Because She’s Female

Father wants my elder sister

 To forget the blackboard

And warm his old friend’s bed

As his seventh wife:

An old man’s veal for his old teeth

At 13, she is not young!

Because she is female

And they grow faster

Than genetically modified chicken.

She must marry the old man

Not the love of her youth

She must get father out of poverty

For the pot-bellied grey-haired man

Stinks of wealth.

No choice: her fate is sealed

For father thinks females have no choice

Except the male option.

Mother must be quiet

Lest her mouth is shut up

 Because she is female.

Our local council chairperson

Won’t stand in the old man’s

Way to happiness

For the leader’s mouth is

Stuffed with bread

And he is a man.

The old man’s huge offertory in mind

 The reverend will wed the duo

Declare the marriage God’s will

And ask my sister to submit to

Mzee – our grandpa’s age mate –

Even at the hour of her first rape

Till death puts the couple asunder

The world without end

Amen!

About the Poet

Samuel Kamugisha is a Ugandan journalist, poet and fiction writer. A Journalism and Communication graduate, his poetry and short stories are inspired by his work as a journalist and as an observer of events in his country.

Kamugisha’s poem, ‘The Honourable Weevil,’ was published in Wondering and Wondering of Hearts: A Collection of Poems from Uganda, while his two poems, ‘Flying Papers’ and ‘Priorities’ were long listed for the 2016 Babishai Niwe Poetry Award.

His other prose and poetry have been published by Brittle Paper, Parousia Magazine, DwartOnline, Praxis Magazine, and Africa Crayons, among other places.  You can read more of Samuel Kamugisha’s journalism, prose and poetry work on pearltimes.co.ug.

You can also read Painting Soulless Kampala, Priorities, The Stream and Not Just a Number Here, There, Over Here, and Over There.

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