A Review of Caleb Khang'ati Wanda's poem: ' Woman's Monied Dates.'

 The poem:

Woman's Monied Dates
In love with money
Fame and honey,
She defined as horny
Wallets that were less boney.
Done with physical geography
She embraced virtual philosophy,
Shading off all lunacy
That were men without currency.
In love with herself
Blinkered gazes locked her shelf,
She dated a gated chef
Through whose absence society was safe.


  The Review:
Caleb is a gifted poet. His exceptional ability is evident in the way he dramatizes, captures and presents the experiences of our time through his poetry-- which is of national (societal) importance.

The poem is short, simple but loaded with meaning. The speaker is an observer describing the way a woman 'she' lives-- lavishly. Read his works here: http://www.socialliterature.blogspot.com

In stanza1, the speaker says she is in love with money (line 1), fame and honey (line2). Honey in this case refers to all sweet (or good) things brought by money. She defines wallets that are less boney as horny (line 3 &4). Here, being less boney probably means not having many bones; so there is some little flesh or fat. This therefore means the wallets have inadequate money, not empty.

In stanza2, the speaker says that once she is done with physical geography (line 1), she embraces virtual philosophy (line 2). Physical geography may refer to her outlook or shape. Thus improve her skin texture, hair style, modify breasts and bottoms etc etc. It may also refer to the surroundings or places. Virtual (philosophy) may refer to an aspect of reality that is an ideal, but nonetheless real, according to Gilles Deleuze. It may also refer to developing an act of having some virtues or attributes. Virtual may also be connected with the internet in some way. By doing this, she shades off poor or broke men (without currency). They are referred to as lunacy (madness). Line 3& 4.

In stanza3, the speaker says the woman loves herself. (line1). This is shown by what they refer to as 'blinkered gazes' which could relate to some valuables in her shelf. (line2). She dates a gated chef (line3) whose absence keeps the society safe (line4). The chef here refers to a law breaker who is now behind bars (gated). By using 'chef' which is used in cooking, the speaker means the fellow did something to (and probably changed) her life.

My Standpoints
In this poem, Caleb succeeds in capturing an experience in the most precise way. This, plus the choice of diction, enables him to economize words, an ideal poetry is known for. Moreover, he tries to convey the message effectively by employing varied devices. For instance, rhyme e.g money/honey, chef/safe; assonance; repetition. These create rhythm. Also, he emphasizes the message using parallelism (line 1 of stanza1&3) and repetition.

However, although poetry has the habit of denying people its meaning, Caleb has ruined it in this one. First, the rhythm (brought by rhyme) only relies on two sound patterns. This creates monotony, thence boredom.
Second, the use of 'horny' (which means a feeling or arousing sexual excitement OR resembling a horn) to refer to wallets (and their states) is misplaced. How can the two relate? Moreover, referring to wallets as less boney is very disturbing. If being less boney means having some flesh, which translates to cash (here), how does 'horniness' come in?

In stanza2, broke men are referred to as lunacy or madness. How? Moreover, metaphorizing every other thing to render meaning distorts it. In fact, it robs the poem of its relevance. E.g use of 'physical geography' and 'virtual philosophy.'

The poem does not live to fully give relevance to its title. 'Woman's Monied Dates' refers to a woman's social or romantic engagements that involve money (are monied). Readers would expect the poet to capture these dates, who funds them (apart from the chef), where they happen and probably their social, economic and moral implications. But Caleb evades this. He instead mentions them (dates) in stanza2 and 3. And dwells on the woman (only in love with money and herself).

I think the poet's attempt to clothe the message is good. The problem is that he picked on wrong or rather disturbing comparisons. 'lunacy', 'horny', 'boney' are not swaswa (good).

(c) wafula p'khisa
Lirango Lienjofu
[Thigh of an Elephant].

The Trouble With Emerging Voices

The current crop of poets tends to dissociate itself from urgent issues that afflict the society. It instead wanders to pen worthless issues in extremely popularized and vulgarized ways. These mostly serve personal interests. Yet they maintain that they are for the society.

What happens when a poet refrains from matters of national interest and delves into exploring his interests? What becomes of a writer who overlooks his societal concerns and neglects it at its hour of need?

In his speech 'The Duty and Involvement of the African Writer', Chinua Achebe argues that ''... an African creative writer who tries to avoid the big social and political issues of contemporary Africa will end up being completely irrelevant.'' He compares him with the absurd man in the proverb who leaves his house burning to chase a rat fleeing from flames. Therefore, the society-- with its pride, inadequacies, power struggles, disasters and pestilences becomes the core reference of every genuine artist. Endevouring to capture, present and contribute to changing them as well champion for some ideals that could better the society should be his occupation. This is why Achebe supported the secession of Biafra from Nigeria. This is why Okigbo died fighting for Biafra. This is what Okot p'Bitek sings. But our civilized poets are blind to this. They choose to remain in darkness. They don't know that darkness made a cockroach pass by a chicken's beak.

In attempt to seek free expression, most of them fail in the duty aforementioned. They describe sex and orgasms, praise themselves and women; write about clouds, snows and how to seduce etc etc. They compete for breathing space with genuine artists committed to searching for constructive and educative art. Why? The trouble with them is that they don't learn. They want to break away from the norm and establish their own kind of art. They disregard the wisdom of sages. A sure indicator of a sheep lost.

Kofi Anyidoho holds that poetry is the song of our ancestors. They left it for us. And to develop it, Kofi Awoonor argues that we have to go back to where our ancestors left it, thence continue it. This echoes the call to develop our culture, record how we live and varied societal transitions in art .

We have been through good and bad times. The Post Election Violence (2007/2008), frequent terror attacks, immortal corruption, poverty, religious hypocrisy... Our wounded society is weeping. It is disillussioned, forever disillussioned. Unfortunately, artists who have grown in these conditions distance themselves from them. They write recipes; and oral narratives, as Taban puts it.

Rappers rap about sexy women and money. They praise their flow and back-bite each other. And poets capture their own fantasies, and experiences with no worthwhile impact on the society at large. They can't weep with the society. They can't wipe its tears either. They can't prevent it from weeping. So of what use are they to it.

In 'Horn of My Love', Okot p'Bitek echoes Daniel E. Ongo's argument that songs of the Acoli people are books of their ancestors. They (ancestors) recorded the wars they fought, famines that befell them, described reigns of chiefs etc etc. This makes them, poets, according to p'Bitek historians. Therefore, issues of our time will be of great relevance to the generations to come. But if emerging artists turn a blind eye to them, what shall we bequeath the next generation?

Poets should come out and speak for the society. He who sticks to personal issues is like a politician who vies to satisfy individual interests at the expense of their people. Poets are not like that. They are for the people. They are activists, educators, doctors, counsellors. Everything!

As educators, what emerging artists need to know is that their works should be informative and educative enough to effect necessary changes. As Achebe puts it, the writer should be on the forefront in education and re-education-- to right past wrongs, misrepresentation and misconceptions of his people. He cannot and should not be excused.

(c) wafula p'khisa
Lirango Lienjofu
[Thigh of an Elephant].