Still Singing The National Anthem Poem by kelvin karani

We still sing the national anthem

On national days for national reasons

With detached intellectual abstraction

We remember the struggles of our forbears:

Ho! How they fought and died bravely!



On those big days we sit indifferently;

The poor down here the rich up there

As we reminiscence that distant history

Mangy dogs hungrily sniff the poor bottoms

Well, its their way of building the nation………..



When it gets too hot drinks are served

Soda and bottled water for ‘wenyenchi’

‘chang’aa’ and ‘busaa’ for wananchi

The opposing camps is a sight to behold

Especially when pretence is highest.



Speeches at times get a little boring

Especially when the speaker knows not about them

And the hearer cannot fathom the language used.

A latecomer in the fight for freedom

Is dog-handled to break the monotony!



We still sing our national song these days

And yet, we know not what it tells us to do.

Nobody cares about its message anymore.

Where are they those who have been chosen

And called the sons and daughters of our country?