I Am So Happy...I Am Ageing... Poem by Frederick Kambemba Yamusangie

Oh! I am so happy
I am so happy at what
It is happening to me
I am getting Old
I am Ageing

I am loosing my teeth
My hair is turning grey
For now on,
Everybody would listen to me
The entire village would sit down

Quietly and listen to what
I would have to say
Most of the evenings
The children would abandon their houses
Rush to my place

They will arrange the fire woods
Which they will bring from
Their own houses
And put fire on them
Regardless of what their parents would say

They would still come to my place
Congregate around the fire
Even if I was sleeping
They would drag me out of my house
By force so I can tell them stories

Or I can give advice
One day I did run out of tales to tell them
They insisted of hearing the story of my life
Oh I am so happy to be ageing
Even when my mouth smells

Grown up still want to come close
To me and put their ear near my mouth
Not even closing their nose
And listen to what I have to say
Everyone wants to be my grandchild

Even those who don’t live in our village
Bow in front of me
As if I was the village chief
I don’t know if life can get better than this
But I still have major problems to solve

How can I get back
My privacy that I have lost
I am not anymore able to be
By myself and I am not allow to refuse
Any food that is given to me by everybody

Every single day as if
They were in some sort of
Food giving contest
Well… Anyway…
I am still very happy to be ageing…



www.frederickyamusangie.org.uk