The Tree| Omuti, Mother | Nnakazzadde, The Plague | Wayirindi | The Unending Game | Omuzannyo Ogutakoma
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| OMUTI[1] | THE TREE |
| Ahaha sooka olabe omuti bwe gwettika | Ooh! Behold, what a tree can carry! |
| Obukoola lukunkumuli | Millions of leaves |
| N’enkuyanja y’ennyembe | Multitudes of succulent mangoes |
| N’obunyonyi obw’omu bire | As well as little birds of the sky |
| Kw’ossa okwo n’ebisu byabwo | And their nests, too |
| Labayo bwe gwettika | Behold, what a tree can carry |
| Waggulu ne gwettika | On its head, it carries |
| Ne wansi ne gwebagajja emirandira gyagwo | On its feet, it heaves and carries its roots |
| Wamma omuti ggwo gwayitawo. | Indeed the tree surpasses all. |
| Wabula waliyo abababuukirira | But there are those who are voluble |
| Mbu tippa eza loole | Who argue that lorry trucks |
| Mbu nazo zettika nnyo | Are also such big carriers |
| Kafankunaali w’abantu | Of tonnes of all kinds of goods |
| Babuwe ne zikubako enfaafa y’ebintu | They brim over with countless goods |
| Wabbuto n’abwegera | And the stomachs bulge |
| Naye leka leka wamma | But wait a minute |
| Kuba yo tippa oluusi | The truck, on occasions |
| Egenda mu kkubo eyiwaayiwako | spills some of the baggage along the way |
| Ate nno ka nkubbireko | Let me tell you a little secret |
| Olumu bagiziyizaako | Sometimes the truck’s workload is regulated |
| Nti leero eneesomba wali ow’a | Deciding that today the truck |
| Katale ak’e Nsambya | Will only carry goods at Nsambya market |
| Aaah kati tulabe wamma | Come on, let us plan properly |
| Waliyo amayinja gali ku kasozi | There are those slates |
| Namungoona. | At Namungoona hill. |
| Naye era eyawa omuti ebbeetu | But the one who gave liberty to the tree |
| Bannange yasukkuluma | Transcends all |
| Akeera maliiri n’alagira | He wakes up early to give instructions |
| Nti obukoola bwa leero | Ordering that this time |
| Bulina kuba butono ate nga | The leaves must be small in size |
| Bwasongolerera | And pointed in shape |
| Ate oba okyali awo | While you are still mesmerized |
| Okutunula ennyo nga bwa bigondogondo. | A second look reveals that they are variegated. |
| Kw’ossa buli baaba obulinga | And ooh! There are those that look like |
| Obulina ebisukko ne kakugwaako | They have lesions and if they fall on your skin |
| Anti ggwe ne weyagula | you desperately scratch yourself |
| Wabula kyokka kkiriza | You really need to acknowledge |
| Omuti ggwo gwayitawo | That the tree surpasses all |
| Era alosa omuti kyokka | And whoever gives life to the tree |
| Ye yasukkuluma n’akamala. | Is indeed an invincible force. |
NNAKAZZADDE
Leero ebigambo ntambudde na bisengejje
Mbisengeka mbisengejja saagala kuwammanta
Kale nze nteesa buteesa nti nnakazadde awaanwako
Kisaana okusaasaanya omuwendo gwa maama
Teriiyo aliguvuganya.
Kyokka kyo kya mazima ye maama ayatiikirira
Era singa nsobola bannyabo nandibatadde wamu
Olwo ne nsooka nsaba Nnamugereka angerekere ku mmunyeenye ze.
Kuba ddala nandiddidde eddaala ne nninya ne nnona
Ku ziri ezimyansa mwattu buli omu ne muwaako emu
Ate oba nandisabye Omutonzi n’anjazika ku langi eza musoke
Bambi buli omu ne muwaako emu.
Kuba bambi omukwano gwa maama simanyi ani aligwogerako.
MOTHER
Today I have moved with filtered words
I pattern and sieve them because I do not want to grope for words
I come with a simple proposal that a mother deserves praise
The value of a mother needs to be broadcast
The value of a mother is indisputable.
It is indeed true that a mother is an icon
If it were possible, I would bring all mothers together
I would then pray to the Almighty to bequeath some of His stars to me.
I would then get a ladder and climb up the sky
To pick some of the twinklers and hand one to each mother
Or I would ask the creator to lend me some of the colors of the rainbow
Then I would give a color to each of the mothers.
Because I am not sure whether anyone can ever fully express a mother’s love.
WAYIRINDI
Wayirindi, otwerigombeddeko nno!
Ani yakuwa olukusa okwekkusa otyo?
Oddidde ebyali ebitiibwa obitimbye okwo
Ku bisenge ebimogofu
Olwo osiita ng’asiika ebinyeebwa ebisiriira
Nti bwe binaggya tunaggyako ebikuta!
Otukongoodde ate n’otubaaga
Olinga kamunye alengedde enkoko enjeru?
Wayirindi otwerigombeddeko nnyo!
Essungu oliggye wa eryo?
N’obwebweena n’obwerippye mu lubuto?
Ne weddiza obukoko
N’obatika obubuzi
Ne mu ggana n’oweekamu ennume?
N’obusolo ku ttale
Okudaala n’okirako abazadde ku mbaga
Nti atalina aweeke ejjinja
Wayirindi otwerigombeddeko nnyo!
Obadde otya atalina nsonyi?
Ku buko otwala nsonzi
Nti yii ekyennyanja kyayinga obuwoomi!
Otulanga ki atubunya obufo?
