Thursday, June 11, 2009

war for peace

This poem is meant to be read in three different ways: only the english lines, only the swahili lines, then all together. The lines should fit together any way you choose to read it. I did, however, include the translation in brackets so make it easier to undrestand. Besides my swahili is a little off so what i wrote and what i thought i wrote could be completly different. Af for why its written this way, it is to show the contrats that people try to put together like the concept of having a war to get peace

The war for peace
ku-kunja daima (it rages always)
It rages all around
kusema waua, waua ote (yelling kill them) (kill them all)
Anger, hatred, greed
hii mapigano (bring war)
Brother against brother
baba apigana mwana (father against son)
Nothing matters anymore
penda ni sahau (love is forgotten)
The fighting grows louder
waliko (louder)
louder
waliko (louder)
louder
waliko (louder)
They are coming
adui kuja (the enemy comes)
Cries are all around
Hapana! Rehema! Tuniokoa! (no) (mercy) (save us)
All around
Mungu! Rehema! Rehema! (God) (mercy mercy)
Silence
zaida walia (No more cries)
dead eyes, dead limbs
maisha toka (life is gone)
not their life
hawa moyo (their hearts)
Their hearts are dead
wajui raha (they don’t know joy)
Peace is forgotten
sahai milele (forgotten forever)
Then comes the end
vita kwa amani (in the war for peace)
The war for peace.

1 comment: