My favourite things - KKD

The smiles & laughter of my beloved children, 

the view of vast green fields & scent of freshly-cut grass;

The oven-fresh smell of freshly-baked bread, 

the quirkiness & beauty of hand-made furniture & antique cars;

The delightful mind & hourglass figure of a well read & stylish woman, 

the kind and thoughtful words of persons with class;

Lovers who make vows & make them last, 

the effort & brightness of kids who top their class;

Ladies that cook well with whatever they have at home, 

friendship that is tested but endures and lasts;

Raindrops drumming on and washing my roof, 

birds chirping, melodious music playing, Kojo Antwi singing to a lass;

These are some of my favourites things &, perhaps, to pray, to love, to serve, to dance 

To express oneself well & dress with pizazz!

You may not have given it any serious thought because you have been too busy working to pay the bills, 

engrossed in attending to family or new found love, or just swept away by the tide of 'more important things in life' but your favourite things bring a smile to your face. They must not be placed on the back-burner for they form part of your very existence.

They have a special way of lifting up your spirits and lighting up your life.

They may be pricey or may not cost any money at all. 

They may consume hours on end or may not take away from our most valuable resource of all - TIME. 

But if they were taken away from our existence, this journey called life would not be so pleasurable. 

The simple thought of them warms our hearts. The smell, sight, sound, taste or feel of them make us HAPPY.

So tell me, Earth Angels and Urban Warriors, as the Yuletide beckons and Santa reckons he will bring our favourite things to us in peace and one piece, what are your favourite things?

There is more to man than meets the eye

"When she saw the one shining bright from afar

She couldn't help but exclaim, Oh what a star!

From a distance his condition was mint

Style and substance, fresh like peppermint

So she said to herself, this one looks so good

I would bear their child and catch a grenade for them, touch wood

The type I can introduce to granny and my mother

My teacher, my sister, my brother, even my father

Then they opened their mouths and when they spoke

All the gauges blinked red, she asked, Is this a joke?

Alas, there is more than meets the eye

The mind and soul have meters we cant deny

What the eyes were seeing and the mind was reading

Were so at war, sight and thought went debating

I like what I see and seeing is believing

I dont like what I think, and thinking is everything

But what I see is clear, tangible and conclusive

No, what you see is evidence that is concise but elusive

Until I imbue it with thinking to make it constructive

Looks are deceiving, so be attentive, be pensive

Dissect the evidence before you with the scalpel of a surgeon

Rid it of its flavour like skinless Kentucky fried chicken

The labels and decoration are oft obstructive to reason

See each for who they are. Listen and observe the person

But what more is there to know when the eyes have seen?

What dirt could there be if the eyes declare it is clean?

I know this to be true, though it may cause you unease

I have journeyed the wide world and seven seas

Pretty impressions oft harbour fleas and unseen disease
That was the soul speaking with calm and ease

Distant lands look green and awash with peace

And new friends seem nicer and more eager to please

Man or woman, old friends and new lovers beware

This journey is fraught with many a false care

Value that which you hold as you go ahead

Down the garden path, do not be blindly led

For you can’t judge a book by its cover

You can’t judge a man by his clobber

Ignoramuses and imbeciles too can have swagger

But by their words and deeds you'll know their true colour"

-Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, MA


Your thoughts and comments are most welcome below

YOU ARE WHAT YOU SAY

If silence is golden, speech is platinum.
Conversation grants mankind a free platform to express ourselves away from the glare of the stage, curiosity of detractors and the scrutiny of an X Factor-like judging panel. The warm and relaxed nature, the sharing with people we deem close to us, and the cosiness of banter with companions and comrades we believe to be non-judgmental about our way of life, however, reveal thoughts and, sometimes, opinions we may have sought to conceal. We emote fresh breezes and thunderous storms within us that we, perhaps, did not know were even there.  
Chatting with a few of my proteges and compatriots in West Africa, Europe and North America over the last month has waved rather curious circumstances to my attention and if I may say so myself, utter bemusement and befuddlement alike. 


We really do not know people much till we have walked a considerable distance in their shoes, lived all four seasons in their huts or igloos and confronted the demons on their minds and in their hearts. Barring these, the only way to get to truly know another is to listen attentively to their words. Even those chats and banter that linger on about nothing say something about us; they provide a peek into the things we admire and those we frown upon. They give the observant navigator a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg. The hearts of men are in their words.


It has been estimated that from the first 'good morning' to the last 'good night,' the average person engages in 30 conversations a day; some of you average more than that, some of you, less. Statisticians have estimated that each of us will spend 13 years of our life talking, and every day, our words could write a book of 50-60 pages. In a year, if we are just average, we could author 264 books of over 200 pages, just with our words. You can do more than that if you can speak in excess of 300 words per minute, as some of us are able to do, or if you talk incessantly at any speed- http://www.gty.org.uk/resources/Sermons/2294 
Exposing the Truth About Men's Hearts

As we converse freely with family, friends and likeable foes we praise the things we love and condemn the things we hate. And yes we make numerous excuses and give endless explanations. 
"Oh, get over it" they say, am I am the only human who has made this error or committed a crime?" Many today comfort themselves with the excuse that numerous adults before them were not so upright nor bright. "We can't fail" they say "If The Charles Ponzis and Bernie Madoffs of this world live far more glamourous lives than the multitudes of dedicated and honest workers ever will." "Show me the respectable people who put in the effort everyday for the greater good of society and tell me if they have a better life than the drug dealers and reality tv actors"."I wont do too badly" said one. "After all an entire first world nation continually elected Berlusconi to lead them in spite of his proven despicable manner with girls fit to be his grand-children" "He killed so many but Idi Amin was President with whom the international community happily did business for years in full knowledge of crimes against his own people, and "To be honest, I see nothing wrong with using what I have got to get what I need. I have bills to pay and somebody wants to pay them" "Why work when I have a product that people want to pay for?" (simultaneously waving her hand from bust to bosom) The banter continues..... "As sure as there is night and day, I will bribe voters so I can get elected, because if I don;t some corrupt person will win and decide for us all" To which I reply but arent you corrupting the process by bribing the voters yourself whilst calling your competitors corrupt? 

