Tears For My Beloved Poem by Patrick Nandwa

When we met on the street
Amid the sweltering heat
You smiled at me
And I smiled back
Yet we hardly knew each other
I raised my hand and waved
You too waved back
Did it bother you
Or me
Which first language I spoke?
Which mother-tongue you spoke?
Of course
It didn’t
Then why
Why should that
Pot bellied-quick talking-slow thinking
Politician
Point out our differences
Differences that are hardly there
Why should he
Make us hate each other
Because
Apparently
We come from different
Ethnic backgrounds?
Aren’t we
All
Descendants of the ape
Or Adam and Eve?
Why should they
Make us suppress
Our love
For each other
Our love
For our beloved country?

Remember
when I first joined
Our school
When I walked into the class
All eyes were on me
I was scared
And excited
For I knew I would make
Many more friends
Then you smiled at me
I felt reassured
You beckoned me
To come and sit
Next to you.
I willingly did
We’ve been great friends since
Remember how we formed
A close knit
Friendship
With our class mates?
Remember the jokes
We played
On each other?
Remember the names
We nicknamed each other
And our teachers?
All along
Did it ever bother you or me
Did it ever cross your mind or mine
That we spoke
Different mother tongues?
That we came
From different parts of our country?
Remember how
Because of you and me
Our families became friends too
Remember how
Your parents
Were my parents
And my parents
Became your parents?
Now pause a little…
And let ask ourselves
Did it bother our parents
Did it ever cross our parents’ minds
That we enjoyed different staple foods?
That we came from different communities?
Remember how you taught me
To relish Githeri and Muthokoi
Remember how I would make you laugh
When I said
That Ugali is food
The rest smacks and child play
As we wait for real food: Ugali?
Remember when our friend
From the great valley
Introduced us to the sweet milk?
You looked at me
And we looked at our friend
And in unison
“ what’s this? ” we asked
“Milk! Mursik, ”
He said delightedly
‘ But its black! ’ You screamed
Special kind of herb
Burnt to kill the smell
Makes the milk sweeter
He volunteered.
“ You are not drinking this, are you? ”
You asked me.
“ Why not. it ain’t poison! ”
Then w all joined in laughter
“Hope not
I will just imagine
It’s a handsome prince”
You said
Or
It’s a beautiful princess’ I quipped
“You kids are very naughty”’ Remember
Our friend’s parents?
Then we took our first gulp…
Eyes closed…
Tasted kinder strange
Then the second…
Mmm Yummy!
“I will have another! ’
“me too! ”
Since then
Remember
We’ve always looked forward
To visiting our friend
Deep down yonder
In the valley
Remember
When we hesitated
Eating the animal from the lake
Remember how our friend
Laughed at our naivety
Saying it was fish
The best meat
Recommended even by doctors
Remember the weekends
Fish and chips
At the kiosk yonder?
Now linger a little,
Lets ask ourselves
Did it bother you?
Did it bother me
Did it matter to you
That we came from different parts
of our lovely country
and spoke different mother tongues?
It didn’t matter!
Then why should that
that short-sighted, self-centered, mouth foaming-deceiving politician
Convince us
To pay notice
To differences between us
Differences that hardly exist?
Why should the politician
Make us stoop so low
As to hate each other?
Why?
Why?

Remember how you taught me
How that part of the body
Is called in your mother tongue?
Remember how I told you
How it is called in my mother tongue?
You know I can’t mention it here!
But didn’t we enjoy
Learning how the other
Forty-Two communities called
That part of the human anatomy?
Did it bother us?
Did it matter us?
That we spoke different mother tongues?
Was it not a binding factor?
Wasn’t the bond stronger?
Remember how we boasted
Of being multi-lingual
Because
We could insult one
Jokingly of course
In more than three tongues! ?
Then why should that
Foul mouthed-uneducated-savage minded-full-of- ill-intent politician
Make us kill each other
Destroy our families
Make us destroy Our Great Nation
Sending us into ruins?
Why?

Remember how we met
Across the campus
Across that busy street
How we met
in the church choir
in that supermarket
Did it ever cross your mind
or mine?
Did it bother you
Or me
That we were from different communities?
That we spoke different mother tongues?
And enjoy different staple foods?
Our hearts fell in love
Our souls revolved around each other
Remember the late night calls and texts
Remember how we held our hands
Together
For long
Remember how we found
Solace
In each other
Remember when we
Finally
Were joined as One
The way our families jubilated?
Did it bother us
Or our families
That we came from two different ends of a continuum?
Of course it didn’t
Then why should
That evil minded-not-so-enlightened-murderous politician
Make you hate me?
Make me hate you?
Remember
Unlike us
That politician
Has never had intercourse
With great minds
Of Martin Luther King Junior’s caliber
Of Mahatma Gandhi’s caliber
That politician only worships
Machiavelli
Remember him?
Yes, divide them,
Let them kill each other
And then rule them.
But must we fall that low
As to hate each other?
Kill each other?
Destroy what belongs to all of us
Love?
Remember another great mind
That said we should
Love Our Neighbors
As we love ourselves?
Then why should
Why should that chest-thumping-loveless
Hateful-savage minded that belongs in
The jungle politician
Make you forget our greater calling
To love one another?
To cherish each other?
Why throw away
The strong fabrics
That have always
Held our society
Together
Just like that?
By embracing hate?
And malice?
Think of the love
We shared
Think of the home
We made
Think of the society
We created
Think of the great nation
We built
Why should all these
Be left to crumble
Just like that
Have we lost
Our good sense of belonging?
Have we stopped
Caring for our children
That we kill them
Despite their innocent hearts?
Despite their innocent stares?
What kind of legacy
Are we leaving
For our children
And our children’s children?
Is it death?
Destruction?
Or ruins?
What kind of legacy is this?
Tell me
What kind is this?

I pray that
On Judgement Day
May it not escape
The Almighty’s good eye
The disheartening horrendous deeds
You’ve shamelessly carried out
May His gavel fall on you
Without mercy
If you fail to notice my tears
If my cry won’t move you.

I shed tears for you My Beloved
Because
That pot-bellied-quick talking-slow thinking-
Short sighted-self centered-mouth foaming-
Deceiving-foul mouthed-uneducated-savage
Minded-full of ill intent-evil minded-not
So enlightened-murderous-chest-thumping
Loveless-hateful -savage minded- that belongs
In the jungle politician
Won’t listen to me
Because he doesn’t care for you
Because he doesn’t care for me
Because he doesn’t care for our children
Because he doesn’t care whether or not
Our society disintegrates

My Beloved
Look deep inside you
I believe there are pieces of Love
Let us mend and strengthen our bond
Let us learn to Love one another
Let us cherish each other
Again
Listen to no other My Beloved
Listen to no hate speeches
Just listen to this message of Love
It is the greatest commandment
Remember
I have great hope
I can see a great nation
Full of great people
One people
Don’t kill this please My Beloved
DON’T!
Remember Rwanda
Please let’s not go
Down
That road
I will not tire
To shed tears for you, My Beloved
I will not stop, no I won’t
Until you return Our Love
Until we show each other
Love
It is all we need,
Yes, LOVE.