Sarah

Sarah, Sarah...
"Lwaki obguma ngo'bwito?
Tobaikiriza kuchamuza,
ata kuzimba tomwetaga.
Ekitibwa kyo nekyo bugaiga bwo,
wokigaba oida kwavuwala

I once met a young girl of thirteen,
black young and beautiful-
short, thick, curly African hair.
They often call it kaweke.
Her eyes, a rare shade of brown-
none could read the pain within...

Her influence was the big screen TV,
which she often visited in the kibanda-
the local movie studio in her village.
Like many, she was drawn to luxury,
yet didn't come from a well to do family,

Meals in her home didn't happen daily,
some were specially reserved for Christmas,
along side gifts like shoes and clothes;
of which what was bought was not for all.
Being the middle child; the black sheep,
she always ended up last on the family list.

So her many tears lead her to the kibanda,
Just to catch up on unrealistic reality TV.
to fuel up on her desire for the trendy,
and fill the void within dug deep by family.

while at the kibanda, she met a man;
a hunter, starved and ready to devour her.
So he bated and manipulated her desires,
creating heed over things she didn't need;

A devil in disguise tempting an angel...

"Sarah, Sarah.. "
He didn't know her name, she hadn't conceded
so he called her Sarah for lack of a better option.
"Sarah, Sarah..
Ki?... lwaki tompaku?"
Sarah, why don't you give me some? he begged.
Ku byenkuwa iwe tonendesa?"
"Of all I've given you, aren't I deserving? he added.

"Nkuwe ki?"
What should I give you, she'd always ask.

He kept giving her gifts,
some she didn't accept,
some she'd foolishly take,
and in return he'd demand,
and Sarah of insect wit,
was naive and didn't understand-
the nature of the game she was playing.

At first he wasn't forceful, ayeh;
he started coercing her to oblige.
Having accepted all he's bribes,
she started to feel indebted,

So on this one dreadful evening,
after insisting to escort her home.
He had had enough of her games,
and enough of alcoholic drink..

when they reached a dark and bushy area,
he gripped her face and forced a kiss.
Perplexed, she tried to throw out her fists,
he held her arms and shoved her to the ground.

She shrilled but no one came to save her.
He was intoxicated so was short of fear.
He pulled up her short school skirt,
and like the brute he was he had his way.

When she got home after that,
she was dissolved by thought.
Uneducated but knew right from wrong,
she tossed, turned and cried all night long.

She was too afraid to open up to anyone,
so she kept at his game like a vile curse,
taunting and tempting her to the hearse,
until he realised she had become pregnant.

She realised her body changes soon,
She saw the troubles faced by her family,
so she picked a leaf from her tree,
decided to 'act wise' and go for abortion.

It was not the wisest thing to do;
some disagree, some say live and let live,
but she could barely afford to keep it together,
how could she dare add another on board?

Through persistence she got his assistance.
He aided the abortion but had given "Sarah" H.I.V.
When she got the tragic news from the doctor,
she felt poorer than she had ever been before...

Her family used ask what the matter was,
but did it matter, they'd only reject her...
I met her as a visiting counsellor in her school,
she confided in me and we became close friends,
Not too many years in, she passed away as an s.6 graduate,
I guess the glory in story lied in her strength.

Sarah, Sarah...
Lwaki obguma ngo'bwito,
Why do you heat up like boiling oil,
Tobaikiriza kuchamuza,
Don't let them entice you.
Ata kuzimba tomwetaga.
You don't need anyone that doesn't build you.
Ekitibwa kyo nekyo bugaiga bwo,
The respect you give your self is your wealth,
Wokigaba oida kwavuwala,
If you give it away you'll have no value,
Kikumeh, wekuumeh!"
Safe guard it, safe guard it.