Anticipatory Bail Poem by Patrick Nandwa

I have done nothing ill
That goes against humanity’s will
But look at me now
Many decades have passed
Since I was apparently set free
From the manacles of oppression
From political and economic suppression
But look at me now
Burdened by the yoke of sufferance
But enough is enough
I refuse to suffer anymore
I thus present myself before
The court of justice
That if there is any justice for poor me
I have suffered enough
I apply for my anticipatory bail.


Yes, I apply for my anticipatory bail
For so long I have been bitten by the cold
For only shreds of rags cover my back
Not even enough to cover my shame
With no place to call my home
Left on the streets to roam
And sleep onto the cold pavements
And once in a while
When the big master is happy
To let me stay on his million hectares
In cartons shacks I call home
A squatter
No, I refuse to take this anymore
For this is too enough
I can’t suffer anymore
I apply for my anticipatory bail


I toil for many hours
Hard labour
Measly pay
I see the fruits of my labour
But too high they are
And the planter can’t get at them
With the diminutive pay
Not even enough for a bite
Of the fruits I helped bring to fruition
For they belong to Master
Who was cross-legged
With arms resting on his big bulging belly
When I toiled hard
I hear my stomach groan
But I hide the noise with a moan
For I know that it is not only for the hunger
That my tummy complains
But also for the anger
For why should I feed your big bulging pot belly
That hardly gets filled
And not a morsel for my small one?
No, I refuse to take this anymore
No more hungry days
No more hungry nights
I say again
That I have suffered enough
I therefore, Oh Court of Justice!
Apply for my anticipatory bail


You tell me Horrible Ministers
Of Finance and Planning
That the economy has grown
To a point above six
That’s why I believe
I can hardly afford to live
For every thing has grown like the economy
And the little I toil for
Is spent even before it’s earned
So that the end and the beginning of the month
Are no different
For my rags are pocketless
It will take time
You say
For the honey to trickle down
The effect is not instant
But for how long?
I demand an instant downpour
Then, Horrible Ministers
Your Trickle Down Effect
Can trickle and trickle and trickle
But only after the downpour
No, I can’t wait any longer
The sufferance is too much
I thus apply for my anticipatory bail


With my weather beaten rags
And the envelope that has seen
Worse days and better worse days
Though it holds the papers
They call certificates
For every stage
Primary
Secondary
University
But what do they certify?
That I am the scum of the society?
I go back home
To the silent and innocent little ones
With looks so innocent
They cannot understand why
Why Daddy and Mummy cannot
Cannot buy them bread
Why Mummy and Daddy cannot
Cannot take them to school
Why Daddy and Mummy cannot
Buy them nice clothing
I wipe away the lone tear
That freely flows down my cheek
My wife comes over
“Don’t cry, it will soon be over”
“But when?
Remember the lands
The cows
And the chickens
That were sold
To educate me
And you my dear
No, I can’t suffer anymore
Not today
Not tomorrow
Enough I say is ENOUGH!
I need my Anticipatory Bail