Heavy Stuff

Yesterday we went to a school in the village of Mwakirunge.  The kids were very curious about us and spent a good portion of the afternoon hanging out and asking questions.  They sang songs and recited a a poem that really caught our attention.  The poem was recited by the kids in the Child Rights Club at Mwakirunge Primary School.  Here's what they shared:

Endless hunger I never seem to port.

The rags on my body give me no chance to look smart.

I survive entirely through begging.

Life-O life, what a sad encounter.

As I stretch my dirty hand along the street

to get a penny from those fortunate I greet,

I realize the hatred and contempt from those

who seem to be great.

Life-O life, what a sad encounter.

I realize the hatred and contempt

from those who seem to be great.

Life-O life, what a sad encounter.

At my tender age we demand innocence.

Only God can explain the plight of my ignorance

and the devastating livelihood I live.

Life-O life, what a sad encounter.

It hurts me to think I was born

and later end up being thrown.

Was it really worth being here?

Life-O life, what a sad encounter.

The police chase along the busy and heavily crowded street.

Cats, dogs, flies, and I swept clean.

Life-O life, what a sad encounter.

I wasn't around to hear them recite this poem, but when I read it, I thought that this is incredibly depressing,  My next question was "Who wrote this and thought it would be uplifting for children and the audience on the receiving end?  Apparently the club director wrote the poem for them to recite.  Dana and I talked about how peculiar this poem was for the teacher to write and ask the children to recite.  Although it's quite possible that they may not fully comprehend the magnitude of these words,  it's still disturbing to know that this is their reality.


Written by:

Adaire Brown