Poet of the week (POW): Hamza Egal

Would you please introduce yourself to the readers?

My name is Hamza Mohamed Osman Egal, I am 30 years of age and a father of three boys. I am a lawyer, policy developer and researcher by trade although now I am also aspiring to be a farmer. I was born in Medina the city of the prophet Mohamed pbuh. My family lived in the UK until 1996 when we moved to Kenya where my family of a few generations call home. It was this change of geography and life style that opened my eyes to a world I had not seen before. 

When did you first start writing poetry and was there any particular incidents in your life that inspired you to write?

I cant recall when I started writing to be honest, but I do remember when my thoughts changed. I was 11 when my mother passed away, it was during this trying time that I started noticing more of the world around me and freeing my thoughts by putting them on paper. Inspiration can be found in very thing good or bad, it depends on your understanding of any given situation and really letting your thoughts compound your words. 

What does "being creative" mean to you? 

This is relative to every individual since Allah made us all unique, for me personally it means being able to articulate my thoughts without any duress or feeling the need to be politically correct in order to suit the world around me. It should be raw and honest derived from deep within ones consciousness.

 What do you try to communicate with your poetry?

I believe we all have a responsibility in confronting the ills of our societies, education or in the case of my writings; information is key to every struggle. My actions and words will be my testimony in the hereafter therefore I try to enlighten in the best way possible of how we can be the people to bring about a better tomorrow. It was the prophet Mohamed PBHU who said if you come across and issue or an ill change it with your hands if you cant then it by your tongue and if you cant then change it by your heart. 

what do you do when you go into a dry spell of some sort or how do you write another piece when you have been away from it for some time?

What dry spells??? I write poems on demand loool. To be honest everyone has dry spells I think mine come from work and family commitments that don’t allow my thoughts to wonder off completely. 

Do you sit and think through every word of every stanza or do you just write freely and allow the words to flow?

I write freely but once I am done I tend to go over it again and amaze at how bad my spelling is or how confusing some of my notions would be to the reader, after all these are my thoughts. Who are some of your favorite poets?Would you be surprised if I told you I have never read more than a handful of poems. One of the reasons I don’t consider myself a poet is due to the fact that I read more books and journals then poetry.

 What advice do you have for aspiring poets? Any word of advice for closet poets?

Be true to yourself, what your heart feels your mind deciphers. Remember to utilize your talents today or feel the erosion of time wither you away. 

Anything else you would like to share?

We must remember where we come from; we are a people of beauty in every sense of the word. Let us give ease to our parents and wisdom to our children. Every man is chased by death so use your time and health before it takes your final breath.