What better world than one where the younger generation voices their opinions, stands up for their rights, and fights for what is rightfully theirs? Rafinki and Qwani collaborated at the Africa Forward Fest to bring together poets, singers, and spoken-word artists to share their thoughts. The stage was filled with emotions as the young artists creatively and beautifully illustrated the themes of leadership and governance, global conflicts, and the use of artificial intelligence in writing.

“Since when did we choose that one language is superior to another?” asked Bent Aisha, a Somali poet. “Why are we choosing the colonists' thinking?” In her piece, she described how, as a Kenyan, tribalism is still in the mindset of many. She has to constantly prove that she is Kenyan. She says that being Somali has invited unwanted and rude comments, such as being called an Al-Shabaab, and her question to all is why  we are accepting to be divided into ethnic cocoons instead of coming together and facing the real issues of our country.

“What do we expect kama the right papers zinasigniwa na wahuni?” asks Sheng poet Mumo, who also comes out to describe corruption and unemployment from the roads that have been built by the government to the young people hungry for jobs. Mwalimu Mutisya, a Kiswahili poet, also talks about the same corruption, where we wait for development that never comes: “Sheria imetuziba macho.”

The artists also talked about other issues facing Kenya, from the economy, to the taxes, to the capitation funds, the debts, the abductions, and the violence. All this we have to survive as Kenyans in the name of religion. Politicians are busy blinding us with all the fake promises and telling us not to remember their faults. And in the words of Amari, a poet, “Why should we forgive and forget? It's 8 pm, and I’m still stuck in traffic because the city planning department couldn’t get it right.” She asks, “Is this the life? I’m slaving for the tax man.” All this just to get food on our tables and survive.

Then came the topic of global conflict, and Lexus Mshairi narrates how children are being buried by their parents and how cruel and brutal bloodshed is. He describes the emotions that drown the parents only because of a government that is out to kill innocent souls in cold blood. “The first time I ever heard, ‘go down’ was when I was 13 years old, says the Hamster, a Kenyan poet. He talks about life as a young kid losing a father and being left to care for themselves in a cruel world, all because of war. A French poet then goes to the stage to talk about a West African singer who was exiled in his home country for asking for peace. Is this really the cost we have to pay for peace?

At the end of the day, the songs that were sung, the poets’, and the spoken word artists' performances were still heavily embedded in people's hearts. The performances left people speechless with only words to ponder, with more questions than answers. These creative individuals also went ahead to create pieces about Mother's Day and even love. “How do you tell someone you miss them without sounding like you never healed?” said one poet, and went ahead to describe how difficult it is for AI to describe certain emotions with such precision.

Kenyan writer, storyteller, poet and curator, famously known as The Hamster did it, was the MC of the day, and he was so proud of the artists who performed. “It was a great journey into how they understood what they had been given,” he said. He describes how the artists are basically given themes and a timeline and expected to be creative with their work, from writing to performance.

The Hamster also encourages any interested poets or writers to take the first step to go to spaces such as the one at the Africa Forward Fest. “Go to poetry events and write. Understand everyone has the capacity to write a poem, to express emotions and express their feelings,” he said. He also advised people to go to open mics and poetry productions to see how others are doing it and learn from them. From the mouth of the host at the beginning of the pieces, truly, poets speak the words we feel but cannot say.

Edith Temba is a correspondent with Books in Africa. Email: editemba5@gmail.com