Thought We Had None, We Have One Poem by Merlin Mwaura

Thought We Had None, We Have One



Picture a construction site at Kibera,
Musyoki will go to Mama Fatuma's Cafe,
ready made Githeri and some Wali,
maybe try Mama Omosh's keja,
I can't make this line sound more Tahidi high than this...
she always has fresh omena from the Lake.
anyway,
Robert is going to start a production of this,
just like wash and set,
don't know what name his picked yet.

'Ni ya Leo' songs on public service numbers
number #14,
number#44,
number#33,
number#32,
number#23,
number#9,
not very far...
a Kenyan thug kind of song.
Jua Kali talent,
even with this kind of sun around
Meja still pulls a heart trick,
more actor than music truly.

Then I started to look keenly,
listen keenly.
Looked at the calligraphy,
the graffiti on sound track Matatus
Couldn't believe it,
Madaraka and Nairobi West life
Dandora infamous mess
Ukoo fulani mau mau...
I thought we have none, we have one...
Freedom fighters of this generation.
Nameless and our misguided love thoughts,
salary starved youth,
a song's inspiration.

I thought we had none, we have one...
an MTV award winner,
a mathematician, am not sure about genius!
Then I heard Wahu sing,
Sweet love,
made me wish I had one,
joyful bundles with the ONE.
I will make me some, one day.
i THOUGHT we had none, we have one..
On to bridges and fly overs,
Someone was here,
ink has once again blotted,
on concrete as it did examination papers at K.C.S.E
just like Stressmore loos,
Gents...really!
I don't know about the ladies.
dabbing all our Kenyan youth into immortality.
'I was here', I wrote some of that too
On my high school bed,
laid rest to many fantasies there.

I thought we had none, we have one.
A culture of the youth.
We ogle at every passing-
ready,
for a back view,
a rear view mirror honking with a Wezere song,
pure disgust on our fairer sex.
Their ears have no peace,
Truly we love the man with the base,
the more the merrier,
How the hell else do you bring over chicks
on a limb from Liddos,
Its the club effect.
Even Usher don't have a clue we this good.
We only say 'POA' to madtraxx.
even gospel is catching on like bush fire
With inspirations like Tony Kiama,
with face book fans...

I thought we have none, we have one,
a poet in Nairobi,
a painter somewhere far...
a charmer,
a comedian,
now every Thursday i run off like a mad man...
because Churchill is getting good!
I have not bothered to look much
but there is culture amongst us youth
Maybe I'll say something else,
maybe not,
but I know this...
I'll keep playing 'Kucheza na Maneno'
Say I am original Kenyan,
Cause I thought we have none,
while I am one.

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