A tribute to my Angel….
Writer : Akila Raza
Editor: Edu Ngamz Wangama

Critics
Mitul Shah
Fatema Nathoo
Batul Ladak
Zainab Ladak
Samiha Shabbir

What could be more special for me.
Than being a feather in your wings..

You inspire my life
In ways that are unbelievable

With you there is safety
In the worst storms….

With you there is love
In the toughest norms

With you there is hope
In the hardest situations

You give me every reason
To fight the battles within myself

I can’t appreciate you enough
For all that you have done

If you are a candle
I am prepared to be a firefly
At your mercy….ready to burn….

Learn to forgive
Writer Akila Raza
Inspired by : Edward Wangamah
Critics
Fatema Nathoo
Asif Nayab
Mitul Shah
Peter Mativo
Joram Wanyoike
Batul Ladak
Samiha Shabbir
Zainab Ladak

So easy to utter
So hard to try….

Yet from God we expect
But His command we disrespect

Revenge sounds better
It’s a bliss to blast your hater
But what God wants from us….
Does it matter?

I am In a turmoil
I stand between my hate and His Grace…

I have a choice to make….but I just can’t seem to face…

I was hurt, humiliated and damaged to the core
By a heartless ruthless and a third class whore….

By then I was broken, I wish for myself I had spoken…alas but all I did was to embrace silence…

Karma took over and she paid a high price….now at the mercy of endless hurdles ..her world lies….so God did justify my cries….

Then why do I find it hard to accept with ease
That Elevated in the eyes of God is he who forgives….

Acknowledgement: My mentor Edward Wangamah and my Brother in law Mitul shah…. Thank you for ur support and counseling at ungodly hours when I feel like a trashcan

Love at first sight…..
Writer : Akila Raza
Editor: Edu Ngamz Wangama

Critics:
Fatema Nathoo
Asif Nayab

On a lonely lane I was walking…lost in my own thoughts …
Then there was a gust of breeze that touched my cheeks and I turned…

My heart skipped a beat and color rose to my cheeks.
I stood dazed for a moment praying time would stand still…

There he was so tall and handsome with a lost look in his eyes…
I felt like reaching out to him ..
Then I realized…

The distance would not permit nor the pace …when my mind found focus I wondered was he worth the chase?

What if he was an illusion of my exhausted mind….what if  getting closer was a move made by the blind..
I sighed and turned away but my heart so badly wanted to sway….
I sat down on the staircase and whispered to my self….
If it is meant to be, so it shall be
but not today….

Karma is a Bitch

Writer : Akila Raza
Inspired by : unhealed wounds

he walked all over me
Destroyed myself esteem and my dignity…

he left no space for me to recover
I fell into a pit from where return was just Impossible

But the mistake he made was to leave me alive….. His bad ….I survived

It took time but I got back on my feet
Then it was his turn …..karma came to meet….

Now he is nothing short of a rag doll
The tears I had cried in silence became the cause of his down fall…

He may be alive but every day he dies in bits…..

As I grow he shrinks
Little did he know ……karma is a bitch

Shhhh it’s the coffee talking
Written by : Akila Raza
Inspired by Nescafe + capachino

I seek solace in the wandering of my soul….to places my flesh can take me not…..
In the warmth of the embrace that I so desired, but fate had me elsewhere wired….
In the depth of the eyes so soulfully blue….
How I had wished to drown in you.

I enjoy the slumber more than being awake,for my dreams seem so real , more real than the world that’s choked with fake…

Your Gentle touch, your deep voice
Although tis my imagination….but I rejoice…. For every time I shut my eyes…. Your image hides me from the worldly lies.

Just Empty silence
Writer : Akila Raza
Inspired by : Celebrating Nothingness

There is a festive season
Where emptiness gathered to celebrate…..

Pain vacated
Stress vacated
Tears vacated
Fears vacated

Every emotion
Lost it’s motion
And came to a stand still

The numbness is beyond me
The silence that took over the once chaotic mind is deafening

The nothingness is beyond my understanding….
The emptiness is like a gang of uninvited guests in a festive season….

All I can do is gather
But what is there to gather….silence….no fears….no tears….just empty silence.

And I put my foot Down
Writer Akila Raza
Inspired By : Say no to Emotional Abuse.

I am not flute
I am not a drum
I am not a guitar for you to play when you please……

I have emotions
I.have boundaries
I have self respect
I am not a lifeless monument that you can place on your.table like a doll

So think before you speak
Think before you act
For if you cross the boundaries
I may react

Treat me the way you want to be treated…..
Care if you want to be cared for..
Don’t expect to see the Angel in me if you make Hell my Abode.

IT HURTS
writer : Akila Raza
Inspired by : Silent tears

For some reason that I couldn’t place my finger on,
It hurts…

You in the arms of someone else,
Although Once I never cared…
It hurts.

That smile that I believed was just meant to be mine….
When you shared it with someone else over a glass of wine
It hurts

I am yet to understand , why I feel this pain… Is it my own or am I just whining in vain…

Whose tears are those that linger in my eyes…whose hurt am I carrying , whose hopes are slowly dying?

