The Burning Splint blog online via Storify

A poem, Ecstasy of being Published; Sunday Standard, Sunday Nation.

When the journalism bug bites and the urge to write unquenchable, a young writer always find it hard to believe on his pieces.

Most time unedited pieces done solely with little assistance from peers who find writing boring, I resolved to find some other quarters. I sent a series of my poems to different newspapers and Magazines.

Always I could not afford to follow up on publications due to financial ditches. Among the newspapers and magazines I did send my poems and articles are The Drum, True love, Nation and The literary discourse in Saturday Standards.

I still wonder when and where this poem appeared but some three readers found it uplifting enough to write back to me. They become my first comments and gave me energy and self esteem to write on and start my blog.

Buoyed by the comment i published my poems on the poem hunter internationally. I have received further comments from readers worldwide.

My maiden comment, or advise to be precise, was from :Esther Wanyoike who recommended Power of the Written Word. The was to help me as a poet.. The regards were sent on Thursday, July 31, 2008

The second more interactive mail was from a Mt. Kenya University diploma student Esther Mwaurah. It was more vivacious. I received it on Monday, August 4, 2008.

"Hi! Surprise, my name is Esther; I happened to peruse on the newspaper(never knew which) and found a poem you wrote, Am a big fan of poets and wish to congratulate you on a job well done."

on October 6, 2008 David Kamwela from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania wished me luck:

"Hello! Manuel, I have read your poem In that Village of Mine. It was a very nice poem i can say your are really a poet. i love your work. Wish you all best in these mail of mine."

Ms Mwaurah wished me good day and told me to keep in touch. I did albeit with glee.for both of them. Of the three only Esther Mwaurah replied back. We exchanged a series of mail till she excused herself to concentrate on her exams.

The three comments bolstered my self esteem and i refer to them to get the strength and inspiration to write. Am indebted to the three,.

The Ectasy of Being Published and a Poem

When the journalism bug bites and the urge to write unquenchable, a young writer always find it hard to believe on his pieces. Always unedited and done by self with little assistance from peers who find writing boring, I resolved to find some other quarters.

I send a series of my poems to different newspapers and Magazines. Always I could not afford to follow up on publications due to financial ditches. Among the newspapers and magazines I did send my poems and articles are The Drum, True love, Nation and The literary discourse in Saturday Standards.

I still wonder where this poem appeared but some three readers found it uplifting enough to write back to me. They become my first comments and gave me energy and self esteem to write on and start this blog

 

Monday, October 6, 2008 7:58 AM

From: "David kamwela" Hello! Manuel, my name is David from Da-es-salaam in Tanzania, I have read the poem of yours 'IN THAT VILLAGE OF MINE' it was very nice poem i can say your a really poetry , i love your work. Wish you all best in that mail of mine.

Monday, August 4, 2008 5:31 AM

From: "ESTHER MWAURAH"

Hi! Surprise, my name is Esther; I happened to peruz on the newspaper and found a poem that you wrote. Am a big fan of poets and wished to congratulate you that was job well done. Gooddai and keep in touch

POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD

Thursday, July 31, 2008 6:54 AM

From:"WANYOIKE esther"

Hi

Hope this email finds you well. I read some of these books and they were beneficial to me. I thought i should recommend them to you. Hope you find them helpful. Enjoy

Regards

Esther

Of the three only Esther Mwaurah replied back.

and goes tho poem:

IN THAT VILLAGE OF MINE

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

People do not work

People gossip and eat talk.

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

Women scream 24 hours a day

Those maimed women are beaten black ands blue

Because men aggressiveness have got an outlet

In that village of mine:

If you happen to be there friend of mine

You will never find girls

They were all defiled and ushered

To womanhood at five months

Will be husbandless mothers at ten

Undisputed grandmothers at twenty

And finally greatest grandmothers at twenty-five

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

There is no need to marry

Because your neighbors wife

is in surplus and was your ex!

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

Every child never resemble the father

Because every one has cajoled the mother

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

I do give it an abyss abhorring

Abysmally big bodied, big bellied

Women with unmemorable age

Are shameless boy-mongers

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

Men work at chang’aa dens

Bragging and boasting of sexual escapades

Bring home: monies which never pay fees;

Beatings and bags of STDs to their wives.

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

Youth good-byed school once upon a time

And are the best idlers, drunkards and thieves

These le grand football donators of balls to girls

Know it is the in-group thing

In that village of mine:

Which is like every other village

Poverty is past epidemic

It is pandemic!