8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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BE THE BEST- By Odundo Elijah Nyakina McWadhiayahThey searched for good, and soThey sat down and thought,

About it

But what did they think about?Being good in society

But when they were askedTo write the past tense

Of the word think

In an exam,They thought, thought, thought, and

Wrote thanks in an exam

For when you think you are goodThen you are no better, be the best

What if you are notGood in counselling and

Home-based care?Be the best in generosityFor when you think you are good

Then you are no better, be the best

What if you are average inVoluntary work and communal activities?

Dont say you are good

For it may be above or below averagesFor when you think you are good

Then you are no better, be the best

Hey, you there

And you here

Exercise caution changeYes change, change, a change

As good as rest

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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For when you think you are goodChange and be better

When you think you are better, change

And be the best

Be careful my friend

For you may be a victimPull, pull, pull up your socks

And always be the best

For when you think you are good,Then you are no better, be the best.

TAKE THE WRETCH OUT OF THE ROT- By Odundo Elijah Nyakina McWadhiayahIn God we trust

Not only for our past

But a must in our tracksTo fast is task

But it doesnt taste to put God to testOut as rust lest you blotSo worst as to burst in lust

Just trust God for steadfastness

To be alert and justFirst and not last among the fast

Lest you are cast out as cursed

Let a cat be catAnd a rat be rat

Not a bat without any buts.

Dont fret about this,

Treat it in bits to fit

Its best to be at the crest

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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Yet its not too late to rate your fateLets trot out tit for tat

For the rest of the debate is just

But a bet.

2003

LAST TOUCH

- Elijah Nyakina Odundo MacWadhiayah

In a rumble of gamble,

I trembled and fumbled in mumblesYet none was humble to my grumbles

All over sudden you came

Just before I crumbled

At a time of stress,

Distress and pressureYou brought to my leisure

A pleasure that had more treasureBeyond measure I could gestureYour nature that captures and nurtures

The fracture that had a chapter

In my stature

Your presence brought noble pebbles of comfort

A treble of love was the result

For this was the best timeTo treadle away the preambles

Leaving my heart in rhythm of longings

Yet I have myself to blame

For failing to claim and tame you

In time, when you cameMaybe lame I was

In this game of fame

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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Was this any mess?

In my time frame, still

Everything is the same The missile of your strengthHas rocked me

To my soul you have a favourTo my heart this is rated

Maybe one day, in a wayIt will mingle

That together we dance a jigTo rekindle the candle once moreFor all of us to have a vision

Of this last touch

All I need is a whisper.

2003

Can we? By Odundo McWadhiayah

In the midst of fashion and caution

Youve minced me in passionYet, its too much to take precaution

For the two that match need no poison

The cake that bakes is not fakeFor my sake, before you take a break

Let us bet

So strange yet its entangled

Let them grumble in all angles

As they fumble and crumble in that rumbleLets reach the pitch where theres no hitch

As they itch, get on with the stitch

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And let us bet

Im sure this is not a shock

For already, you are soakedLike tendrils, lend me your tendernessTo send a trend that renders me to remember

Those magnificent and sparkling eyes that arouses,That smiles which is magical,

And the nature that does more than logical

So, why cant we-bet?

Must I say if I can play and stay?Will I dry the hay or fry the eggs in the tray?For how long shall my brain drain in this pain?

Should I train my mind to strain not in vain?

Yet, from this strain of disdain I cant refrain till I gainStill, you reign as rain in my veins

Maybe softly, I need to tread

However, how aboutbetting?

Just like a bray of a horseThe ray has paved the way for the tryI must taste this test not in haste

But with fate and date

So juicy and mouth-watering yet so delicate is this fruitThough greater is the appetite

Im in control of peeling off

For I must retain the nutrientsTill I gain maximum utilityThis is why Im betting

For sure, Im not dreaming

This is no trap but beaming reality

Are we in the same gear?Not until we bet this year

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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The last is preserved for the bestSo if you listen to this,

Youll ever cherish this,

And never will you perish in tricksYet I need not say much too soonThis is why I had to say only this

Just to let you knowThat I can bet

But will you hear me?

