New Beginnings

I have made a plan, and I feel like I need to write it down.

Sail the sea's I shall, and span the oceans wide untill I am nowhere to be found.

Dig myself deep into the ground and bury the person I was yesterday.

Come up for a breath of fresh air, new and ready for today.

Forget the past and let it rot in the broils of the ocean floor.

Rise up to gulp the cold air rushing down my brow.

For I am nothing but a speckle of flesh in this big wide world we call home.

Let me not get airs about myself, 

for I am nothing compared to the expanse of the Universe - which I can never hold.

Let me be free in my mind and roam the earth untill it is time to say goodbye.

Let me live another day, without a care about what they will say.

Let me breathe one more time, the air that is so divine.

Let me live without a doubt, knowing that today? Today is mine. 

Maalika Kazia

The Letter

Triiiinggg. Triiiinggg.

The school bell chimed and all the children leaped up with joy as home time was finally here. The first graders had been learning about letter writing. Kildom Primary School was a happy place full of laughter, fun and games. 

But one little girl in first grade had not been happy that day. Amy, who was usually the life of the class room, had been silent and sad for a couple weeks now. Her teacher Mrs. Ganish let the child be. What could one possibly do at such a time? She would try and coax the child to speak, engage, play and sing. But it was not something she expected Amy to do at this point in time. Children really do suffer too much when these things happen. Hopefully Amy picked up something about letter writing to distract herself from the chaos.

Amy shouldered her school bag and began walking out of class with her red hair in a long pony tail, big green eyes downcast and head drooping. The white van awaited her at the end of the parking lot. In she got, as she did every evening after school. And just as always, dad Billy asked her how her day went. Then they made their way to the place which smelt funny and had people in white coats roaming around. The white coat that came to see her mom was tall and kind. But whenever he came to speak to mommy and daddy, they became scared and sad.

Six year old Amy was sitting at her mother’s bedside scribbling on a piece of paper. 

Please stop hurting her. She cant bear the pain. I cant watch when she cries. The tear’s fills up. I do not know why you do this. Please stop. Don’t take her away, I love her. I promise to eat all the vegetables and the healthy food. I will sleep early and do all my homework on time. Just let mommy stay okay? Please don’t take mommy. I promise to give you all my dolls. Even Julie. Thank you.

To: Cancer

From: Amy

“Sweetheart what are you writing?” asked Nurse Samantha.

“It’s a letter to the monster who is hurting mommy.” replied Amy.

The Nurses’ eyes filled with tears as she read the letter and tried not to break down in front of the child with the big, sad, green eyes. How many lives must be destroyed before this monster has consumed its last soul? The nurse knew Amy’s mother would be gone in a few days time. No one came back from the last stage and all the cases which Nurse Samantha had dealt with had killed her sense of hope. 

But Amy fostered hope within her heart. A bright, burning beacon of resilience which would only be extinguished by her mothers last breath. 

Off she trotted down the hospital corridor. Off to post her letter. 

Maalika Kazia

Today's Woman

“Grandma! Grannnn maaaaa!!!”

“What is it Ann? What is the fuss about?”

“Today is International Women’s day! It was all over Facebook and Twitter. So I brought you some flowers.”

“Set them down on the table. You’re a darling, thank you.”

“I have a question”

Grandma raised her eyebrows. Ann never stopped asking questions. It was a habit she had acquired as a little girl when she used to visit her grandmother with her hair in pigtails and freckles on her nose. Ten questions for granny, she called it. Today, she stood at six feet with her copper hair burnished to perfection through the eighteen years of her life. And so began Ann’s questions:

"Why is she judged when she speaks out and has strong opinions? Why is she labeled a “bitch” for being outspoken and honest?

Why do the men stare her down when she enters the board room with her head held high? Why do the magazines strip her of her clothes?

Why do the men stare as soon as she stands up and turns her back to them? Why do they call her ugly when she carries an extra few pounds?

Why is she blamed when the children turn out rotten? Why is she shunned when her husband files for divorce?

What of the men in their vests, with their mistress’ hanging on their arms? What of their affairs, condescending remarks and insulting jibes?"

In all her years, Grandma had not yet discovered a single answer to satisfactorily put an end to these questions. But she told the young woman in front of her something she hoped would remain with her all her life.

“For you see dear girl, you are not living in a very fair world. But there is hope yet and let us remind ourselves that today. Stand with your sisters in times of need. Prove you can work just as hard as any man. And raise your daughter’s right. Believe in yourself, and don’t allow the world to tell you anything else. No matter what enhancements a man prefers or which attributes he believes you should have, you must be true to yourself first. Brave the storm and carry on. Only you can make a change and see a better tomorrow. A brighter tomorrow, for the woman of today.”

Ann whipped out her phone and clicked on the Instagram App. Upload “selfie”. Caption: Let’s build a brighter tomorrow, for the woman of today. #womensday2015 #makeithappen

Maalika Kazia

Adventure Awaits

She was ready for a journey. A journey which would take her to the ultimate destination – herself. Could there be any other way to truly let your soul free from its bondage's then travel? “Hop onto the train!” he called from up ahead, beckoning her with his outstretched hand. The rate at which her heart was thumping against her chest was phenomenal. With cat like impulse she lunged forward chasing the train in its steamy wake. “Let’s go have an adventure”, thought Morena.

