Child Of Africa [sestina] Poem by David N. Munene

A black child born without scar
In a home delivery if hut is home
Without the need for a nurse
Smirked on the bottom to kick life
Whose first cry called for ululations
In – the woman; out – the man

Turned too soon from boy to man
His bravery measured by inflicted scar
Of victorious encounters worth ululations
Fighting war from away and from home
Defending property by risking life
In the effort to his father’s nurse

Raised hardly knowing how to nurse
Never shedding another tear – a man
Living the whole of his life
Healing wound and keeping scar
Rarely taught how to keep a home
Wishing he could celebrate with ululations

The man loves female ululations
Yet he would never a girl-child nurse
Argues she is soonest to leave home
She will be property to another man
Nursing that other man’s black scar
Like there was no dad in her life

The black child knows that life
Is full of a zillion ululations
Some out to leave many a scar
Than any herb could ever nurse
The child knows its duty is to man
That which man should call home

The child is acquainted to any home
Provided there is only one life
Has to be different from no black man
Lest his character earns him no ululations
Scaring away many a worthy nurse
Blemishing his plight with an indelible scar

Africans don’t go home without ululations
Every one was born to nurse life
But for man, all is worthless without a scar