This is a WOW. I sat in the slums of Narok Kenya, and listened to the children who wrote this. When they performed this “spoken word,” that they had written and memorized, I cried. In fact, I asked them to perform again because I couldn’t believe how amazing it was.

Out of the depths of poverty, loss and pain, comes redemption. I love how three Kenyan girls turned words into art. 

Sunrise After Sunset

By Araz, Sylvia and Faith

After the adventurous journey across the sky,

The sun must retreat for the night.

A night so light

A night with fright

A night with no decency

A night with no prophesy

Hunting from peanut to groundnuts.

For I had lost Mama

I had lost Papa.

For the master monster snatched them mercilessly without mercy

Not for a moment but eternal eternity.

Rest in Peace Mama

Rest in Peace Papa

A wave of loneliness

A waving wave of hopelessness

Like a tsunami sweeping

Sweeping and sweeping

Leaving me weeping.

 

In me a burning hope

In me a hopeful hope

But my door of hope…

Hopeless

 

But I knew I had the key

The key to my door of hope

The key now in my hands

But how do I open my door of hope?

Then came that one time

To unlock my door of hope

The key of determination

Determination to perfection

Not dwelling on rejection.

 

I seem meek

So meek for anyone to mimic

I knew I had more to pick

Hurting with pain so painful

Hurting with sorrowful and sorrow

Pain and sorrow

Crushing and crushing

Crushing my soul in total

Leaving me in tearful tears.

But I knew the key is in the Book

That big book I took

I took the book and took a look

I needed to take action

Action with no sanction

Unlock the lock in my life

For I purpose to arrive at five

To harvest the honey in the hive

To run away from the cry

And to give myself a huge try.

 

Then came that time

That stitch in time

That time for the test

Then I gave it my only best.

 

Came the moment

Moment free from torment

Moment so bright with light

Moment to wipe away tears

Moment to fade away my fears

Moment so good to hear

For I knew the key was near.

 

A time with a measure

A measure with pleasure

Pleasure with treasure

A moment to listen to news

For I was the news in the news

News that made my life new.

 

From grass to grace

Come that blessed news

A wing with a sight

A sight to the sight

That wing with eminence

That wing with prominence

 

I clung onto the wing so tight

So tight

To take the flight

A flight to the top so bright

A flight with no fright

A flight to a greater height.

That wing so pretty

A wing that is not petty

A wing of promotion

A wing of perfection

That wing of equality

Equity my blessed wing

A wing given me to fly…

Pleasure.