The rumbling grate of the moving train forced Morena awake. But her ears detected another sound too. Evening had fallen overhead and the sky was overcast in a murky purple haze speckled with the last golden rays of the dying sun. Thunder clapped in the clouds midst ensuring that everyone below was aware of its presence. The nap had worn the girl out entirely and panic sensed that this was the time to pounce on her unsuspectingly.

Had she lost her mind? How could she have trusted a total stranger? What would he do with her once they arrived at their destination? Above all – Where was this train heading? It was time to dig. And dig deep. But before Morena planned her next move, the compartment door slid open and in stepped the stranger. The first thing that captured her attention was the smile he wore like a shield of sorts. It was a wry leer bordering on malice. But something about his eyes gave him away. There was warmth in those steely baby blues. An exultant sense of infinite hope emitted from him. “Here you go” said Kadir, handing Morena a warm cup of tea. The girl had no idea what she was in for.

Kadir took a seat across form Morena and folded his hands against his wide chest. Appraising the girl, he considered her to be around twenty. She would fetch a good price at the market. Only fools rejected fresh meat and she was just ripened to perfection. All of a sudden the girl looked up and took off the hat which had been shielding her eyes. Within the same moment, the thunder rumbled overhead sending tumults of fear into Morena’s heart. Her warm copper eyes grew wide in terror and her mouth was left agape. Kadir sat stunned. It would take a lot more than thunder to shake this man. But the girls gaze left him staggered. She was beautiful.

Left at the station alone and cold sat Morena. As luck would have it, Kadir had left her on a bench where an abandoned cell phone lay. Just as the clock struck twelve indicating midnight had chimed in, Bagdash came into view. Relief swept over the pair as their eyes met. His bride had been found and his future secured once more. Never would he let her out of his protective gaze again. Never would he give her a reason to flee. Everyday would be an adventure. Because with her, his life was complete. Finally, Morena felt the same.

Maalika Kazia

Beneath the chaos

I've come to realize one thing about life - Its never constant.
The folds of time turn fortunes up and down ceaselessly so that life resembles a zigzag line design, constantly oscillating between good and bad, happiness and sadness, desire and contentment.
But between this whole limbo - if we take a moment. Just one moment to sit and decipher the present as it were - we would find an inexplicable sense of resolution.

Kenya has recently been fraught with terror attacks and there is a growing unrest boiling constantly, getting stronger by the hour. Death, carnage, destruction and chaos reign the news at least once a week. However, life doesn't seem to stop or stand still even in the face of annihilation. Those who are directly impacted by these events suffer the worst of its aftermath. But those of us who read about it or hear about it click our tongues, say a word of prayer and move on with our lives with just a tad bit more caution. I cant help but feel helpless. What can anyone do to stop this? Yes we can blame the government and demand action on social networking sites. Yes we can discuss it endlessly amongst ourselves. Yes we can choose to limit our movements for the sake of self-preservation. Yet in reality, we are the innocent children watching our mother country being devoured by forces beyond our control.

But instead of deluding ourselves with a sense of peace which may just be an illusion - maybe, just maybe, we should stand together as a nation. Pop the bubble of self-preservation and come into the light. Stand as one force against the mutilation of our home, our people and our reality.

The question is not if that is a possibility...the question is, will it be enough?

Mother

Today I decided to share a poem with you which I wrote about an issue which deserves attention. We as humans need to realize the importance of our actions, and more so the consequences of our actions, on nature.

Mother

As she lies there crouched upon a flaming desert,

No end doth her eyes assert.

A battered soul and a crumpled heart for company;

A tormented being and a shattered life for comradry.

Her eyes speak a thousand words,

Pouring forth eons of reserve.

Pain encompasses her at every turn,

Everyone screaming for her to burn.

The soft silk of the Earth - upturned.

The soothing shimmer of the ocean - burned.

The crisp current of the air - tainted.

The ferocious fire of humanity - depleted.

Can you hear her lamenting?

Mother Nature is grieving.

Grieving for her Earth, grieving for her children.

Grieving because of their birth, grieving because of their insolence.

Maalika Kazia

The new face of terror

Hey guys
Today I decided to talk about an incident which occurred yesterday night in Nairobi. A saloon car exploded at the Pangani Police Station, leading to the death of 4 people - two of whom were police officers. Another explosive device found inside the car was safely removed and dismantled before it exploded.

Now, after the Westgate Mall Attack there has been a lot of unrest in the country. Every other day I come across articles about Churches being blown up, clerics being murdered in Mombasa, among other similar stories. The government is on a very vigilant path as they are scanning people, especially those of Somali origin who are living in the country. It is a risk to leave your home without carrying your original ID or passport, because if the police ask for these documents and you cant produce them, they take you down to the station.

All of these attacks have created a sheath of insecurity around the citizens of Kenya. Some people are choosing to passively ignore the situation, while others are being extremely precautious. According to me, the solution doesn't lie in pretending nothings wrong or acting like everything is.
I keep coming across articles on how youth radicalization is to blame for young people being drawn into terror groups and actually becoming brainwashed enough to commit heinous crimes in the name of faith. Due to lack of employment and a dire need for money, youth are being recruited into fanatical organizations with the hope of earning money. Can you really blame them? What they fail to see however, is that this wealth is not going to get them anywhere, because they are helping people destroy their country - their home. For that little amount of money, they are destroying the lives of countless people and eventually, their own.

As for the measures being taken by the police - I cannot say I love it, but I cannot say it is futile either. They are doing what they can. This new face of terrorism is not using a frontal approach whereby the enemy is clearly defined. The new face of terrorism involves using our own people against our own nation.

What do you say?