LAST TOUCH - Odundo Elijah Nyakina McWadhiayah

In a rumble of gamble,

I trembled and fumbled in mumblesYet none was humble to my grumbles

All of a sudden you came

Just before I crumbled

At a time of stress,Distress and pressureYou brought to my leisure

A pleasure that had more treasure

Beyond measure I could gesture

Your nature that captures and nurturesThe fracture that had a chapter

In my stature

Your presence brought noble pebbles of comfort

A treble of love was the resultFor this was the best time

To treadle away the preambles

Leaving my heart in rhythm of longings

Yet I have myself to blame

For failing to claim and tame youIn time, when you came

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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Maybe lame was IIn this game of fame

Was this any mess?

In my time frame, stillEverything is the same

The missile of your strengthHas rocked me

To my soul you have a favour

To my heart this is rated

IF SHE DARES, DONT CARE- Odundo Elijah Nyakina McWadhiayahI loved you, but in vainThought I have your love

But your love is halved

Cared about you

Yet you dared me

Couldnt sleep even a day

Without thinking of you

Yet you leaped several days

Spending with my rivals

Spent so much on you

To make youWhat you are

With no reward in return!Yet youve eloped with

A player?

Hes reaped a lot from you

Milked you dry demandingYour best

But giving his worst

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When I offer my romance

You overshadow it

With arrogance

When I need your kiss

You turn me down with a hiss

When we walk together

You stop, talk, talk, and talkAs I stop, to get your attention,

Briskly you start walking What more can I say?Alone, I am left

Staring helplessly, seeing nothing

But separation

As night follows day

You keep on moving away

From me The further you move, the closerI want to get to you

In and out of my life,

Anytime you walk Against my wish

Tell me, did I ever

Ask for this?

What havent I done

To deserve this?Why must you buy

My time, when

Ive not yet soldYour love?

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I wish I wouldnt haveKnown you

In the first place

Maybe by now, Id beSettled down attached

For how long will IKeep the gates of my heart

Open to you?

Why did you chooseTo go with the padlock

And leave me with the key?

Maybe silent prayers

Are answered

GOD, may youErase her from

The confidential files

Of my heart.

Unto thy hands, I amLORD Give me the desires

Of my heart

If she dares, do

I need to care?

January, 2004 McWadhiayah Productions.

DROWNED IN THE FAVOURITE- By Odundo Elijah Nyakina McWadhiayahHave you ever fallen in love?Do you really love me?

You seem not to care, do you?

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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Dont ask me such For it will turn to be a narrative

Is that rhetoric? A test? An essay?

Or a complaint?No I cant answer thatMaybe its love, maybe void.

So if you say you love me

Wait until I get disappointed in the same

Then Ill shift my attention to youNot because I love you

But because loneliness I hate.

I know you wont like my words

For you expect from me

Those ideal words of romanceThose sweet-swaying words

Of prominence and dominance

Yet not dominance in romance

But dominance of ignoranceIn arrogance

Forgive me if I hurt you

For these are the same words

That I told the other swimmerAnd she felt withdrawn

Then turned me down

Said too dramatic was IYet, she wanted someone romantic

Dont you now see?You say you want to love me

And give me happiness

But I want no loveAll I want is to act out

Youre presumed portion of love

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And display to youThe sadness and happiness

Of this notion

Dont you see?We are like chalk and cheese

But let me seeDid you say you wanted to love me?

Free I guess

Oh, yeah, thats an offer too good to refuseAfter all, what do I lose?

Taking and keeping without giving SimpleUntil such a time

Turbulence there will come

That she will have nothing else to offer

Your eyes will open

Then you will realise that

Floating or sinking changes notThe nature of the poolNot even flooding tearsCan move the stagnant pool

Then you will walk outWasted, tired and torn apart

Just like the rest

You will go as you cameTo give others the chanceTo swim in the same pool

As sure as death

You will start mouthing

Spitting accusations and allegationsAgainst the silent pool

Struggling to gain publicity

8/3/2019 Poem Collections by Elijah Odundo

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And win Peoples sympathyFor what?

Tell me nowWhat does the pool gainWhen a swimmer swims in it?

When in need of swimmingIs it not you who came to me?

Then how do I take the blame

Now that drowned you are?To what extent do I get responsible?

You should thank me In factFor being there for youIn hour of need

After all, I never loved youYes, you owe me an apology

Will you stop this mouthing?

Or else, Ill get bored.

2003