The Forgotten Bomb

(Adapted into Madonna’s song ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’’s tune: Don’t cry for me, oh my daddy The truth is i will leave you This is my youthfulness Troubled existence You’ve kept your distance And i have lost my patience) Do you know your son? Flesh and blood your own? Burning ambition to build this nation? The skill in these hands- The will to toil our lands? Fears, frightful frustrations; Pain of remaining forgotten Unconsulted, untended Don’t you care? Daddy, sincerely… Must you always brush by? Push me away; Kick me aside like a stone in your way? Then briskly…phew! *** “To ‘men’s business’, diligent engagements And I promise -before my demise The surest bequest -for you my dearest: A top job That house on the hill, For a car - a Hummer.” *** “But when…?” *** “Your time will come Till then, be calm! *** Morning after morning A decade of identical mornings A pile of empty promises- And I have felt small- Unremarkable; Like the lightest dust On the tiniest tin On the lowest shelf I have groped into darkness dragged into drugs by idleness; Attempted suicide instead, died inside! Yearning for the sky But falling anyway While you were away *** “Minding our economy; minting money Taming our climate; changing our fate Am a busy daddy, wait till 2030!” *** (Adapted into Kidum’s song ‘Penzi la Fujo’s tune: M i na shangaa, wewe ukisema Eti unanipenda, hali unanitesa, Si vizuri daddy wewe kuwa nafiki Mbona hujajaribu kurekebisha Bila hivyoimekuwa mateso Ya kunikera, najihisi sifaii ii! Consequently I’ve felt inconsequent! Essentially inessential! I have felt like nothing Lost in a pile of…nothing! I have felt…feelingless! But while I lay prostrate Beaten, smitten, desperate; Looking for a place to hide my face What did I find! Myspace! Facebook- the new face of friendship! Twitter- calling all to fellowship! A voice! A tune! A low rumbling call- Piped in underground tunnels; I listened: revelation! Revolution! Voices south, voices north Young dreams voiced forth… Tunisian, Egyptian, Lybian Music brewing, boiling in hidden pots The sound of a common cry Crying a summon to all A clarion call Decrying a common foe Crying but calling to war- Adapted from Sarafina the Movie song ‘Usulela! Ia!Ulela! Ia! Ia!*2 Suddenly, I am strong! I prance with aplomb The young forgotten bomb Loaded with information Awaiting detonation! You! Yes, daddy, you! The wide world knows You’re immersed in mess after mess Scandal after scandal- Irregular tenders Kickbacks back to back- Party politics-cheap tricks Shameless theatrics And now, says Wikileaks,- It’s just you and The Hague This charge is not vague! Adapted from Shakira song ‘Stamina Mina’: Stamina mina ii! Ii! Waka waka ii ii! Stamina mina zangalewa, it’s time for Africa! But, daddy… Honestly, what of amnesty? But, no! Punishment, not impunity! But daddy…! but no! Come… let go! I do… I do not ! know The music of change Must beat without rage; Repentance, recompense Not pay back but give back. Take my hand now, daddy We must fly away Into a new season In my own vision.