Two Women

By Sithanthi Alfred

Sister Meiti

How could you

Even condone

What your men,

have done?

No Sister!

All is never fair 

In war or in riots

It never was

And never will be!

Do not hide behind

These cringe sayings

Of men stupid, old and dead.

Have you already forgotten

The good old days

When you and I met

At the market fair every Friday

I walked down the hill

You set up shop on the plain

I brought you 

The choicest of honey

From the hills

You gave me the softest of bread

From the plains

I brought you colourful beads

You gave me bright shawls.

I, of the hill

You, of the plain

This was our history.

Sometimes you walked

Up into the forest,

We welcomed 

With open arms,

We shared in the sport,

We came down every week,

Shared in the food and dance,

Even married into clans,

You never looked down on us!

No Sister!

All is not fair

In war or riots

Never was 

And never will be

It is inhumane

What they did

You can’t condone it

No you can’t!

Your sons grew up

Under your care

You owe an explanation!

Don’t blame it on mindlessness

Of men in a riot!

How could they?

Parade her naked

From the forest in the hills

To the market in the plains

Before you stamp

Her Kuki and enemy

She is a woman, good woman

A daughter, sister and mother

She is lost, irretrievably, today.

Stares unendingly into space,

And cares not, of her clothes anymore!

By Sithanthi Alfred