Criminal of innocence
Ideal citizen in pain
Grain sown in past
Growing unhindered and strong
Crushing all he loved

Banished by his own
Out of the box thinker
Partisan of No party
Marrying for No Nose but Love
To stop the greedy wheel

Good neighbor and friend
Patriotic citizen
Protecting and providing with love
Despite rejections and torture

What did it matter
Starved and drained
Refusing the bloody cake
Poor despite possibilities
Embracing troubles
To stop the slaughtering wheel

Crown changed hands
He paid undue dues
Of murdered innocents
of the swallowed cake
And of the looted cars

From hired witnesses
Through Sovietic trials
To grabbing his land
Killing his sons
Raping his daughters
And exiling his toddlers

What good did it do him
Good citizen and patriot
Now ill in a bottomless pit
From Franco to Anglo decorations
Despite changed flags and constitutions
With unchanged wheel of oppression
And no value for his goodness

How long will it take
To stop the wheel of hatred
Centuries of revenge
From Noses unequal
To Roses of tolerance

And what does it matter
To be good and humble
Where neutrality is denied
On a boat of past and present covered blood
Citizen turned traitor
As in the past so is the present

I look back to our past deaths
A life full of suffocation
And decide without hesitation
To break the silence that swallowed you

What does it matter
writing a poem,
This song of your loss
Before the wheel reaches my trail

If only one soul would learn of your pain
Maybe then......
Probably then...
Perhaps then......
A spirit will be born to break your chains

Maybe then.....
You will be dead
Yet, the spirit shall be born to break the hypocrisy wheel
Maybe....
I will be alive
Perhaps....
I will tell the world of your innocence

Maybe then.....
Perhaps then..........
I will tell them of your easy ways
Of your love and care
Of your strength and love of integrity
Perhaps then...

Even without then
Without that time and place
Without freedom of these chains
I live in your love
Good citizen and patriot

It does not matter
That they bruise your tender skin
That they break your strong legs
That they treat you unjustly
That they use you for their political games
I know of your innocence

I tasted your protection
I lived your laughter
I felt your strength
I breath by your love

maybe then.......
Someone else will talk
Someone else will chose to differ
From the crowd of liars
From the basket of hatred
Then...
Maybe then.....
You will be already gone

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* Mimi Harriet Uwineza is a human rights defender, poet, writer and teacher by profession. She currently works with SIHA Network.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.