Beautiful, Virtuous and Brainy

No rhyme. Life! Messy!
Wow, Atendit! Look at you! Where did years go?
It feels like yesterday. But here you are!
Kind, considerate, smart, and gorgeous.
With you, parenting has been a walk in the park.
(A few glitches not withstanding!)
Regardless of my parental wisdom
Life will show you more than I could ever try.
So here is my word as you get another year wiser:
However big the storm, sunshine always follows.
However lasting the sunshine, the storm lurks somewhere.
“That’s me, Ms. life: neither sunny, neither stormy!”
“Just life…shiny, cloudy, stormy, rainy…everything.”
I wished it was all smooth sail from here.
I wished I could say life treats you regally with years,
Or that wisdom follows you in tow with years.
That’d be parental hot air…nonsense.
You’ll face childish adults and precocious children
You’ll witness meaningless cruelty and plentiful kindness
You’ll witness exhilarating drive on smooth roads
And trial and tribulation in impassable, muddy valleys,
But here is an incontrovertible truth
Even the Nazarene son can’t falsify:
It’s another year, another moment of growth
A moment to be humble, to contemplate, to smile, laugh,
To treat existence, the world, like personal responsibility.
No one has given you keys to matters of existence,
But take these keys, self-lionize and speak even
when life tries to drown your voice. Many will try!
Don’t be certain about truth and facts,
But always prize truth and facts as higher virtues to attain.
If doors are shut on your face, ask why? and then move on.
No self-pity! Just Self-assurance:
“You don’t know me, Atet Dr. Kuirthiy!” you say.
If cruelty becomes too much, remember, storms always pass.
I don’t think I have been a good father.
But I promise you one thing: You’ll be respected.
Take beauty less seriously. Beauty builds no character.
Always uplift those with less than what you have: Virtue.
Always prize what you know, always try to know...always!
That is how you see sunshine coming after a long stormy day.
Remember, always: be nice!… sunshine is following that storm.
Happy Birthday Atendit!
Daddy loves you.

POISE

I'm on this meandering path
whose end I can't see.
So I strike a pose and inhale,
But the path meanders on even more
So I stand and stare...
But then I see a white dot at a distance,
a black dot on a tree nearby,
and a red dot on the ground.
So I shake my head and breathe again.
A while later a white car passes by,
a raven flies away from the tree,
and I see a red ant crossing the road.
So I look up and walk on.
I don't know where this road leads,
but I know where I'm going.
I assume a straight poise!
I walk on as the red ant
stops as if to bit me "bye!"
and dashes into the grass.
I smile.
It is a pose,
and a pause with a poise!

THE WOODLAND MARVEL

In the thick, green and shadowy forest,

Where the wild speaks linguistic marvels,

Is where you will find him, staring at the swaying

Tall trees, drying his eyes with their soothing rhythms.

He has longed for a long silence to seethe venomously,

But no one has ever cared or stopped to listen,

Everyone wants to breathe their own decorated venom,

So, he leaves the clattering town for a rumbling forest,

The two are noisy and alive but one a little more cordial,

The noise, he screens for raucous value and silent words,

But the forest is also venomous, yet it listens.

It whistles, sways, chirps, howls but listens.

The forest talks incessantly, and the town competes,

The town is proud, fronting superiority, venom.

The forest is also venomous, wild and perilous,

But there he is, listening to the woodland stillness.

Speaking silently, to the squirrels jumping by,

The birds rocking on the leafy branches…

He silently expresses his venom, touching his face.

The back of his hand is moist,

His face is wet, but he listens as the forest sways.

But he remains still, the bird chirping but silent,

Surprised, the sparrow stares:

‘He’s deadly still, but his face is watery,’

marvels the old sparrow.

‘The town talks and talks…

The forest talks but listens,’ to the sparrow he nods.

And there, is the woodland marvel.

Poetry Books

The Carcass Valley (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

This is my first collection of poems. The poems are about love and life; suffering and endurance; South Sudan; and nature of things.

You can buy the book on amazon:

The Carcass Valley

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

This is my second collection of poems. The poems are about love, life and wonder; humanity and misconceptions; nationhood, suffering and perception; religion, nature, being and perceptions; and appreciation.

You can buy the book on amazon:

Exegesis of Despotism

Twilight Murders (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Twilight Murders (poetry)

This is my third collection of poems and essays. The poems and essays are about life, family, deception, identity, war and suffering.

You can buy the book on amazon:

Twilight Murders, Other Poems and Essays

Kuir ë Garang, PhD
___

Kuir ë Garang, PhD
___

Poetry Books

The Carcass Valley (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Twilight Murders (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Twilight Murders (poetry)

Kuir ë Garang, PhD___

Kuir ë Garang, PhD___

Poetry Books

The Carcass Valley (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Twilight Murders (poetry)

Exegesis of Despotism (poetry)

Twilight Murders (poetry)

Kuir ë Garang, PhD
___

Kuir ë Garang, PhD
___