Moved out to the country, isolated and without a car, I don’t know what I would have done without my new friends Mrs. Juhas and Mrs. Gatien. They forced me to call them by their first names, it only became easier once the friendship deepened. Ida took me into town for grocery shopping every week. We’d do the rounds based on the sales flyers from A&P, IGA and Dominion. Vi only had two children compared to my six and Ida’s seven. Every week we had a cookday alternating with Vi and Ida, one week at our place the next at theirs. Hostesses buying the food and deciding on the meals to make: chili con carne, cabbage rolls, spaghetti sauce… The priority was obvious, it was more important to buy a freezer than a washing machine.
hungry bellies fed
families on a budget
smooth production line
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Categories:
iga, appreciation, family, food, friendship,
Form: Haibun
Fuga kuku mechagua, kuku wa yetu asili,
Mayai wajizolea, kula jenga wako mwili,
Kuku kwa yai tokea, nayo ndani yake mwili,
Mayai sije maliza, kaja kosa kuja taga.
Kaja kosa kuja taga, kisa hakuna uzao,
kwa mikogo kajikaga, kitafuna chote leo,
badae takuja bwaga, na sipate kimbilio.
Mayai sije maliza, kaja kosa kuja taga.
Sitake ionja sumu, kwa maziwa siyonayo,
Hospitali kugumu, takosekana tibayo,
Kodoa nalo jukumu, uone yarefushwayo,
Mayai sije maliza, kaja kosa kuja taga.
Kisa moto kuwashia, sitoe yote makuti,
Kivuli kakupotea, na amani sije keti,
Usambe sikukwambia, sing’amue tofauti,
Mayai sije maliza, kaja kosa kuja taga.
Liuza maziwa pupa, leo ndama twatabika,
Tabika kitoka kapa, maziwa yanamashaka,
mashaka kwa zao pupa, livyojalia Rabuka
Mayai sije maliza, kaja kosa kuja taga.
Wanotumia wa moza, vya kwao sijevimwaga,
Nia mifugo ongeza, mayai tele kitaga,
Ya ndani mekueleza, mfanowe nawe iga,
Mayai sije maliza, kaja kosa kuja taga.
Categories:
iga, environment,
Form: Imagism
MADU BU AJA
Uwa eweghi isi na odu
Uwa abughi nke madu
Madu bu aja na uwa a
Ihe obula i were abughi nke gi
Emesia iga ahapuha wee la
Ya mere, du owegi odu na
Madu bu aja na ntu.
Osogi wee igwe na ala
Osogi wee ulo elu na nke ala
Osogi gba ugbo elu na nke ala
Marakwa na madu na anwu anwu
Marakwa na madu bu aja
Ya mere wedata obi gi na ala echidime.
Madu bu aja na ntu
Madu abaghi uru na uwaa
Echidime oweghi onye ma ihe oga amu
Ye mere du owegi odu
Madu bu aja na ntu.
Categories:
iga, africa, art,
Form: Blank verse