I see you, a divine poem for Tanzania

I see you

the hurt of losing your loved ones

heavy on your chests like a boulder

you cannot breathe

you are shocked by the silence

of those who should beg your forgiveness or comfort you

you want to cry

or scream

and torch something

the anger coils around your throat

it chokes you

I am with you

even when you do not want to hear me

or feel my hand around your shoulders

I know you want them to pay

you want vengeance

holy and exact

you want them sorry

unleash hell over them

so, they feel an ounce of your pain and loss

I know you want an answer, fast

you do not see the wisdom in waiting

or talking, not yet

I will not ask you to forgive them

but I ask you

not to lose your humanity, just like them

not to become what you despise

not to despair

not to lose your faith

I see you

I am with you

I tell you to cry

Let it all out

Summon your God here

This is the valley of the shadow of death

This is why the psalms were made

Nawaona

jinsi maumivu ya kuwapoteza wapendwa wenu

yalivyowaelemea kama jiwe zito kwenye vifua vyenu

hamuwezi kupumua

mnashangaa ukimya wa wale waliopaswa kuwaomba msamaha au kuwapa tulizo

mnataka kulia

au kupiga mayowe

na kuchoma kitu

hasira yasonga makoo yenu

imewakaba kama kabali

Nipo nanyi

hata pale msipotaka kusikia sauti yangu

au mikono yangu iwakumbatie

najua mnataka walipe

mnataka kisasi kitakatifu

na moto wa jehanam uwashukie

mnataka waumie na wapoteze

waonje hata kidogo milivyoumia na kupoteza

Najua mnataka jibu kwa haraka

bado hamjaona hek’ma ya kusubiri

au kuzungumza

siwaombi muwasamehe

lakini nawasihi

msipoteze utu wenu, kama wao

msije mkawa kama kile mnachochukia

msife moyo

msipoteze imani yenu

Nawaona

nipo nanyi

nawasihi mlie

myatoe yote mioyoni mwenu

mwiteni Mungu wenu ashuke

hili ndio bonde la uvuli wa mauti

zaburi ziliandikwa kwa ajili hii