He came to me smelling of another woman

He came to me smelling of another woman
Gave me a kiss whose fragrance I knew was never mine
Deceived me into submitting to dreams I thought I never had

Waited for an answer to questions that never came
But stood my ground and kept close to my better half
Sometimes they will make you submit to your wounded heart

Love never gives in places it's never found
Places so familiar you regret why you were
Faithful in slavery to a mind bent on one night stands

He came to me smelling of another woman
But he knew I was the only taste he thought he could never have
I regret the day I introduced him to my mother's love

For he abused the very options that brought me closer to a deeper love
Or is it money and power that corrupts that inner blur
That shines so brightly in a night that's full of gull

I swear he was smelling of another woman
Maybe it was just a dream, made me call him with a heavy heart
A dream in which he smelled of sex with another woman

***
Garissa
November 2016

She smelled of another man

She came to me smelling of another man
gave me a kid whose name was never mine
gave short answers to questions I never asked
then deceived me into dreams I thought I never had

She still expected mercy that never came
stood my ground to keep a better half
sometimes one must submit to a wounded hand
love never gives in places it's never found

Places so familiar you loose who you never were
love is a slave to a mind that always has
for sure I had doubts about the ages soon to come
fantasies hidden for one who never laughed

Night stands always sale to the those with wounded hearts
she came to me smelling of another man
she knew I was that one test she could never have
regret the day I introduced her to my mama's love

She abused the very options that brought me closer to a deeper love
money and power corrupts that inner blur
that shines so brightly in a night that's full of gull
I could swear she was smelling of another man

Maybe it was just a dream,
made me call her with a heavy heart
A dream in which she smelled
of another man

* * *

227 Jerusalem, Nairobi
June 2017
In memory of AMonI, kaongo, mbekhu.
Dance away my friend...drifting without sugar, 70+1

My three houses

Mother told me to build three new houses
Houses to host three families linked by fate
How else could I deny the wisdom she knows

A woman in hand is worth more in the chamber
To confused men who never have an answer
To the why's that build up from the 'I do' question

Mother told me to refuse inconsistent wisdom
From the stubborn elders whose advise is corrupted
In apprehensions so desperate they sell it for a song

Still mother told me to build three houses
For a wife material is more than patterns and stitches
To build on a rock you need to be solid

Still it hurts that out of three only one should count
One who will outlast that old narrative
That traditions spin to orphans in disaster

Mother told me to build three new houses
For the dignity of woman is not curved on four walls
It's in the ripe little blessings plucked the morning after

It's about time I built my mother the three houses
The rain is coming and the families need shelter
Hope I've got strength to supervise the cluster

* * *

La'ngata road, Feb 2017

I'll go to Fathers

I'll go to fathers to fetch my rooster
Where few men smoke but many chew
Too many pieces to pick in a yard so spacious

How else could we know when a brother will turn up
always exciting to guess who will show up
Some for Business,
others for pleasure,
others to receive
so pick yours mate

For I know that soon I'll be a master
Better learn from the best to be all that can be mustered
Halogen lamps make old ninjas fade in shame

Click an update and your messages are a disaster
I swear I left something at Fathers
Or perhaps it is true that I received something at Fathers

Hope it's not tool late to bring another rainy cloud
Hope it's not too much to ask another last favor
To hold me up lest I slip in disaster

I'll go to Fathers to fetch my rooster
Boss knows how laughter mends old wounds
From daily habits that could breed disaster

I'll go to Fathers and fetch my rooster
For time will separate purpose from discipline
To men who fellowship and seed in clusters

Of twigs green and maroon and the usual wetfry space
You'll know it's a pleasure when you get that invite
To go to Fathers and pick your rooster

* * *
Fathers Yard, Uhuru April 2017