Life Through My Eyes

  Jake and Paula had been withdrawn for some time. Paula was battling poor health; one illness after the other. Life was rough and she longed for every support she could imagine. Paula had found a man who was caring in the beginning, but as life would have it not every flower blooms forever. His feelings started to waver at the point when hers was soaring. Jake found a hobby that he clung to. He talked of a void that Paula could not fill; she knew she could not because no matter how much she tried, it all went to waste. Jake found a love. He found someone else to fill his void. During that time, Paula’s energy was geared towards becoming better. She felt his distance by the day. By night it felt like they were on different sides of the rift valley itself. They couldn’t cross over to one another. Paula was being eaten up, as she felt abandoned. She didn’t whine about it. She tried to appease his soul, to jump start it, Jake had made up his mind. She was left with only one opti...

Keep your head out of my business See i love to be happy amidst all Silence is my happiness Minding my own business is everything to me   Did you know I don’t poke my head to dig out who is sleeping with who? Say if Brian is sleeping with Betty So what? That is their happiness It is not my f**g business to approve their union They are happy Leave them be   If Angel, 25 is in an entanglement with Ben, 85 They are good Leave them be   If Nighty, 70 is enjoying Nick, 30 What is your problem? Trying to disapprove their union… What is your problem busy body? You are not the chosen to be in this union, so keep off   A couple chooses who they get messy with Two individuals choose who they share their DNA with And guess what! It is not you Are you concerned because you wish it were you? Is it because you wish it were you? Or you want him for that girlfriend of yours whom you feel would suit him perfectly Sorry mate Your time and that of your friend will come if that life is ...

  At 18 I am married off! Life is what I desired An established jolly man, a big house, parties My marital house is warm Warmer than anything you have ever imagined!   Within the first year The in-laws start their filthy games What have you brought to this house? Is she your sister? At dawn, my sister-in-law travels in the wee hours She peeps and eavesdrops   Are they sleeping Is the baby making on   As I cook, run around with my chores In their loudest tones, My in-laws torment me day in day out “I hear a baby crying, go attend to it” “I smell pupu of the baby” Toilet paper gets rolled out Dry surfaces get cleaned up in the name of pupu being cleaned The baby is crying, go feed it   Here I am, childless 3 miscarriages in one year! 3 of my babies gone Do you think I do not want to hold them in my arms?   Plead is all I can do with my husband Honey let us go to the hospital and have a check up I...

  I am a woman! A woman full of dreams, My future shines in my mind’s eyes; “Reality” hits home I move from office to office How true can it be that I can’t find a job? Find a job in a decent professional manner… Why should I sell my dignity for a job? …even then, I prove my worth. In fairness, I should climb the position ladder But no! Not for a woman Not that easy A piece of me must go!   I am a woman! A woman full of dreams, But I sink Sink so low, lower than I could ever have imagined How did I end up trading myself for money? If only anyone would talk to me Offer me a startup… This is not where I want to be It started that night with her asking me to accompany her… Introducing me to how “easy” money is made! She called it clean money… No! It is not clean, neither is it easy; every night a piece of me goes with every act… But I fake the pleasure I need the money I am trapped!   Many women from my area survi...

  My heart beats for my momma When I come home It is your voice I want to hear Your face makes my world radiate The home is boring without you   My heart beats for my momma I am her heart and she is mine My heart beats for my momma   A mother who defies all odds to offer me the best To offer us the best Our home is never empty for so many people have passed through mommas hands I am not jealous with my momma If you are my own, my momma is yours too I love my mother beyond words   On this special day as you turn yet another year Know that I cherish you every second Thank you for holding my hands and guiding me through the turmoil of this universe I stand tall because of you Enjoy your beautiful day sweet mother! You are my everything! Mummy the most phenomenal of all! PC: Matthew, Benjamin, Studio From within my depth AYENYO Joanita

If I must regret anything in life,  It will be time, time I gave out I could have used my time for something else  But I chose you at the time I chose to give you my time Did i enjoy the moment? Yes! Then it was worth it even when it never lasted. No, then i am going to cry a bit and pick up myself and do better with my time I won't complain because that is what I chose at the time ...but I will rant now... When I gave you my time I never imagined you would abuse it When I created time for you It's because I cared and I had to be there for you at your lowest I chose to hold you and rock you until you felt better I chose to come with you to the hospital and risk my job I lay on the hospital floor because i chose to spend my time on and with you I chose you and I gave you all my time Now that you are on your feet You wag your long-tail that you had kept tucked between your legs You raise it to my face like i am some piece of trash being swept Must I regret the time i gave...

