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
Copyright © Muhereza Rodgers Roger | Year Posted 2013
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