Barua kwa Wapendwa Wanafiki
Mkisikia kwangu kuondoka
Mtajifanya wangu marafiki
Mtahuzunika, mtaniandika
Mtatitirisha chozi la kinafiki
Mtanivisha kilemba cha ukoka
Wapendwa wangu wanafiki
Nilipokuwa na randaranda
Kulala katika varanda
Hamkunifikiri, hamkunistiri
Hamkunihifadhi, hamkunifadhili
Hamkunivumilia, hamkunililia
Ya nini machozi ya mamba?
Mtakaposikia kwangu kuondoka
Mtashindana kunitafutia sanda
Mtanizika kwa parapanda
Hotuba zenu zitarembeshwa, sauti zenu zitakatika
Koo zenu zitakauka
Na baridi moja mtaburudika
Sina urafiki na wanafiki
Mimi Naijuka Kashiwaki
Sisikitiki
Sirubuniki
Nawaachia jamii ya waastarabu-wanafiki
Mundelee kurubuni mazuzu wastahiki
Kwa heri za kuonana, wakarimu
Kwa heri za kuoneana, wadhalimu.

~~~

A Letter to Beloved Hypocrites

When you hear of my departure
You will feign friendship
You will grieve, write about me
Drop crocodile tears
You shall flatter me
My dear hypocrites
When I went around, aimlessly
Sleeping on verandahs
You never thought of me, never defended me
You never protected me, never gracious to me
You never showed patience to me, never cried for me
Why the crocodile tears?
When you hear of my daparture,
You will fight to find my shroud
You will bury me with trumpets
Your speeches embellished, your voices will break
Your throats will dry
A cold one will freshen you
I have no friendship with hypocrites
I, Naijuka Kashiwaki
Am not sad
Am not deceived
I leave you with this society of the civilised-hypocrites
So they may continue to swindle the deserving
Farewell till we meet again, the benignant
Farewell till you ill-treat again, the draconian.

September 2, 2018

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Poems for the Penniless Copyright © 2019 by Issa G Shivji. All Rights Reserved.

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