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‘Reset’: Teenage poet unpacks her powerful message in new poetry book

By Amina Wako September 8th, 2019 2 min read

“I’m glad my parents were educated, otherwise I would be in the village miles away, in the scorching sun taking care of my own family.”

Those are the words of Misky Hajji, a budding poet who has just published her first collection of poems.

BOOK’S THEMES

The 19-year-old, who grew up in North Eastern Kenya, says the launch of her book is one of her biggest accomplishments in life.

Her newly-published book, titled Reset, generally addresses the political, social and economic life of communities that living in North Eastern Kenya.

Many of the poems in the collection also talks directly to young girls in her community.

According to Misky, her “little” achievement should inspire young girls.

“I want them to reset their minds and know that they can be anything they want to be in this life,” Misky said early this week during the book launch.

She says growing up in North Eastern Kenya as a girl child is very challenging because most of the communities’ important life decisions are made on their behalf by male family members and the clan elders.

In one of her piece, Clanism Something to Relay on? she addresses the injustices women in her community go through.

She goes on to ask if clanism is the best way to go with when it comes to important decision in society like elective position.

Women are seen inferior

She could not vie for a seat

She can’t lead at all

Budding poet Misky Hajji gives a speech during the launch of her new poetry collection titled 'Reset'. PHOTO | AMINA WAKO
Budding poet Misky Hajji gives a speech during the launch of her new poetry collection titled ‘Reset’. PHOTO | AMINA WAKO

WRITING JOURNEY

Muskys points women are suffering in silence because they are afraid to be cursed by the elders if they go against they wish.

“We respect our elders very much but they should also allow women to spread their wings and fly. They should reset their minds,” she says.

“I also wanted to pass a message to my people, that they should be open minded to new ideas, to changes. Time is moving and they should not be left behind,” she further explains.

The injustices to the girl child which have left them helpless and very venerable have greatly impacted Misky’s career choice.

She wants to study law at the University of Melbourne so that she can be able to protect the girls in her community.

“I want to protect our girls because as any other human being, they too have a right. But they need someone to stand up for them. I want to be that someone who can defend them, who can stand up for them,” she told Nairobi News in an exclusive interview.

Misky turned to writing at a tender age because it was her only way of expressing herself.

“At the age of 14 years, I had already completed my first book, which is has now been published as Reset. I continued writing and to date I have two more books. I will publish them soon Insha Allah when the time is right,” she said.

Her dream is to see a society where women are appreciated and valued for who they are.