In search of grass, greener
I ruminate.
My fatherland is deep rooted in manure
yet the gardeners fail to water it.
I tried to weed my portion
But they sent locusts to eat my sprouting seed
Starved of choice,
I left.
My brother stayed back,
With courage and pain he eats what is left of the land
The gardeners let him sing their praises and gift him expensive rags
On my way across the west ocean, it seemed agony still awaits me,
But there, a little polished.
Today, anytime I eat, I wish my homeland gave me more
But if I die in the shores of Sahara
or be gunned down by a cop in Los Angeles,
Wrap me up in a body bag, bring me back to my motherland,
And place me horizontal on mother earth
When the rain falls,
I promise to make farms greener so our children won’t follow my path.
This poem was published in the 9th Issue of PoeticAfrica magazine.
Please click here to download.
Read – I Came, I Saw, I Left – Juma Shahid (Kenya)
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