Home » Poems » Dineen Williams Gault » Land of Hearts--Blitz For Contest

Land of Hearts--Blitz For Contest

British wanted profit
British wanted new land
Land rich in resources
Land of ivory and coffee
Coffee British could sell
Coffee Kenyans could not 
Could not retrieve freedom
Could not reason with British
British took over land
British farmed fertile soil
Soil was Kenyan birthright
Soil of Kenyan ancestors
Ancestors buried here
Ancestors grieved for living
Living like refugees
Living in fear of England
England built railway
England bolstered power
Power taken by British
Power denied to Kenyans
Kenyans displaced
Kenyans were angry
Angry since dishonored
Angry since stripped of rights
Rights taken from Kenyans
Rights only for British
British happy in new land
British prosperous future
Future lost Kenyans
Future lost hope
Hope came from bravery
Hope came from Dedan
Dedan well respected
Dedan joined Mau Mau
Mau Mau took oath
Mau Mau freedom fighters
Fighters for rights
Fighters for justice
Justice took much time
Justice took much blood
Blood shed for Dedan
Blood shed for hero
Hero was hung
Hero yet lives
Lives in the minds
Lives in the hearts
Hearts beat forever
Hearts beat freedom
Freedom...
Forever...



5/19/16

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Yolanda Scott

Date: 7/24/2016 9:21:00 PM

Beautiful. A very power piece. Wow is right!!!

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 7/25/2016 8:57:00 AM

Quite the compliment, and I thank you so much for that Yolanda.

Pandita Sietesantos

Date: 6/16/2016 12:46:00 PM

WoW! I can see why this amazingly powerful piece is a top winner! It is quite a masterpiece! Congratulations and a 7, my friend, on a well-deserved first place win! Panditas

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/25/2016 4:02:00 AM

Humbling compliment Pandita, I thank you so much for that, as well as for your congratulations!

Joanna Daniel

Date: 6/11/2016 7:17:00 AM

Excellent write, Dineen:) Congratulations on your top spot:) "Hearts beat freedom" - nice line

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/12/2016 9:08:00 AM

Thank you for such kind compliments, as well as for your congratulations. Quite appreciated, Jo!

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 6/10/2016 7:21:00 AM

Dineen, this is absolutely great. Am I right in thinking that you are Kenyan? Kenyan or not, this is very well written and very polite to the colonists. My (?) people (I am German) murdered Jews, Gipsies, Disabled, Homosexuals, Political Dissidents. My wife's nation is the nation of Apartheid and Nelson Mandela. Race, class, gender and power abuses must be out in the open, thank you for that. PS: Obama did not apologize for Hiroshima and the British never apologized for how Mau Mau were treated.

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/10/2016 10:48:00 AM

No, not Kenyan, just one of the many poets who participated in Marugu MO's contest. Such wonderful poems were written, I've yet to read them all. And thank you again for such complimentary comments. President Obama did not give a formal apology during his visit to Hiroshima, he offered his sympathies for the loss of life. And I'm not certain, but I believe I read something about the British government apologizing for colonial crimes a few years ago. These actions may be viewed by some as positive first steps, debatable by others.

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 6/10/2016 7:14:00 AM

Absolutely fantastic. Congratulations.

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/10/2016 10:42:00 AM

How nice of you to say Kai Michael, thank you so much for your congratulations on this.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 6/9/2016 6:22:00 PM

GREAT job, Dineen. and big congrats to you for your win.

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/10/2016 10:41:00 AM

Andrea, thank you so much for your kindness and for the congrats as well.

Joseph May

Date: 6/9/2016 11:51:00 AM

Congrats on your win Dineen

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/10/2016 10:39:00 AM

Thank you for your congrats Joseph, appreciated.

Teddy Kimathi

Date: 6/9/2016 10:43:00 AM

Congrats for your WIN, with this beautiful piece, Dineen!! ;-)

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/10/2016 10:37:00 AM

Such a nice compliment Teddy, thank you much, appreciated!

Charlie Smith

Date: 6/9/2016 8:00:00 AM

Congratulations Dineen, well done...

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/9/2016 8:50:00 AM

Thank you for congratulating me Charlie, appreciated!

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 6/9/2016 7:17:00 AM

Well expressed! Congrats.

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/9/2016 8:49:00 AM

Thank you Richard, I appreciate that!

John Fleming

Date: 6/5/2016 2:13:00 AM

The Swahili coast was conquered by the Oman Arabs in the 17C...And slavery was practised here long before this. It was British Abolitionists who tried to disrupt this trade between the Oman Empire and the Portuguese; Incidentally...The German Protectorate was established in your country before we arrived...And we then made a far better job of it! My best regards, Dineen. :) john

Dineen Williams Gault
Date: 6/5/2016 6:04:00 AM

The purpose of this particular write, was for the contest DIG DEEP - RACE RELATIONS-CONFLICTS-COLONIALISM- Poetry Contest. It has yet to be judged. Had the contest's theme been about Oman Arabs, British Abolitionists, or the German Protectorate, my focus would have been different. Since the theme of this contest was for a particular period of colonialism, and the picture of Dedan indicated a particular event, that was my focus. I was not going to give this piece a positive slant, just because others conquered/enslaved/colonized prior. You mentioned "The German Protectorate was established in your country before we arrived..." Although I have ancestors from Africa, I was not born there. I have read some of the other contest entries, and while I cannot prove it...I think that the other entrants run the gamut of ethnicity. Something can often be garnered from the addition of information. I appreciate you taking the time to comment John. :)