These emotions were never there before, then why now do I feel sore…
Whose wounds have planted themselves on my soul…
It hurts.

In the loving Memory of Rosy
( a strong woman)

Writer Akila Raza

Editor Edward Wangamah

Inspired By : Silent tears

“Mom I am hungry…… ” my five year old boy looked up at me with great hope … I turned my face away to hide my tears…. he tugged my dress …when I turned back to look him , he held out his arms for me to carry him…I sat down and pulled him in my arms…” usilie jonah, I will go get you some food” I whispered.. he looked at me , his eyes were twinkling like stars…. my heart skipped beat and I silently prayed to God that…today He wouldn’t let me fail….

5TH SKY HIGH ABOVE:
“Razaaaaa come on ….. tell me what is going on ….you can watch and talk….dnt keep silent like your vocals fell into the arms of the Earth…kapunti agiro pitti mihtha !!!( stand up or else I will kick your earth like figure).. Mia kept blabbing, but I couldn’t take my eyes off that tiny little boy…..he was such n adorable little thing.
Suddenly behind me there was another voice…of a pleading woman… I stood up
abruptly… she wasn’t one of us , that much I could tell..she looked like… a soul… I looked Mia who just shrugged bored… ” Raza come on …flkakomat biljamitha nikatup ligth” ( human soul being taken back but she isn’t prepared…”. ) ” Mia ..but listen to her… she is so desperate.. .” I said, but mia was already walking away.. I ran after that soul to see why she was pleading so much… she was being taken to heavens…coz they were moving upwards so why the chaos? Who was she…
” heyy wait I shouted from behind… I know I was going to get into a huge mess becoz no one really ever spoke to the Death Angel… but I had to know ….He stopped and Turned… the clouds shook and I almost lost my balance…he looked at me ..my insides froze… ” ummh I am sorry … I…did u bring in the wrong wrong person by mistake” I asked instantly regretting because I could feel the sudden change in the atmosphere…I was expecting to be banished but When luck is on your side…. miracles happen…The Angel of death silently stared at me then he smiled…” yeah I guess I should be taking you instead” he said then laughed aloud….surprising me and the soul as well… I didn’t know if I was dreaming or what but I seized the moment and came closer…” Dhade(big brother) please hear her out” I politely requested … The Angel gently smiled and turned towards the Soul…. “I cant take you back because your time is up….other than that if you have anything else…. I allow you to speak” he addressed the soul . That soul came towards me ” thankyou….I just have a small request..I left my 5 year old boy hungry…and that’s why I was worried…. I had gone out and locked him in…. but as I was crossing over ..a truck knocked me off and mutilated my body beyond recognition..my son is all alone ….he has been hungry for three days …please help him..that’s all… now he has no one at all” she broke down and my heart tore into a million pieces… I realised it was the same kid I was staring at… without thinking twice I ran as fast as I could and I heard the woman shouting ” please tell him I love him and I will watch over him from.above”….

EARTH
A group of people gathered around the dead body taking pictures… isn’t she mama jonah..someone asked. .ah poor lady…. she was such a kind soul….kind soul..she was a slut ….eh kashindwa na maisha so she committed suicide. ..she will rot in hell..eh shit …poor jonah now.he will.become a street kid …. Many voices spoke differently but.no one knew the truth….. Jonahs mom was gng to heaven and Jonah was going to be raised in the best way possible by the beings that humans could only.fanthom in their dreams.
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Scene 2
Look … I will not repeat myself twice Raza, Listen to me very carefully…if you cross the 5th sky and go to earth… that will be the end of you being one of Us”…. Shamil spoke in a cold tone. . I knew he was damn serious..his hatred for clay beings was well known …so arguing was going to get me nowhere yet I had made up my mind..

I wanted to help that little boy jonah and no threat was gng to stop me…I was a rebel anyways and got away several times..but this time I knew I had crossed my line…for a good cause. I looked up at Prince Shamil with all the courage I could gather..” My apology Your Highness… I am prepared to face the consequences of what I am going to execute..I have no intention of breaking rules or disrespecting you but I have decided to follow my gut instinct with or without your permission… I shall go to earth and save Jonah.. “. Shamils eyes widened ..his silence was scary ..he was staring at me but not in anger…I guess he was amused … ” Raza you have always been a rebel but It was never this bad….you are prepared to give up everything for a clay being???? Who is this Jonah? I must see him , this is more than what I think it is”… he looked at me questioningly… ” yes Prince..if you see Jonah you will understand why I am ready to give up everything…” I replied.
” Fine then … I will go with you” he said… now I was in shock…. ” are you serious??????? Like for real you will go to earth?” I asked … shamil smiled… ” Raza … I hate clay beings … but I am impressed by your madness for the first time and yes I am very curious as well..” he laughed… wow this was nothing short of a miracle..
.” I will go prepare to leave then” I said excited…he nodded ..I walked away humming happily… behind me Shamil let an evil smile escape his lips and he whispered ” let’s see who this jonah is…maybe he can be used as a sacrifice to please Lucifer…Raza is a fool but this time I am impressed…. he laughed wickedly..