letter to the editor

Letter to the Editor …      S.K. KYENZE

1

Dear Mr. Editor,

I too got the news,

I was elated to read the grand plans

Though, I sat not in the planning meetings.

Who but an ingrate,

Can such grand plans belittle?

2

Dear Mr. Editor,

We of the plains, the plain truth we speak,

Off our soil, toil no matter how much we do

Nothing better than a modern sports stadium can sprout,

And the government men, they too know that

A race track and public park they too gifted us.

So, Mr. Editor, with parched lips and hoarse voices,

We accept the gifts, for water pans and dams –spell death by drowning,

For We of the plains, know not how to swim

3

Dear Mr. Editor,

I attended an interview yesterday,

A clerical position,

Ministry of  public service, youth and gender affairs.

Wasn’t it nice to gaze at those anxious faces?

Purpose driven, focused interviewees

Clad in borrowed second hand suits.

Wasn’t it nice to admire the beautiful architecture?

So, Mr. Editor, after the interview,

with my certificates and testimonials drenched in hope,

I pushed my wheel chair and went home – to wait for nothing

If only there was a wheel chair ramp…

Maybe, I too would have been interviewed.

4

Dear Mr. Editor,

They struck oil, gold and coal in my backyard,

Selfishness is un- African so I know,

We have to share with the more deserving,

They can ship away as much oil as they need,

They can mine as much gold as they wish,

They can truck away as much coal as they desire,

But Mr. Editor, These jobs,

Tea girls, office cleaners and security guards

Are our jobs.

5

Dear Mr. Editor,

I saw heaps of rotting farm produce,

The roads were muddy and impassable,

Yet, for my kinsmen’s folly- I apologize

They should have known better.

They ought not have prayed for the rains.

6

Mr. Editor,

My sister is dead,

Labour pain struck late at night,

We tried, God knows we tried,

six  hours  pushing a rusty wheel-barrow

ten kilometres to the dispensary,

She is dead- the watchman told us after a brief examination.

But Mr. Editor,

She should have known better,

Pregnancy out of wedlock,

Illegitimate child,

Perhaps, perhaps it was for the best.

Yours Sincerely,

Citizen x

The statistic