A Letter To Mama Miti Poem by DEDAN ONYANGO

A LETTER TO MAMA MITI

Dear Mama Miti,
It's long since your demise
Mama, with your affectionate smile
You gave me life on this earth,
With your gentle- like hands
You caressed my child-like roots and gave me water
Water to drink to quench my thirst.

Dear Mama Miti,
You sacrificed your life desires
To make sure you sired me to adulthood,
You fought many battles with multitudes
Nay forgetting the big wigs with their metallic sticks
This left you bruised
But still you cruised to the shore of greenness.
And here I am,
Now stunted and smoked.

Dear Mama,
You remember Nairobi River?
The only river that brought life to the busy town
Now it brings death to the busiest town,
In it Mama,
You can find any kind of merchandise you could think of,
From Plastics, to ticks,
From spare parts, to rats,
From foodstuff, to hand kerfs
Mama, Nairobi River smells decay,
And I your child drink from its tray.

Dear Mama Miti,
You remember that Belt,
Yes the Green Belt that you gave to Kenya?
I am afraid it's no longer green.
Uhuru Park can attested to that,
It's now dirty and unkempt
You would think it is a brown belt
Surrounded by engines that make it sweat.

Dear Mama Miti,
I miss you!
I miss your green smile that
Competed with my leaves
Your green African Kitenge
That camouflaged my world
You who always made me feel loved
With the Nobel Prize on your name
Mama I am not ashamed
I know one day your fame
Will get a replacement,
And green the World shall ululate.

And Dear Mama
You will finally find true rest in your green grave.

FROM YOUR DEAR CHILD-

TREE!