A poem in Kiswahili, addressed to men, to mark the end of the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women and World Poetry Day
Mwajidai nguvu mnazo, mwawatenga na majukumu
Mwadhani hawana uwezo, mwajilimbikizia utaalamu
Hamwoni lolote tatizo, mkiwabagua kila sehemu
Badilisheni yenu mawazo, akina mama muwaheshimu
Akina mama muwaheshimu, wapeni yao thamana
Waachieni nafasi muhimu, wapate na wao kufana
Uongozini wasiwe adimu, hakuweka hivyo Rabana
Acheni wenu udhalimu, wenu ubabe hauna maana
Wenu ubabe hauna maana, madhara yake tumeyaona
Kupenda vita na kupigana, hamwoni aibu kuuana
Ubinadamu hamnao tena, uhai mmeutoa thamana
Na mnapozidi kuzozana, mateso ni watoto na mama
Mateso ni watoto na mama, dunia yetu yaangamia
Mwawabaka hamna heshima, wamechoka kuvumilia
Rejesheni akili mapema, waepusheni na kuumia
Kuwawezesha ni kitu cha wema, wenu uovu muuacheni
Wenu uovu muuacheni, watoto mimba kuwatunga
Watakiwa wawe shuleni, siyo ndoa za kijinga
Hizo tamaa mziacheni, na ukatili kuupinga
Akina mama muwaenzini, msiwatenge msiwatese
It’s been more than 10 years since I last wrote a poem in Kiswahili, and I’m glad this day inspired me to come up with these lines. When, in the morning, the Kiswahili Unit of the UN Radio asked if I had any poem in Kiswahili (they know I’ve been writing poems in English), I realised all the poems I had written in the past were political and thus, inappropriate. I had almost given up doing anything for them, but I got my inspiration, somehow, and it took me just about 45 minutes to write this poem. It was rather difficult, considering the style in Kiswahili is a bit different from the English poetry I’ve been accustomed to over the years. Where iambic pentametre would give a poem in English its rhythm, in Kiswahili, that only does half the job in a line. My attempt to get an exact metrical symmetry also proved a tough task, and you will notice that some lines don’t really have ten syllables on either side of the break. Still, I enjoyed writing it, and I’ll be writing some more poems in Kiswahili from now on.
Joshmali's World 