I Shall Not Be Silent Poem by Phillip Nine Mafunga

When children in my neighbourhood disappear without trace, I will speak
When they go to school bare footed I will not stand by and do nothing
When they have no school fees, I will not shut my bowels of compassion towards them
When they sleep on empty tummies, I shall not be silent
When they have no roof above their heads, my doors I will open
I am a man and yet only yesterday I was a child and even so a child in want

I shall not be silent no longer when they daily rape my sisters
I will make my voice heard against child molesters
Why abuse her when you said you loved her?
Before she is a woman, she is as human as you are
Do you not think she deserves the dignity you also enjoy?
She is someone else's mother so dear to them as yours is dear to you