PART THE MAN
The sun and all that is light,
As moon with stars all grow dark.
Clarity as sharpness looses sight,
Blackness embraces and mind lack.
Keepers tremble and men stoop,
Grinders cease and are few.
The limbs slowing to the stop.
And what are teeth barely chew.
As again clouds return after rain,
The two window lookers grow dim.
The whole worlds as a haze remain;
For the eyes’ sight grows ever so thin.
The doors to streets are closed
And sounds of grinding all fade.
Living excludes its exposed;
And earned sound recedes as made.
Men rise up at birds’ sound,
But all their songs grow faint.
Rise early till slumber is found,
As hearing takes no more paint.
Then men are afraid of heights
And of the dangers in the streets.
The unable body stays in nights,
Safely home away from days’ hits.
Surely the almond tree blossoms
As the grasshopper drags along.
The head’s fur age overcomes,
Like it does the body to it belong.
All desire kinds no longer stir
As nothing else bears its fun.
Overwhelmed not by all here,
But by the ending of the run.
Time takes a shade yet again
As it is shorten with everyday.
Hurrying is slower and in pain
And waiting easier, a long delay.
Severed is the silver string
Or the golden bowl is broken.
Pitcher is shattered at the spring,
Everything here is forgotten.
The wheel broken at the well
And mourners go about the streets.
When the eternal home takes the fell,
As man goes amidst only wreaths.
As the living extinguishes in all men;
Dust returns to the ground it is from.
And at the very earthly ebbing end,
To God who gave it, spirit returns home.
(Ecclesiastes 12)
ONENESS
Educate the mind
And feed the soul.
Where else do find
Such daunting a goal.
Bread for the souls,
This bred their mind;
Woven common goals
Their oneness to find.
NAMELESS
People would all fall,
Rise and again fall all.
For dues nature pays,
In this nature all dies.
To the fine or stricken
Stranger things happen.
Mystery is life itself;
God’s own other half.
DEVIL
Here thou are to rein in the pastured flock
With sweeter tender grass and shaded pond,
The falsehood in thy rule does only mock.
Basking in the elongated moments’ bond,
Thou make all thy bread from one rock;
For not one of any is yours to be found.
ISCARIOT
Star of every Testament
Chose him to his tenement,
To quietly be a lonely key
Whose shame is malarkey.
WHO IS THE PAGAN?
Beating drums sing their faith;
Wailing faith’s revelry is late.
Tears of men will disappoint yet;
As prayers hover in endless wait.
Spirituality is not religion and
The spirit’s faith made the man.
For here hinges hope men sang;
They say who really is the pagan.
MIRACLE DEFINED
Faith small as a lil’ mustard seed
Would lift a mulberry tree and a sea feed.
Obedience, constant as air in breath
Would walk water as land with its might.
THE DOVE ON THE DISTANT OAK
Further than man would reach
Perch the Dove high on wood.
That old acorn time’s search
Created to fit man’s own hood.
In the air up and so distant;
Safe from man’s own filth,
The Oak hosts for an instant
That hatchling of man’s guilt.
Seen and called with a but,
Calm as it coos with love.
If faith and love shows not,
Then above remains the Dove.
JUST BEING MYSELF
When we simply had met
After our identity had left
Our bodies and minds alone,
With knowledge of our own.
God is that dual twilight
We query as we delight;
At dawn to seek favour
Or dusk when we murmur.
Who we show respect
Builds as we do expect;
Not on age but the score,
As at present not before.
We know just our own,
Just as it is so borne.
We forge ourselves on
To form our own fun.
We please ourselves first;
It’s human that others’re next.
In reverse we are selfless,
And just as Divine, no less.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN
ALEPH
Blessed’re they whose ways’re blameless,
Who walk according to His laws and no less.
Blessed’re they who keep His statutes
And seek Him with all their heart’s truths.
Nothing wrong they do or say;
They just walk in only His way.
Your precepts You have all laid,
That they are to be fully obeyed.
Oh, that my ways were steadfast
In obeying all Your decrees cast!
I would not be put to any shame then,
When Your commands I consider, all of them.
I will praise You with an upright heart
And learn Your righteous laws by light.
I will follow and obey Your decrees;
Do not utterly forsake me Lord, please.
BETH
How can the youth keep his ways pure?
But by living according to Your word sure.
