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On Metrosolipsism

Written by Stephen Derwent Partington

Friday, 15 February 2008

I am sitting calmly in a blessedly quiet part of Kenya, enjoying the fact that I'm back at work, surrounded by students who are back at school. Still, I try to remain reasonably aware - and it would seem to me that there are many who believe that the relatively quiet of the city of Nairobi means all is well, over and good and proper and cricket-like.

If this, then that

The fatness of the queen's no proof
that all is well in beeland,
nor the general's insouciance
a guarantee the war is being won.

The sun's exuberance does not confirm
that Pluto's spinning happily,
content to be demoted,
nor the Pope's exquisite luxury
give any indication
that the Church is hunky-dory in Kigali.

All the Mountains of the Moon stand tall,
but how can this convince us
that a mighty Nile is flowing

or the heart's strong beat
allow us to conclude
the lungs and eyes have no disease?

So, when the blood has dried
in satisfied Nairobi...

Stephen Derwent Partington
		About the author:
		Steve D. Partington is the Poet of the Anthology, SMS & Face to Face, founder of the Kenyan Poetry Catalyst, he has published numerous literary papers in East Africa and Britain and he is a Head teacher at a school in Machakos, on the outskirts of Nairobi.

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written by Timmy , February 15, 2008

Some internal cancers kill people before they can know they have it. And if we didn't have powerful telescopes we probably would have no idea that Pluto existed.Then if no one explored how would we tell from whence the great river flows or where it goes? And if no one's blood flows how shall we figure out that whichever tribe, whichever political affiliation it all flows red?

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we have hope
written by emmo opoti , February 16, 2008

It lies increasingly with the middle-class to pull us out of this mess. If we want to keep that tranquil of our cocoons, if we want to return to the opportunity and promise of the the last five years, and diminish what guilt we have in the tragedy of Kenya, our strong heart beat, our mitres and robes, the fatness of our quuen's calls out to us to act now, and every day.

So sad some of us played a part in getting us here. One does hope that some guilt attends their every thought.

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written by Lameck , February 20, 2008

Well said Emmo. I agree Mr Stephen. All in all, we must agree that behind any floods is a rain drop. While all is not well, well is all that starts well.

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