, I unhinge the curtain and let darkness swallow us. There are things they must not know. I whisper some calmness into her heart. She adjusts her gown and shows the part of her breast where she last kissed her. It is as if I have never loved before.

The winner will be announced during the #Babishai2015 Poetry Festival, 26 to 28 August at The Uganda Museum.

PROFILING ADHIAMBO AGORO (KENYA) #BABISHAI2015 SHORTLIST

ADHIAMBO AGORO

Adhiambo Agoro is Kenyan poet born and brought up in Nairobi where she resides to date. She began writing at the age of twelve and her budding nest for poetry has felt the touch of many. Adhiambo has written poems versed to photography and has received great reception for her skill. For her, anything that gives life is inspiration for her writing.Attuned to particulars of travel and explorations, she adds into poetry the distinctive value of 'seeing the words on extra coloration’. She has self-published several collections on her blog (adhiamboagoro.wordpress.com) and other social media platforms under her name: Adhiambo Agoro. She is currently pursuing CPA and a Bachelor of Commerce undergraduate degree. She herself, is poetry and continues to grow the arc she describes as “An affirmation, for the little scales that mentions my name- the baby steps that makes the rhythmic heart of a woman.”

Her #Babishai2015 shortlisted poem is below:

My Son  by Adhiambo Agoro (Kenya)      

Fruit of my womb

I beg to stay away

And let you build bridges

To carve sculptures of our souls

To read invisible lines of Holy books

To find meaning in meaningless lines

And hope from tombs left for so long

Mother will be back

Let me find one like us, for us to become one

As your spine gives your body posture

So does the rhythm of our blood play upright music?

You are my last winter bird

My twins gave hope

My smile gave pride

But we're little termites with big hearts

We need our scraggy feet for paths we haven't crossed

Let me find one like us, for us to become one

The roses of our hearts have a charity case

The sidelines of our thoughts need ironing

We consume a variety of edibles to keep ourselves strong

It is a hard claim to live up to, Son

I recall your baby steps

And maps you left on the seabed after a longer drought.

Our change is forbidden but still

Let me find one like us, for us to become one

I will write these lines on paper

For the crowd to listen to our acapella

My name was lonely

Your father's name was pain

We covered your eyes from the world

For us to clean the dirt under our nails

Your life is a yearned cliché

I cry

Let me find one like us, for us to become one

We have few pieces of joy

Will we suffocate on these solitary streets?

No Son. We need history and tales

For kisses woke up the Queens and portions made Kingdoms sleep

Hold my hand to seal these words

Feel the scent from unseen paradises

As we beseech the mercies of prayer and faith

Let me find one like us, for us to become one.

*********************************************************************

The winner will be announced during the #Babishai2015 Festival, 26 to 28 August at The Uganda Museum-Kampala.