Punishment Island 1920

Her heart pounded like the zulu drum
She knew the tradition
Her friend died from there
when the sailed the boat and left her 
on that punishment island 

In Kigezi its like that
The neighborhood is even worse
where her cousin got married 
A pregnant woman is thrown 
down the cliff by a blood brother
Its a tradition that was brought by the fore fathers

Now maria knows what has happened to her
She has missed her periods for two months 
Her mother is about to know
Because she has a critical eye 
She knows her father will kill her
Her uncle wont say the truth
That he is responsible
For the pregnancy 

Maria knows the stories 
when you are pregnant 
you are left there all alone to starve and die
or a man who has failed to get a woman on the village
will come and take you as his own
He become a property and a slave

She didn't know what to do
who to trust this with
where to run to
she chose 
to remain silent 
and wait for her 
fate 
on 
the punishment island

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