Monologue Of Innocence Poem by Mbusya Wa Mbusya

I don't know for how long he'd been staring down at me-
They'd been drinking!

He'd dropped his glasses on the bridge of his nose,
I just felt the hardness of his stare,
I winked then smiled, he ignored!

Then she interrupted to ease the tension,
She took me by my feeble elbow
Outside the shack…

‘…but She's a little child, '
I feel them arguing in low tones,
And the quaking of bed,
The noise of struggle, it's scaring,
Heavy breathing, then silence…

A night comes, on my couch…
Though I can't see the faces,
I see the forms, silhouettes by the light from the door,
In disturbing nudity
Hands twinned,
I imagine…

What can they be doing?
Don't they feel pain?
And against the light (of a full moon)
Anxiety mounts,
When lips meet lips, in a close embrace,
Making a complete form of a bass relief against luminous night!

I don't hear what they say,
The language is strange,
Then the quaking of a door and the timber house feels like it's falling,
The noise of struggle, pleadings, promises…
Interjected by obscene suppressed curses, he mourns!
Heavy breathing…

Silence!

Soft pawing of feet soles on the timber floor, snoring…

Outside; far away a fight breaks;

Noise!

Startling my mentors to more fresh arguments.
‘You lied...' he charges
My names features prominently,
I'm lost in confusion of aftermath pleasure and pain…now fear
I hear palm rub flesh, and I assume it's a slap.

Like a moth seared by a lamp,
I fall into a chilling fear of repression for my innocence,
Meanwhile, struggle break
Crockery and cutlery juggle in fall
A moan escapes...she pleads...
I can't take it anymore
I hide under the table,
Heart pounding, I fall asleep.

Morning comes finally,
What a relief!
And as I walk to the door,
To freedom from unknown fear,
I cross a caked rivulet of blood!