Did COVID 19 prompt saving? Yes and No   Yes for some people who were living extreme luxurious lives and No for people who earn peanuts and simsim mixed with soil. What has it been like for you?   I was quite baffled when an employer scolded an employee for not saving during the COVID 19. All this was brought on the table after a group of lowly paid staff raised the concern of the high cost of living that was made worse by COVID 19; transport costs doubled and tripled in other areas. At the end of the day, the employee literally needs to borrow money so they can transport themselves to work. One is then left wondering; why must one even work? One will tell you they need the experience, while another will tell you how they finish the entire wage, not because they live an extravagant lifestyle, but the money is purely spent on basics which they also need. So others will work to avoid going hungry. Not any different from the hand to mouth way of life. One cannot save mone...

Story story story  Once upon a  time,  there lived Twac, Amin and Ana. Twac sold some grains in the market while Amin sold grains,  vegetables,  fruits and sometimes meat and fish. Ana owned a shop not so far from the market where Twac and Amin sold. One day, Ana visited Amin in the market and as they ate their lunch, Ana saw Twac, one of her acquaintances pass by. She called Twac over and introduced her husband to her. She even suggested Twac could bring some of her grains over for sales should sales go slow on her end. Amin had a reputation for quick sales. Twac on getting to know Amin she immediately started a ploy that planted the seed of hatred in Amin and Ana. She wanted Amin for herself,  but that failed so she embarked on making a match for Amin with other shop owners in the next village. Apparently to her, Amin was too good for Ana,  he deserved better. Even when Amin told her he was contented, she was so sure she would seperate them...she wou...

On this day 5 years ago, the almighty whispered in Dr. Bodo’s ears. “You will bring Queen back to her feet”…Today she is a grown royalty. Thank you to the medical team that saw us through the extreme darkness, my family and friends who checked in on us, but most importantly Queen’s granny. She was broken by the news that her grandchild was diagnosed with a terrible monster that she has to live with for the rest of her lifetime. I appreciate her motherly care, selflessness, loooove. She saw us through the hospital and has nurtured Queen to what she is today. Uncle Jamo, you checked in on us I think every day and Queen got her first artificial pancreas (glucometer) from you. Uncle Ken, you got us another glucometer as strips for what we had would run out sometimes from all pharmacies (a common thing faced in the diabetes world), Keary we received another from you,  Gill for your constant check-ins and support, Kate the supplies you left us with was humbling, Matthew for being that fr...

Love is beautiful when you make it beautiful. No one is responsible for our happiness. If you find yourself in a relationship, do not expect your partner to be responsible for your happiness. This is why. See, in the beginning, your partner will pour out their brain, love, and heart to you. You will be on top of their list; always…you know topmost priority. So many sacrifices will be made for you. Nothing will be done without your knowledge. If you travel far in thought, they will be concerned. All they will care about at that time Is your happiness; are you vibrant, alive , etc? Take opportunity in this and accept it, swim in this waters. However, remember this is short-lived. Build your thick skin, or the water current will tear you apart. Remember that is only an addition to the happiness you have created within. One must be able to “live” without that extra bonus when the love’s still hot… Remember you are chosen, but generate your happiness from within. Time will fly and your pa...

Father, tell me why you should not be castrated? Did you chase away my mother so you could replace her with me? Do you tear me every night and day as a way of punishing my mother? Did you pick me away from my mother so I could  be her replacement? Why Why Why?   Why was I born in this world if this is the way of life? Is this the life of every girl out there? Do your fathers pry on you like mine? Do they drag you to their marital bed? Do they get their orgasms from a cold bed that I must warm since mommy was chased away? Is this why him (father) and his people would not allow us to go with mother when you chased her? You wanted me, us the girl children to replace our mother(s) You and the world blame your actions on whatever you smoke or drink You blame it on the loneliness You blame your actions on the dressing of your daughter! Dressing of your daughter! Tell me what my sister of a few days, months, years old dressed in to let your loose wild snake on her Tell me man, tell m...

WHERE DO I BELONG?  The half-caste! Where do I belong? I am not black I am not white What am i?     Mommy is black Daddy is white But, When I am with mommy’s family I am considered white When I am with daddy’s family I am considered black Where do I belong? What am i?     Only my parents acknowledge me as their child Everywhere I go, I get pushed away I don’t fit anywhere     When I am at mother’s home A sense of security flows through me I feel safe Nobody targets me for a good kill They rather treat me like I am superior I tell them I am just one of you “No, you are white!” is their response But you are welcome to stay here You are our daughter’s child Even strangers are welcome to this compound     Father’s home doesn’t give me the peace I am hunted down Why? I am black I don’t fit I don’t fit I DO NOT FIT In my own father’s land, I am not welcome    ...