With These Humps Of Mine Poem by Sarah Mkhonza

With these these feet of mine,
I have walked to the ends of the
Earth, and heard a camel and the
Rider take the oath feared by many.

With these humps of mine, said the beast
I thee wed and vow to walk the earth
With you, Mon Seigneur, on my back.
In between these two humps, drought,
Or no drought, with you riding all over me,
Till death us do part.

I swear it was the camel again speaking the vows.
With these hooves of mine I will thee serve
On desert sand and oasis green, I will thee
Carry and lay down to chew the cud when
You have drunk of my milk. With each sunset
We will walk this desert only if you accept that
I am more honest than pretty, and as useful.
You may put the ring on my finger and you
May kiss the bride. And off they went
Newlyweds with a just married trailing
On desert sand.

Mon Seigneur, I am tired, what about the love?
Did you hear anyone talk about love? I am a
Bedouin. We ride as we do. Mon Seigneur I am
Hungry. You swore not about hunger but about
Carrying and not caring, do you see food in this
Desert? Chew the cud, beast. Remember
I ride you because I inherited you from my father.
The camel sat down exhausted and the journey
Had to wait for the calvary out in the horizon.
The rider lay on his back waiting wondering
What kind of beasts camels were. They had
Less milk than goats, more meat only when dead.
But who had the guts to kill a camel for such was
Unheard of? Next time around, a goat for sure but
Who will carry the load between two humps me
Included? A Bedouin must keep his camel, I swear
For this is the way of our people.