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I WRITE

by Bobana | December 20, 2010 at 11:02 AM

Bobana

Motsholalore

Tags:

<protest poetry> <african girl child><gender injustice>

I WRITE

To highlight
The plight
Of the girl-child
In might
I fight
A legal battle
That strangles
Womanhood
In this wayward hood

I shout from the Kgalagadi
To implore SADC nations
United Nations
To repel concentration-camp-fashion
Global legislations
Imbued with sex discrimination

I rebuke commonwealth
On worthlessness
Of common laws
Non committal
Yet not so common
To peripheral relegation
Of the towered other
Has there ever been common ground?
Since hieroglyphic tablets
I refuse to exist in soap opera style
A piteous live tabloid

I relate the tale of a biddable child
Ripped off their mother’s warm womb
Auctioned wolfishly
To the best bidder
Deprived of letters and sums
Denied a place in the sun
Snatched off school gates
Slumped in to herding goats

Crack dew at dawn’s crack
Before frogs croak
As in the Shank
She sings the lullaby lyrics
The first of such lifetime hysterics

By /Bobana Badisang, Botswana (Published in Mahube Journal of Writers Association of Botswana 2010)

Comments

hey Bobana,

your write strong and beautiful.I like the entire part, words representing the situations, words as powerful as so many other hundred words. I like how you have composed it and how you have put it together.

i Like the entire piece!

Peace,

Nilima
www.nilichari.wordpress.com

Many thanks Nilima, for appreciation of my piece. After I presented it to the launch of Mahube Journal (in which it has been published) on December 4th in the city of my home country, Gaborone, Botswana, I swore that I would not be writing protest poetry anymore...However, 'old habits die hard'. And really, I would be betraying the struggle, if I suddenly stopped writing poetry that unpacks the woman's lot. If you like it, I'm inspired. Thank you so much Nilima. Kind regards, bb.

Bobana Badisang
Library: Education Faculty Liaison Unit,
3rd Floor, Office 224/402
University of Botswana
Private Bag 00390, Gaborone, Botswana
Telephone: 0267-355-2305
Facsimile: 0267-3957291 Telex: 2429 BD
Telegraphic Address: University Gaborone
http://www.ub.bw

bobana

no you shouldn't stop writing. It sounds so strong and so commanding, your voice can encourage someone, inspire someone, can represent some one!! keep on writing for you for others for your beautiful writings! I really like the way how you collect so strong words together!!!

my best wishes are always with ya!

Peace,

Nilima
www.nilichari.wordpress.com