I seek You, Lord with all my heart;
Do not let me stray from Your firm light.
I have hidden Your word in my heart
That I might not sin against Your might.
Praise be to You, O mightiest Lord;
Teach me forever Your decrees and word.
With my lips I recount the total amount
Of the laws that come from Your mouth.
I rejoice in following all Your statute
As one rejoice in great riches with youth.
I meditate on Your precepts
And consider Your concepts.
I delight in Your decrees Lord;
I will not neglect Your word.
GIMEL
Do good to Your servant and I will live;
I will obey Your word and not sieve.
Open my eyes that I may see all;
Wonderful things in Your gracious law.
I am always a stranger in this very world,
Don’t hide from me Your commands and word.
My soul is consumed with the longing;
For Your laws at all times, I’m yearning.
You rebuke the arrogant, who’ve cursed,
Who stray from Your command nursed.
Remove from me all scorn and contempt
For I keep Your statutes as they’re meant.
Though rulers jointly sit and slander me,
Your servant will meditate on Your decree.
Your statutes are always my delight;
They are my counselo
rs and my light.
DALETH
I am laid low in the very dusty world,
Preserve my life according to Your word.
I recounted my ways and You heard me.
Teach me Your decrees and answer me.
Teach me to understand all Your precepts,
Then I’ll meditate on Your wonderful concepts.
With such painful sorrow is my weary soul,
Strengthen me according to Your sole goal.
Keep me away from all deceitful ways,
Be gracious to me with Your law always.
I’ve chosen the truthful ways of Yours.
I have set all my heart on Your laws.
I hold fast to Your statutes, O Lord.
Do not let me be put to shame, O God.
I run in the path of Your decree
For You set my whole heart free.
HE
Teach me, O Lord, to follow Your decrees.
I will keep them to the end without cease.
Give me understanding, with all my heart.
I will keep Your law and obey it in my act.
Direct in Your command’s own path,
For I know there I will find delight.
Turn my heart towards Your statutes
Not towards selfish gain and mistruths.
Turn my eyes away from a worthless thing,
Preserve my life according to words You bring.
Fulfill Your promise to Your servant.
That You may be feared, all You want.
Take away all the disgrace I dread,
For Your laws are good and bread.
How I long for Your precepts in my life,
Preserve me in Your righteousness and rite.
WAW
May Your unfailing love come, O good Lord,
As salvation according to Your promise, O God.
Then I will answer the one who taunts me,
For I trust in Your every word and decree.
Don’t snatch the truth from my mouth,
For in Your laws my hope has worth.
I will always obey Your law forever,
I walk free for I seek Your precepts ever.
I will speak of Your statutes before kings
And I wouldn’t be shamed by their makings.
I do delight in Your commands, O God,
For I love them so, my Almighty Lord.
I lift up my hands to Your commands, I love;
And I meditate on Your decrees, set above.
ZAYIN
Remember, to Your servant You gave Your word,
For You have given me this great hope, Lord.
My comfort in my suffering is this;
Your promise preserve my life as it is.
The arrogant mock me without restraint
But I do not turn from Your laws, but wait.
I remember Your ancient laws, my God,
And I find comfort in all of them, O Lord.
Indignation grips me because of the wicked
Who have forsaken Your law and are naked.
Your decrees are the theme of my song,
Wherever I lodge there they do belong.
In the night I remember Your holiest name
And O Lord, I will keep Your law and fame.
This has always been my main practice;
To always obey Your precepts and decrees.
HETH
You are my only portion, O Lord;
I’ve promised to obey Your word.
I’ve sought Your face with my heart all;
Be as gracious as You promised, I recall.
I have considered my ways all,
And turned my steps to Your law.
I will hasten and not delay, never!
I will obey Your commands, ever!
Though the wicked bind me with rope,
I will never forget Your law and hope.
I rise to give You thanks at midnight
For Your righteous laws and might.
I am a sure friend to all who fear You,
And all who follow Your precepts too.
The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord.
Always teach me Your decrees, O God.
TETH
Lord, to Your servant do every good
According to Your word as You would.
Teach me knowledge and good judgments,
For I believe in all Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I obey Your word and stay.
You’re good and what You do is good;
Teach me Your decrees like eating food.
Though arrogants have smeared me with a lie,
Your precepts in my heart will forever lie.
Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
But I delight in Your law so unfailing.
