African Child
It was hard before but now am used
I remember when i first came here
Dad had slept forever
Mum was hidden in the grave
Enjoying sleep as uncle chose
To rape me daily
Aunt would force me to feed on the same plate with Sizza
The big ugly dog that shared lunch with me
I ran away from school
Because of my math teacher
he called me to his house
Told me how he loved my dad
And then gave me a new dress
He asked me to try it on
That was the first time i saw blood
flow from my interior
It hurt like pricking your eye with a sharp needle
When i told uncle he confronted the teacher
Who gave him a bicycle in return of my virginity
And uncle chose to do as my math teacher did
When my aunt burnt my lips with hot coal
For eating at the same plate with my cousin
I chose to run away from home
To the grandpa village
I walked for three days and nights
Until i reached my grandma's village
she welcomed me
And the following day she sold me to a village chief
For one goat and two hens
The chief looked caring until i knew it
He wanted to sacrifice me to his ancestral spirits
With swollen feet i walked to the city
I didn't know anybody
The city is full of rich mean people
They cant even share a left over
I would run after white people
shouting 'muzungu' but like my black relatives
They would walk away with smiles that never cured my ulcers
people are same whether brown or pink
I saw kids like me, young boys and girls
some younger than me
other older a bit
fighting for rotten mangoes
I joined this family
Big ones behaved like my uncle and Teacher
But i stood everything, if you say anything here
The big boys kill you
That night i was rapped by many boys
I cant tell the number
All i still i still remember now is that
I found myself in the garbage pit
the next morning bleeding like a pumpkin
I was happy as i feasted on left overs
In the market garbage
where caring individuals who don't own know dogs
dump valuable vegetables for us mixed with dirty water
I am used to this life
My skin is my bracket, when it rains
I join my street family in our city cave
where we smoke together like a family
Today i am 14 and pregnant but grateful
That i have freedom to choose from different left overs
I used to mourn my parents but now
I am a mother to this family of street kids
I protect small ones from being hurt by big ones
And each time i kneel down and pray
Thanking God that am not locked up in the grave
Like mum and dad
Copyright © Muhereza Rodgers Roger | Year Posted 2013
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