Ebiwoobe bifuuse eby’olulango
Olwo okubye akakule akatalaba mujja
Nti he n’oyo anaafumba!
Wayirindi otwerigombeddeko luno!
Naye naffe tunaakukwata bulago
Tunaasooba nga nnawolovu alabye enswera
Tunaabanga Nakibinge nti n’emmuli zinaalwana
Anti baalugera nti okwerinda.
THE PLAGUE
Plague, you have indeed trampled on us!
Who permitted you to be such a glutton?
What was once respectable
You now hang up on gaping walls
You are as mischievous as one scorching peanuts while roasting them
Anticipating to skin the nuts after the roast!
You have bullied and skinned us
You are like an eagle that has spotted a white chicken
Plague, you have indeed trampled on us!
Why all that rage?
You even devour little ones clinging to the womb!
You snatch the chickens
You stuff your cheeks with the goats
In a herd, you pick the bull?
Including game in the jungle
You brag like parents at a child’s wedding
Who urge the childless to babysit a stone
Plague, you have indeed trampled on us!
Why are you so shameless?
You carry little tiny fish to your inlaws
Claiming that fish is such a delicacy!
What do we owe you that you harass us so?
Weeping is such a common sight
With your cynical laughter, as loud as that of a co-wife
Who belittles a new co-wife!
Plague, you have indeed trampled on us!
But we shall take you by the neck
We shall be sneak on you like a chameleon catching a fly
Like Prince Nakibinge of old, we shall use even reeds to fight
Like the adage goes, be on your guard.
THE UNENDING GAME[2]
We are at it again.
No one deserves to lose
A son, a father, a brother, a nephew, an uncle
A daughter, a mother, a sister, a niece, an aunt
No one.
No one deserves news
That a rock full of hatred hit her husband
That he writhed in blood
As television cameras rolled
No one merits public humiliation
With legs thrashing about
And foam at his mouth
While television cameras roll.
No one.
No one deserves to receive news of
The death of a father
By watching uniformed men
Club his head
Until he crumbles in an
Incoherent heap
While television cameras run.
No one.
No one deserves to see
Bullets lodged
In the womb of their
Pregnant daughter
Her clothes shredded
By the power of violence and silence of terror.
No one deserves knowledge of
Never knowing why such anger
Moves in loaded guns
No one.
No one deserves to travel long distances
To fetch the body of a child
Sent to university in hope of glory
Because a bullet was lodged in
His head by a security guard
Who has lost the sense of foolish daring youth
No one deserves this deliberate extravaganza
Of robbing life
Knowing it will be news for a day
Then another folly will take over
As families struggle with sorrow
With furious young people
Growing up
To wreck their own nation
Which they disown everyday
While they live in it
Which they desire to flee
Recognizing they cannot leave
Realising they are knotted up
in balls of rage and love
Unable to disentangle.
OMUZANNYO OGUTAKOMA
Tuguzzeemu nate.
Tewali asaana kufiirwa
Mutabani, kitaawe, mugandawe, kizibwe, oba kojja
Muwalawe, nnyina, mwannyina, nnyazaala we, oba ssenga
Tewali n’omu.
Tewali asaana kuwulira
Nti ejjinja ericuuma obukyayi lyakubye bba
Nti bba yalaajanidde mu kitaba ky’omusaayi
Ng’abentambi za ttivvi beetala okumulaga
Tewali asaana kuweebuulwa atyo
Ng’amagulu ge gagudde nnagalaale
Ng’abimbye n’ejjovu mu kamwa
Ng’eno ab’entambi za ttivvi beetala okumulaga.
Tewali n’omu.
Tewali asaana kubikirwa
Nti kitawo yafudde
Ng’alaba abenaanise ebibomboola
Bakuba omwagalwa we entolima ku mutwe
Okutuusa lw’agaηηalama
N’afuuka omutulumbi
Ng’eno ab’entambi za ttivvi beetala.
Tewali n’omu
Tewali asaana kutunuulira
Amasasi nga gasindirirwa
Mu lubuto lwa muwala waabwe
Eyetisse enda/ettu
Engoye ze nga zisensulwa
Mu bikolwa eby’obukambwe n’ettima.
Tewali asaana kumanya
Lwaki tamanyi lwaki obukambwe nga buno
Butambulira mu mmundu ezijjudde amasasi
Tewali n’omu.
Tewali asaana kuseyeggera ηηendo
Okuwondera omulambo gw’omwana
Eyagenda ku yunivasite afuuke ekkula
Kubanga yakubiddwa essasi ku mutwe
Nga liva ku mukuumi eyabadde
Tamanyi kalaaca ka bavubuka
Tewali asaanira ffujjo lino lya lugenderezo
Effujjo ery’okutirimbula abantu
Ng’oli akimanyi nti gajja kuba mawulire ga kiseera buseera
Olwo ate wajjewo kazoole omulala
Ng’abantu balumwa obugigi olw’ennaku
Ng’abaana bakula n’obusungu obuzibu
Nga bambi bajjudde ekiruyi
Eky’okutaagula eggwanga lyabwe
Eggwanga lye begaana buli lukya
So ng’ate babeera mu lyo
Naye nga baagala okulyabulira
Bwe bakizuula nti tebasobola kuliviira
Ne bamanya nti balippiddwa muli
Mu bituttwa by’obusungu n’omukwano
Mwe batakyasobola kwetakkuluza.
Notes
The original versions of the poems “Omuti | The Tree”, “Nnakazzadde | Mother”, “Wayirindi | The Plague” were written in Luganda.
This poem is originally written in English.
