Publishing the spoken word

You are a spoken word performer. Doesn’t publishing spoken word take away some of its value?

Yes and No. Publishing does remove various elements in the poem especially the expressions, the tone and the flow. However, publishing poetry enables the readers to engage with my poetry on a deeper level as they will be able to read the poetry more than once. It is also easier to access a wider audience with a published book than it is with a performance as not all poetry lovers are able to attend my performances.

How and when did you get started with poetry?

I started writing seriously in the 2004 but my love for poetry goes way back to primary school where I used to perform in choral and solo verses.

Why did you narrow your performance down to spoken word?

I have always found poetry an avenue for me to express my fears, aspirations, likes and dislikes etc. With time, I learnt to write about other people’s experiences through close observation. 

What did you study in school?

Information Technology, it still is my career. I work in the IT department of a publishing company.

Who does your book target?

It is mostly young people from all walks of life who are struggling with identity, appreciation of their culture and traditions, living in the city. I have, however, also written poetry that the older generation can identify with especially on issues of music and how it has changed, crime, gender violence, FGM, politics and the effects of colonisation.

 Do you hold open mic sessions

I do not yet have an open mic session of my own although I am in talks with the Sarakasi Trust. I do, however, attend most of the open mic sessions that are run on a monthly basis in Nairobi. They are quite many, over five and counting now

What challenges are you facing?

I wish poetry could pay well. I would love to do it full time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay much. Also, having been to different Open Mic events , there is the challenge of being able to retain consistency while still growing the event. Many events fold after a few months as most of the time, the organisers go in with other motives other than for the love of poetry. 

How far do you want to go with this?

I want to get to a point where Kenyans appreciate the fact that poetry is not difficult to understand, is boring or for certain people only. By publishing my book, readers will get to see that I do not let the archaic rules of poetry confine me or my expression. I have not used pent a meters or strictly stuck to rhyming. I hope that I and other upcoming poets can influence the young minds in schools to look at poetry differently and, most importantly, use it as a means of expression.

How do you best make your decisions, with the heart or with the head? 

Definitely head - I reason a lot