It was good for me to be so afflicted,
That I might learn Your decrees fitted.
The law from Your mouth is more precious to me
Than thousands of pieces of silver and gold I see.
YODH
Your hands made me and formed all of me;
Understanding to learn Your commands give me.
May those who fear You rejoice when me they see,
For I have put my hope in Your word and decree.
I know, O lord, righteous is every of Your law
And in faithfulness You have afflicted me more.
May Your unfailing love be my sole comfort,
As You promised Your servant and his consort.
Let Your compassion come that I may live,
For Your law is my delight and I do believe.
May arrogates be shamed in wronging me causelessly.
I will mediate on Your precepts and law ceaselessly.
May those who fear You turn to me,
Those who understand Your decree.
May my heart be blameless toward Your laws,
That I may not be shamed for I am all Yours.
KAPH
My soul faints with longing for Your salvation,
But I have put my hope in Your word in motion.
My eyes fail, looking for Your promised way;
“When will You comfort me?” I would say.
Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget all those decrees You spoke.
How long must Your servant wait for?
When will You punish my persecutor?
The arrogant dig pitfalls for me,
Contrary to Your law and decrees.
All Your commands are very trustworthy;
Help me from persecution, unjust and faulty.
They almost wiped me from this world,
But I have not forsaken Your very word.
Preserve my life according to this love of Yours,
And I will obey every one of Your spoken laws.
LAMEDH
Your statutes and word, O Lord, is eternal;
It stands firm in the heavens, not temporal.
Your faithfulness continues through generations,
You established earth, it endures on its foundations.
Your laws endures to this very day,
For all things serve You in every way.
If Your law had not been my own delight,
I would’ve perished in my afflicted plight.
All Your precepts I would forget never,
For by then You’ve preserved me forever.
My Lord save me, for I am all Yours;
I’ve sought out Your precepts and laws.
The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
But I’ll ponder Your statutes and decree.
To all perfections I see there is always a limit;
But Your commands are ever boundless, I admit.
MEM
Oh Lord, how I love Your law!
Day long I meditate on it all.
Your laws make me wiser than my enemies,
For they’re ever
with me and will not cease.
Than all my teachers I have more insight,
For I meditate on Your statutes that enlight.
I have more understanding than any elder,
For I obey Your precepts not because I’m older.
I have not departed from Your laws,
You Yourself taught me what is Yours.
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter to my mouth than honey paste.
From Your precepts understanding I gain;
Therefore I hate every wrong path again.
NUN
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light for my path, I admit.
I have taken an oath and also confirmed it,
That I’ll follow Your righteous laws, I insist.
I have suffered much, preserve my life;
Lord, only according to Your words’ might.
Accept, the willing praise of my mouth;
O Lord, teach me Your laws I sought.
Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget Your laws over all the lands.
The wicked have set their snares for me,
But I’ve not strayed from Your precepts I see.
Your statutes are my heritage forever;
They are the only joy of my heart, ever.
My heart is set on keeping Your decrees,
To the very end of things, I am on my knees.
SAMEKH
I hate double-minded men,
But I love Your laws, amen.
You are my refuge and my shield;
I’ve put my hope in Your word sealed.
Away from me, you evil doers, away;
That to keep the commands of my God I may.
Sustain me according to Your promise and I’ll live;
Do not ever let my hopes be dashed for I believe.
Uphold me and I will surely be delivered;
For Your decrees I’ll always have regard.
You reject all who stray from Your decrees,
For their deceitfulness is in vain and will cease.
All the wicked of the earth You discard like dross;
Therefore I love every one of Your statutes, the gross.
My flesh trembles in fear of You;
I stand in awe of Your laws so true.
AYIN
I have done what is righteous and just;
Do not leave me to my oppressors’ lust.
Ensure Your servant’s entire well-being;
Let not the arrogant oppress my well-being.
My eyes fail, looking for Your stated salvation,
Looking for Your righteous promise in every nation.
Deal with Your servant according to Your love
And teach me Your decrees straight from above.
I am Your servant; give me some of Your discernment
That I may understand Your statutes and commandment.
It is time for You to act, O Lord;
Your law is being broken, O God.
Because I love Your command so much more,
More than the world’s gold, than gold so pure.
And because I consider all Your precepts right,
I have come to hate every single wrong path.
PE
Your statutes are so wonderful;
Therefore I obey them all in full.
