Appeal
I am Gaboye,
Will you marry me
last night, in the middle
in the middle of the night
at 2 am
on the dot
the door to my house
i heard a knock
who is it?
it is a girl she said?
what do you want I said?
let me come In, she said.
I said, girl
a guest arriving at the wrong time
is an interesting thing
come in
thanks boss
something is burning me
listen to it
ok say it I said.
she said,
I am a woman
I young woman
apart from my house
I have not gone anywhere else
never has a man
opened my dress
and on my lap
no one has fallen a sleep God’s Promise,
I have not cut it
and every time the Quran
is in my hand
i am no different from the people
my mother I have not dis honoured
my father I have not dis honoured
i dont hate them
i have not left the culture
I have not left the tradition
the independence and honour
i have not side stepped it
men in general
the one I meet in the evening
appart from flirting,
has never broached marriage
each one with their mistake
there feelings burning
and the knowing
granted by my lord,
my unique wealth
to place in a dark hole
i don’t know wha I have done
who i have offended
that I have been isolated
a lot of resentment..
painful dodging
and a lot of rattling
is what I am facing
i am not blaming anyone
the women I represent
their hair braided
also avoid me
I cannot enjoy compassion
I cannot buy beauty
no man will have me
I cannot go out
I can not shake a name
I cannot burn…
i cannot enter
what the victorious has made me
no one can refuse me
I can’t say a religious fault
I can’t appeal,
I can’t take it to the government
I can’t speak to them
its part of the world
before we die
all of you men
the people moving apart
separated us
I am Gaboye
will you marry me?
Dhammaa