Art.Of.My.Words

As I am waiting outside the scanning room, I look around. One woman is in red from head to toe, napping in her wheelchair. Another is in a faint blue 'dera', reading a large-print of Taifa Leo. Once again my name is shouted from down the corridor, only now, I am not tensed or nervous. I walk into the room and smile at Daudi, who asks me to settle on the bench. An IV is inserted in the crook of my arm and I am afterwards asked to drink two big cups of gross-tasting liquid contrast that somehow goes down my gullet and lights up my belly for the abdominal scan. It is not tasty. I always hoped that the labels on the cups would provide a clue as to exactly what this concoction is, but alas, that hope was not to be recognized. After the hour that I am given to drink this vile stuff, I am called to the scanning room. It is freezing in here. Daudi makes my day by giving me a warm blanket and tells me to lie on the narrow "bed" of the CT scan machine. Once covered, a femal

As I walked through the doors, the familiar and powerful smell hit me like a truck.  I react to the smell of death, sickness, helplessness, anxiety, confusion, fear and uncertainty. I'm back at the hospital for a scan of my chest to see if that cancer beast is setting up shop again. As much as I hate being here, surrounded by the hospital smells, I was strangely comfortable here. The white ID bracelet circles my wrist like a long lost friend. I spot a few familiar faces. There is Mariamu, the grandmotherly volunteer, hustling and bustling through doors helping lost patients. Oh! I see Daudi. He is the one who helps me during my CT scans. I have come so far in this journey and these people seem like family. As I sit in line waiting, I let my mind wonder back to where it all started. The results were nearing and the air was heavy with anticipation. Everyone was on toes not knowing their fate. We waited for our names to be called with bated breath. Needless to say we were all bundle

When you feel sad, I need you to recall this: Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds, are only relieved by letting out a little water. So don't hold in that pain, that sorrow. Let it go. Let it all out. Scream, shout, do anything as long as you unleash that beast that is eating you up from the inside. If anyone tells you to man up and wipe the tears away, cut them off. Don't heed them. It does not make you less of a man to cry. Crying makes you stronger. Be an emotional gangster. Cry your heart out. Wash away those nitty gritty feelings dwelling deep in your heart. Like the rain that purifies the skies and earth, tears purify your eyes and that act of crying, purifies your heart. But again, you need not to cry just because you're sad. Allow yourself some sensitivity. Cry because you saw that pretty, red rose. Cry for watching that romantic movie. Cry because of that hug or that kiss your mama gave you. Just cry. You know you need it.

How awesome would it be If I were a cloud Floating in the glorious blue hue Untainted and so pure Taking up different shapes Now a princess Next a kingdom Then a horse And even bringing back Dinasours from extinction. I mean how wonderful is it To be able to soar over places I would be able to Go to London and Rome and Greece Oh! So many to visit. I would have no worries No stress whatsoever Just saying hi to the birds And waving at the planes passing by Frisking in the wind. But don't get me angry I can easily be a monster Looming over your houses Tall and dark Ready to shred everything apart. My tears will fall like torrents You call them rain You cherish my tears You go out and play with them Never wondering what caused them But I won't say Not just yet.

We think we know True Beauty? True beauty is Praying in congress Side by side, foot by foot and Shoulder to shoulder. True beauty is Giving salaam to that Stranger you see on the street Or that beggar down there below. True beauty lies in Sparing a coin From that bundle you've got To give the poor. True beauty comes only if We visit the sick and show them we care. If we attend funerals and funeral prayer Despite not knowing the deceased. True beauty will be ours Once we strengthen our kinship And be good to our neighbours. If and only if we Refrain from procrastination, Change that "I'll do it tomorrow" to "I'm currently working on it". True beauty is Smiling to those strangers out there Good or bad, Old or young, Man or woman. True beauty will be ours Once we stop the lies and insults, Once we stop speaking ill of each other. True beauty, True beauty can be attained. We just have to work on it.