The unfolding of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple in sight.
I open my mouth and in awe gasp,
Longing for Your commands to grasp.
Turn to me and have mercy on my ways,
As You do to those who love Your name always.
Direct my footsteps according to Your word;
Let no sin rule over me in this sinful world.
Redeem me from the oppression of men,
That I may obey all Your precepts, amen.
Upon Your servant make Your face shine
And teach me all Your decrees in time.
From my eyes stream of tears flows,
For they are not obeyed, Your laws.
TSADHE
Righteous are You, O good Lord,
And right are Your laws and word.
The statutes You’ve laid down are righteous;
They are fully trustworthy and so courteous.
My zeal wears me out and I am sore,
For my enemies Your words they ignore.
Your promises have been tested thoroughly
And Your servant loves all of them fully.
Though I’m lowly and despised, lord;
I do not forget Your precept and word.
Your righteousness is everlasting,
Your law is as true as it is lasting.
Trouble and distress have become my plight,
But Your commands are always my delight.
All Your statutes are right forever;
Give me understanding to live forever.
QOPH
I call with all my heart, answer me,
And O Lord, I will obey Your decree.
I call out to You, save me my Lord
And I will keep Your statutes, O God.
I rise and cry for help before dawn;
I’ve put my hope in words of Your own.
My eyes are open to watch the night late,
That on Your promise I may meditate.
Hear my voice in accordance with Your love;
Preserve my life according to Your laws above.
Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
But they are yet so far from Your laws I fear.
O Lord, You are ever so near and set,
And all Your commands are truly met.
I learned from Your statutes long ago past;
That You established them to forever last.
RESH
Look upon my suffering and deliver me,
For I’ve not forgotten Your law and decree.
Defend my cause and redeem me please;
Preserve my life according to Your promise.
Salvation for the wicked is ever so very far,
For they do not seek out Your decrees as they are.
Your compassion is so great, O Lord;
Preserve me according to Your laws, O God.
Many are the foes who persecute me,
But I’ve not turned from Your decree.
I look on the many faithless with loathe,
For they do not obey Your word’s worth.
See how I love Your precepts from above;
Preserve my life according to Your love.
All Your words are true and final;
All Your righteous laws are eternal.
SIN AND SHIN
Rulers persecute me without any just cause,
But my heart trembles at Your word with no pause.
I rejoice in Your promise and toil
Like one who finds great spoil.
Falsehood I hate and abhor,
But I do really love Your law.
Seven times a day I praise You
For Your righteous laws so true.
Great peace have they who Your law they love,
And nothing can make them stumble or shove.
I wait for Your salvation hands
And I follow Your commands.
I obey Your statutes surely,
For I love them so greatly.
I obey Your precepts and statutes too,
For all my ways are known to You.
TAW
May all my cries come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
May my supplication come before You;
According to Your promise deliver me too.
May my lips overflow with praise,
For You teach me all Your decrees.
May my tongue sing of Your every word,
For all Your commands are righteous, Lord.
May Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts to see.
O Lord, I so long for Your salvation,
And Your law is my delight and nation.
Let me live that I may praise You,
And may Your laws sustain me too.
Seek me, I’ve strayed like a lost sheep,
For I’ve not forgotten Your commands keep.
(Psalm 119; Paraphrased)
GLORY
Glory, glory, glory!
Man is nobody;
Firm in his world,
Where only he is lord.
DIVINE PRESENCE
Divine presence with wonder you reign,
You formed and found from nothing this sign.
Thy ageless gospel is straight, proven and true,
Your pure and sacred spirit ever near, I construe.
From the might of the sacrificial Christ
Reached out to me path, light and sight.
Holy Spirit blesses and guides mine and me,
Sanctified into the waiting embrace of Thee.
THE POET IN THE POEM
The eyes see the tears,
In response repelled are the fears.
The flesh’s demand is so goody,
As sure as it is of the body.
The truth is buried within,
Hidden from all kith and kin.
The conscience ever tells a fact,
As sure as it is of the heart.
The brain’s constant thought
Depends on how deeply it’s taught.
Its reason is based on its find,
As sure as it is of the mind.
The spirit reveals the person,
It eludes comprehended reason.
The future will show the foul,
As sure as it is of the soul.
Interchanged as its suitor,
It tells all about the actor.
The poet mans the helm,
The cruise his composed poem.
