Words and guns
A poem by Njeri Wangari

Words and guns

which yields more power?

with words,
I can create a world where guns and bullets
are like suns and droplets.
I can call into being the spirits of our forefathers,
open your eyes to a time
before the first man, before the railway lines.
For before the world was,
the word still was.

With words
I can turn the pages
to a time before the sunrise of my being,
step into worlds I have never been
touch and not feel the sting of a bee,
imagine a world that will never be
for with words,
I can create and let it be.

With words,
I can create playgrounds in concrete jungles,
where kids can touch the grass and throw marbles,
stories of heroes
gone and living,
grow boys to men,
girls to women,
for with words,
destiny will be what they set,
not what they spell.

With words on a page,
minds bow at our feet.

About the Author:

Njeri Wangari is an acclaimed Kenyan poet and writer with a multi-faceted career
spanning over 15 years as a spoken word artist, journalist and communications
specialist.

Njeri’s first poetry collection- Mine and Mind Fields; My Spoken Words published in 2010 is a 114 paged collection which contains over 40 poems that explore themes on; Urban Blues, Love, Identity, Traditions, Cultural changes, Exploitation and Politics written in English, Kiswahili and her native language Gĩkũyũ.

In 2022, her poetry was published in the Across Borders – An anthology of new poems from the commonwealth.

Njeri’s poems have been published in Badilisha Poetry, The East African, Kwani!,
Msafiri & Down River Road magazines. She has performed at various regional and
international events including the BBC Contains Strong Language Festival, Kwani & Story Moja Festivals, Global Voices Summit, Tedx Nairobi & at the Still Water middle school in Minnesota.

Njeri’s 2nd poetry collection, Arrested Tongues is due in 2023.

For more info visit www.kenyanpoet.com

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