"As for me I give all my problems to God, He is my refuge and fortress. But whoever wants to mess with me beware, cuz, I will f--k you up so bad even your great grandchildren will walk with sore a--es" My response of Vengeance is the Lord's was quickly met with "But Big Brother, you know God is a very busy man. By the time he gets to that s--ker, he may have forgotten the excessive force required". "What is the use of an education and career when the Kardashians can buy more stuff than a qualified nurse or school teacher" chipped in another. I could tell that the use of the old wise saying "In all thy getting, get understanding" would do little good to this voracious video vixen.


It is easy in the exuberance of youth to proclaim that "There is hope for everyone whether you do right or wrong. I give in to my temptations and I go with the flow. When I am ready, I can change" Now that one sounds like the beginning of one headed for dropping out of school or work. Many who end up in and out of drug rehabilitation, alcoholics anonymous and prison may have started by saying "Just this once" and continued by lying to themselves "For sure, this is the last time" the beleaguered shrink notes.

Word to the wise from KKD:
Work on the hopes and aspirations of your youth. Bask in the sunshine and joy it brings. Savour the beauty that comes with being young and strong. And each day as you seek your treasure and your pleasure, remember to do things in fair measure. Treasure the power and beauty of your youth. Hold it dear and use it wisely. Like an unprotected egg, if it falls and breaks, its contents are not longer valuable when spilled in the dirt.


The only permanent thing in life is CHANGE, that is other than the Word of God. The green will ripen, the pale will darken, the erect will droop, the upright will stoop, the fast will slow down, the ripe will fall down, the village will become a town, the leader may become a clown and even beauty may become ugly. Some will age beautifully and gracefully like fine wine. Some will get better and wiser with time but nothing...., nothing stays the same forever. BEAUTY IS A VIRTUE & YOUTH IS A RARE BLESSING that many do not value till they have made choices to render themselves prematurely 'unpretty', old and cold.
Live your youth so you may speak about it with honour and pride. No matter how rich or famous you may become, you can never buy back your youth.
-Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, MA, AVP (Lond)
YOUR COMMENTS ARE MOST WELCOME BELOW

"Style is how you do. Clothes are what you wear" - Tracee Ellis Ross

"Fashion is fleeting but Style is timeless, my child, OK? 

These words of my dearly beloved father are still clear on my mind today

Unlike words in many people's speeches which come out all wrong 

When thoughts are merely imitated; not clear, profound nor strong

You can be lost among the sheep or lead as the kind shepherd, he said

You can be drowned in the noise of the crowds or stand up and be heard

You can rush to the stores each time a new window is displayed

Or first define who you are and let your personality guide and aid

The trends will come and go but WHO YOU ARE must always show

And if you CHOOSE WITH CARE, your personal style will serve this so

School will teach you to read, write and count, good parents will let you know

The difference between right and wrong, so you may choose the right path to follow:

Even dignified persons can be provocative or mistaken in certain clothing

When there is very little covered it is the testosterone charging and deciding

Not the mind nor heart, for they are momentarily cowered into submission

Whilst those raging below the belt take control and key position

Every boy and girl must be taught before they turn a teen

That many minds are as good as mash when certain images are screened or seen

When the able mind is aroused many a man can be caught

With the imagery of nakedness sparking imaginations of things so hot

Stirring passions and confusion & unwelcome pregnancy in many a home

Then how often we hear the refrain 'I didn't dress like that for a bone'

Pick and choose your words and clothes but remember your image projection

Every garment speaks & FOR EVERY ACTION THERE IS A REACTION

"Style is how you do. Clothes are what you wear" - Tracee Ellis Ross

The lovely lady's graceful look whispers DIGNITY and TRADITION

The student's neat and preppy look state MISSION: EDUCATION

The warrior's armour is designed to conjure fear and intimidation

The hustler's low-hung pants say what do you care about my condition

The eager come-hither tarty look screams FOR HIRE: prostitution

The fire service uniform declares their trade and gives PROTECTION

No matter our complexion or station our choice of clothing make a declaration

The threads we wear are an outer manifestation of an inner conviction

There surely must be a time and place for that item that you bought

When you were so excited yet unsure, and all you thought

Was this on my body will drive people craaaaaazy, but forgot

That madness isn't what you seek to project, or is that truly your plot?

There is time to work, worship, study, play and, for some, even be played

And garments for each activity that help our state of mind be conveyed 

So wear whatever you may, with your Personality clearly in mind

Dress as wish to be addressed, and remember the world isn't blind"-KKD

-Excerpt from DAPPER DARKWAH'S DELIGHTS by Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, MA

for my blog launched on 11.11.11