Epilogue
“I heard
You in the garden
(And) I was afraid
(Because) I was naked;
(So) I hid.”
(Genesis 3:10)
Alphabetical Index
A
AEON OF DEW
AFRAID OF COMMON FEAR
AFRICA
AGAIN
AGE
AGE STEALS ALL
A HOLE IN THE SUN
ALIVE
ALL HAIL THE ABIDING SPARROW
ALMAJIRI
ALONE
AND THE MOTHER DIED
ANGRY
ASABA
AVANT GARDE, CAUSE CÉLÈBRE
B
BIAS SELFLESSNESS
BATTLE OF THE CELLS
BBC (British Branded Civility)
BIRD TALK
BITTER
BLIND SIGHT
BLOSSOM
BORN TO SIN
BRAIN
BREAD AND MAN
BREASTS OF DOOM
BREEDS
C
CAIN’S WIFE
CEASAR’S OWN
CHEATS
CHOICES
CLOUDS OF SALT (Hadarin gishiri)
COMMON
COMMON MONEY
COMMON STORY
CRESCENDO
D
DAMNING
DARE DA MUTUWA (Night and Death)
DATE
DEATH
DÉJÀ VU
DEVIL
DIFFERENT
DIVINE HUMAN
DIVINE PRESENCE
DOESN’T GOD HAVE MERCY?
DRY TEARS
E
ECLIPSE
EGGS
ELEGY OF OUR MUMMY
EMMANUEL
EVEN ODDS
EYELIDS OF BETRAYAL
F
FAITH
FANATICS LOSE FAITH
FATHER
FEVER
FINE TIMES
FIRST PAIN
FLIES AND LIES
FOR THE GOOSE, FOR THE GANDER
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
FRET
FRIEND OF FOE
FRIENDS CHANGE
G
GAY
GENESIS
GLORY
GOATS
GOD DEY
GOLD AND SILVER
GONE
GOOD GOD
H
HANDFUL OF CLAY
HARVESTERS
HEADS OR TAILS
HEART DIES LAST
HEARTILY
HE REIGNS
HOLY
HOME
HOPE
HUMAN
HYPOCRITES
I
IDOLS
IN DEBT
INKATHA
ISCARIOT
ISN’T HUMAN
IT RAINED
J
JIGGLE BELLS
JUDAS, PETER
JUST BEING MYSELF
JUST THIS ONCE
K
KING OF LOVE
L
LAND OF SAND
LEARNING
LEAVE (Bari)
LET IT RAIN
LIFE GUIDES PHILOSOPHY
LIFE LINE
LIFE’S FIRES
LIGHT OF DEATH (Hasken Mutuwa)
LIL’ SIM
LITERATE
LITTLE, LITTLE ANT
LIVE
LOATHSOME
LORD
LOST SEA GULL
LOVE BIRDS
LOVE’S LOVE
LUCK SUCKS
M
MAN
MANHOOD IN THE BUTTERFLY
MANNA
MASSES
MATE (Kishiya)
MIGHTY FLEA
MIND
MIRACLE DEFINED
MONARCH
MONEY AND THE MISER
MORE THAN A CHILD
MOST LOST
MOUNTAIN
MOUTHING PIOUS PLATITUDE
MRS QUEEN, MISS KING
MUSHROOMS ARE CONCEITED
MUSICAL NATURE
MY FRIEND
MY WILL
N
NAMELESS
NEITHER AS EITHER
NIGHTLY
NOTHING
O
ONE BIG SPORT
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN
ONENESS
OUR HOMES
OWN TO OWE
P
PATHS
PATIENCE
PEACE
PEARL
PESSIMUM
PHILANTHROPY
PIGGIES
PLAGUES OF EXODUS
POETRY
PRAYER’S AIM
PREDATOR
PRESENTLY OLD
PRESSURE
PROSTITUTES
PSALM SONG
R
RACA
RACES
RAINBOW
RELIANCE
RIGHTFULLY
ROTTEN, WRETCHED AND RIGHT
RUNNING CHILD
S
SAME
SANTA
SAVED
SHEEP TO GOAT
SHEPHERDS AND SHEEP
SILENT MIND
SILENT IN SIGN
SIN
SINGLED OUT
SINS’ WAGES
SIR
SKY
SLUG
SMART AND STUPID
SMART FOOLS
SO?
SO FALLS A