I remember when a Mr. Ochieng once walked into class on the first class day of Senior 5 (HSC) and told us that Poetry was “the best words in the best order”
He went on to tell the class how it was also the most condensed form of speech expressing the most sublime precepts.
There were eight of us in that class… aahhhh the good old college. There were 33 boys in the Arts Class and there only 8 of us offering Literature in English. It was a time when shining was something you did without trying.
Amongst those eight boys was one, notorious for being extraordinarily talkative. I talked a lot and in fairness, I still do but this brother could talk. So much the class called him ‘Mbuzi’. I always wondered whether it was because of his ability to ruminate of old grudges or it was the result of the over developed jaw muscles as a result of over practice [read talking too much].
Mbuzi and I are going to co-author this post with me; because he was awesome and also because he is new to blogger.
Ladies and gentlemen, give Drew a round of applause.
That class moulded us into most of what we are because we scraped for every bit of self worth we have. We owned that turf, we ruled that place.
Anyways, in the goings and coming of our time there, there emerged some people with a gift for poetry par excellence. And one thing led to another and the Lantern Meet of Poets was born. Today, a small group of three characters has achieved three recitals and is on the cusp of a bigger more creative recital than ever before. And the poetry that will define our age will come from these young lanterns.
I now ask you keep your Saturday 29/08/’09 evening free.
