LENNOX MURIMI
House of Osprey: Challenge 1 winner
1. Artist Statement (Who are you/ How would you describe yourself?)
I am Lennox Murimi, best known by my stage name Jr_pieces. I am a philosophical poet if I am ever to describe myself in a multitude of people. I observe, connect then create because I believe our words have the ability to Build, Destroy or Create Awareness on everything around us. And to me poetry is a lifestyle i use to reflect this idea of words.
2. What's your target audience, and what age?
I have no specific target audience but i love to challenge the youth between 18 to 28. I find this age bracket as part of the 2nd backbone to life itself.
3. What themes do you pursue
Regret and resentment, Mental health, Romance and Philosophy
4. What's your inspiration as a poet?
Anything and everything inspires me as a poet. Like I said. I believe poetry is a lifestyle. Its in everything an anything we do. If you look closely you get to see representations of life, lessons, mistakes and wisdom in our daily lives. All you need to do is observe.
5. Which poet inspires your style/Who are your biggest influencers?
Rudy Francisco, Rupi Kaur, Emi Mahmoud and Andrea Gibson all have this great personality that they infuse in their work. Their work not only is honest but personal at best. In Kenya, the biggest influence is a friend of mine called PreScar. Her words and our conversation cuts through the soul and makes you think beyond your age.
6. How would you describe your poetry & What does your work aim to say? (In 100 words)
I call my poetry a Mind Trip of Lessons. I believe my work gets you feeling like you dissociate from yourself and view who you are as an individual. It helps you access your memory and question if not reflect on the words I write with your life. My work aims to do the three basic standings: Build you as a person by showing you things you have or haven’t seen or known, Destroy you by making you question pre-existing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, and Create Awareness for the things you might have not known and of things you need to know.
In the end this Mind Trip of Lessons that is my poetry is meant to challenge the one reading through it to self identify themselves and work on a thing or two.
7. What do you like about your work?
Its free, easy, provocative, invoking, aesthetic since it defies so much grammar and poetic rules and norms. Shakespeare did not break the norms and rules of poetry because he hated them, but because he felt as an individual, they limited him. To me being an nonconformist when writing gives me the ability to connect not just to myself but to others in various ways and styles that create a desire to read more and challenge one’s thinking.
8. Tea or coffee? And Why?
Both. Though tea stands firm in my list, because coffee helps me sleep and tea keeps me awake.
9. A message for your readers?
Poetry isn’t a mix of words put together to make you feel happy. Poetry is a well organised sequence of sentences meant to challenge thought, perspective and attitudes; if not through prophecy then confrontation, in the simplest form of writing. Be attentive to what is written, it might be a confession by the poet, or a message to you disguised in words. In the end poetry is just lifestyle clothed in words.
About the Author
