The Gong

Christopher Okemwa is a literature lecturer at Kisii University, Kenya. He has a PhD in performance poetry from Moi University, Kenya. He is the founder and current director of the Kistrech International Poetry Festival in Kenya (kistrechpoetry.org). He has written many books of poetry. Some of his poems have been translated into Armenian, Chinese, Greek, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian, Arabic, Chinese, Nepalese, Turkish, Spanish, Catalan and Serbian. He has also translated four literary works of international poets from English to Swahili. He is the editor of four international poetry anthologies around the world. He has written two novels, three children's books, four oral literature texts and ten folktales about the Abagusii people of Kenya. His novella, Sabina and the Mystery of the Ogre, (nsemia Inc., 2015) won the Canadian Burt Award for African Literature in 2015. Its sequel, Sabina the Rain Girl, published in 2019, is a popular novella among students in Kenya.

The GONGOf my childhood rings louderIts echo hurtles in, fasterCatching up with meEvery night in my dreamsThe bicycles, donkey-cartsThe farmers' open vansRaced up and down this pebbly roadLeaving behind trails of dustI sat here, on this anthillOn a market dayCounting people, donkeysI was a loner thenThe mantis as my teddy bear."A very good insight into the writer's perception of life - as a child, the woes of African teachers, life and deathreligion, prostitution, marriage, witchcraft, love, hatred and existence."These poems are genuine; and convey the heartfelt experiences of a very sensitive, honest and articulate spirit.You can tell that Christopher is talented."Poetry is a concentrated form of expression. It's not for the prosaic or the talkative. Christopher is fortunate to belongto the class of humans who can say a lot in a few words." Charles Phebi-Agyekum, Author"Christopher Okemwa is a master of mixing the voice of rapture with despair, an exceptional voice, in many ways unlike the usual voice wehear from Africa , longing to unravel the secrets of life and of love, striving to reach the unreachable, accomplished and lyrical." Anna Petkova Mwangi"The Gong is an excellent work that engages the reader. Each poem leads to a journey; a weaving of Stories, Sayings and Truthseach one creating an imprint on the mind. It is an unforgettable experience and a remarkable record of the times which must be shared." Estella Muyinda