TAABU
“Taabu,
Why would you wreck my house,
For your mother’s death you can blame me
not
Your being a bastard and an orphan too.”
Across the house reverberated her aunt’s
agitated voice
Trembling, crying and sweaty she sat
motionless
Eyes wet ,hurt, gazing and seeing
nothing
Slaps, kicks and punches, punching her
fickle hopes,
“Taabu, why would you?” It was an ominous threat
scream for Taabu we all must.
Broken and shattered, silently she
screamt
“Loving uncle of birthday gifts,
In the darkest of nights to my bed he
crept,
Panting and soaked in drink,
As in your queenly slumber you dreamt,
I lived ignoble horrors of the night
my weak whimper, smothered with a
calloused palm
my Feeble struggle, violently restrained,
Punches and a dirty rug on my bloodied
mouth.”
All and sundry her hurt to bear she
wished,
Uncle’s nightly visits, the weight and
stolen innocence,
Sponge drenched in beer, brandy, whisky
and earthly evil
Her rose nipped in the bud, Wings of her
dreams clipped
Night after night,
Blows and vicious suppression from dear
uncle,
Uncle of birthday gifts, dear uncle.
“Of my sister Taabu you are borne,
From vile orphanages I rescued you,
Child, so dear to me why would you?
Why would you my heart and affection
trample?
Why would your kind uncle’s name soil?
Clinging on nothing but hope,
Taabu
who sought assistance.
Mockery and chiding she got from the
police station,
“ Such a big girl, who would?”
The callous afande
sneered
And laughed at the retreating girl
Dehumanized and broken she slogged on,
The duty officer, her promise and solace,
gone
Soaring to roost on justice’s nest
Taabu, sought refuge in the promise,
116, The promise of justice and solace!
Hello, 116 child helpline?
Yes, what’s your emergency…
I am taabu…
She poured her heart and hurt
Taabu, exhaled a sigh of relief
Her unborn child kicked
And she wept.
For she had found refuge, a shoulder to
lean on.
S k kyenze
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