BUILDING THE NATION

Today I did my share

In building the nation

I drove a permanent secretary

To a very important urgent function

In fact, to a luncheon at the vic

The menu reflected its importance

Cold Bell beer with small talk

Then fried chicken with niceties

Wine to fill the hollows of the laughs

Ice cream to cover the stereo typed jokes

Coffee to keep the PS awake

I drove the PS back

He yawned many times in the back

Then to keep awake, he asked,

“Did you have any lunch, rafiki?”

I replied looking straight ahead

And secretly smiling at his concern

That I had not, but I was slimming!

Upon which he said, with a serious-ness

That amused more than annoyed me

“MWANANCHI, I too had none!

I attended to matters of the state

Highly delicate diplomatic duties you know

And rafiki, it goes against my grain

Causes me stomach ulcers and wind

Ah!” He continued

Yawning again

“The pains we suffer in building the nation.”

So the PS had ulcers too!

My ulcers were equally painful

Only that they were caused by hunger

Not sumptuous lunches!

So two nation builders

Arrived home this evening

With terrible stomach pains

The result of building the nation –

Different ways.

By Henry Barlow