Nakuru-based poet Timelines Poetry has described his second-place finish at the World Poetry Slam in Durban, South Africa, as a victory for Kenya, saying the international platform gave Kenyan stories, including experiences from Nakuru, an opportunity to reach a global audience.

Despite falling short of his ambition to win the competition, the poet said the experience was meaningful because audiences embraced his work, chanted Kenya and sang about the country in their own languages.

For Timelines, the five-day festival was more than a competition, as it exposed him to a thriving creative ecosystem where poets, academics, young people, older generations, men and women worked together to celebrate and develop poetry.

He says witnessing how South Africans brought different groups together to sustain the arts had changed his perspective on poetry and its potential to build communities and create opportunities for artists.

Timelines attributes his performance to the authentic stories he carries from Nakuru, where gang violence and insecurity have shaped the experiences of some young people.

He explains that his poetry reflects the realities of children growing up in environments where they risk either becoming involved in violence or losing their lives to it. The experiences, alongside the friendships and creative community he has found in Nakuru, have influenced his writing and identity as an artist.

He also credits his mentors, including Tuti and Nyash, for supporting his creative journey and shaping his approach to poetry.

“While I had hoped to emerge as the overall winner, I maintain that the impact of my performance went beyond the final rankings,” he says.

He dedicates the achievement to his family, mentors, community and young people who aspire to use their talents to make a difference, saying his journey demonstrated that poetry could take local stories to the world.

“I hope the recognition will open doors to international collaborations, festival invitations and funding opportunities for projects that support not only my work but also the wider creative community,” he notes.

Looking ahead, Timelines is preparing to release an extended play (EP) featuring five recorded poetry pieces drawn from the stories he presented in Durban. He hopes the project will reach audiences beyond Kenya and encourage more people to engage with his work.

Reflecting on his journey, he says he never allowed the possibility of losing to undermine his confidence, choosing instead to recite his poems whenever doubts arose.

He encouraged young people to trust their abilities and remain committed to their dreams, even when others question their potential.

“Anything they think is possible is actually possible, they should follow their instincts and believe in their gifts,” he says.

For Timelines, the second-place finish is therefore not the end of the journey but a starting point for taking Nakuru's stories, and those of Kenya, to an even wider audience.

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Timelines hail global poetry runner-up finish as ‘a victory for Kenya’

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