MY BURDEN

MY BURDEN
Louis Gakumba

I am speaking a dying language.
Calling for peace has become
A stinking breathe
one wishes not to take in.

I know the truth I cannot tell.
I am diving in a drying river,
hiding in shallow water.
The sun hunts me
from the heat of darkness.

Country against country;
Nation against nation.
Bloodshed is such a common language
Family violence;
Man against nature.
I am speaking a dying language
with a fainting voice
only a few can hear
I am speaking
a dying language.

I AM A TRAVELER

I AM A TRAVELER
Louis Gakumba

I am a traveler for safety
From a far country where
Once rivers ran red
And sky filled with silent smoke,
Where once the power of hatred
Buried love in a closed tunnel
I am a traveler

I am a traveler for safety
From a far country
Where once stars shone no more
Shading obscure of black fear
Covering land with streams of blood,--
Where waves of hatred
Flooded homes with disguise,
Where death seemed so close
As looking in the mirror--
Where once eagles flew in slow motion
Thanking the hands of human being
I am a just a traveler

I am a traveler for safety
From a far country
Known by its history of war.
Crimes against humanity
Made it a reference,--
A reference for worse killing
Fruits of deep roots of racism
Till corpse invaded lakes
I am a traveler

I have traveled to a far country
Where I was referred to as
A Negro black or African American—
You name me
Nonetheless, this time not as a Tutsi
I am a traveler for safety
This time not away from machetes
Only currents of more racism
I am a traveler

Racism have burned us to ash
Leaving flames of anger to engulf
The human heart
Melting love in a kettle of hatred
I wish the world wasn’t so blind
Blind enough not to see the reference
I am just a traveler for safety
I have traveled

FRANCE THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE MASTERMIND

FRANCE THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE MASTERMIND
Louis Gakumba

Rwandans, stand hand in hand
It is time to break the silence
Stand to prove your unity
Play your politic breaking the hearts of secrets
Reveal the truth
Stay united to lift the solidarity
Raise the patriotism to the high hill
Let everyone give you a hand, Rwanda
Put your strength together
Set the world to claim for your right
France, stop painting us a Red Camel



We have shed much tear
Rejoice twice for the many deaths
You chopped with machetes—
You drove in running streams of blood
You raped kids and young girls
France, you left no virgin in Rwanda
Blood pleased you
Cries of pain brought you courage
Heaps of dead bodies gave you strength
You killed without choice
You dumped many in Nyungwe
France, stop painting us a Red Camel



France, glorious murderer
You needed no water to wash your hands
You swam in blood as if in swimming pools
You drunk our blood to calm your thirst
Never will Rwanda ignore your career
You nourished flies and eagles
Dogs always barked to call you
You erupted in Rwanda like a volcano
Burning hills and history
Your hands killed and fed the wild,
The dogs you served the human flesh are now groaning
France, stop painting us a Red Camel



You had no mercy to smiling kids
You had no pity to old people
You had no excuse to pregnant women
France, you killed women by your swords
You and your dogs hunted people like wicked animals
France, why all this?
Is your bravery loading trucks with dead bodies?
Rejoice twice for the reddishness of rivers
Our sorrow is your joy
France, rejoice for the nightmare in our hearts
You tortured me a left me as a narrator
You left me a useless man by your torture
France, you will remain in my heart
Corrupted France, you demolished my country
France, stop painting us a Red Camel



France, good trainer
Use sledge hummer to kill babies
Use spear to pass through pregnant women’s womb
Use javelin to carry cut heads to show your power
Use crossbow to embark those trying to escape,
Use machetes to cut cut cut cut and chop all Tutsis
Stand altogether
Old men and women
Kids and young girls
Support the Hutu team to win
Collect Tutsis from the bush
Be the exemplary for your grandchildren
France the genocide mastermind,
France, stop painting us a Red Camel

THE WORLD IS DREAMING

THE WORLD IS DREAMING
Louis Gakumba



The world has gone to sleep
while death and rape
burns and furls the Congo---
With pain in silence,
poverty and slow death,
this is not what we chose –

The world has gone to sleep.

Everyone is dreaming
dreams of wonders
and wanderers here and there
in search of peace –

The world has gone to sleep.

I am standing on the edges
of a country torn by war
Where hunger sucks blood
From thin bodies --
Where children cry --
Where tears dry in the eyes of elders --
Where women wail no more.

The world has gone to sleep.

Everyone is dreaming.
The world is dreaming.
We are dying
as we are dreaming.

The world has gone to sleep.

Silence

SILENCE
Louis Gakumba


Pain and cries of pain
Pleased
Eyes and ears of men

Silence is a calm ocean
Its anger raises the deep water
Blowing gently like Katrina
Sweeping things with passion
Yet, silence mutes a siren

Silence, burns the brain like a brand
Silence, chili in an open wound
Silence, flows slow like burning lava
Silence, bursts a blown heart of tears
Silence, screams into the ragged edges of rape

I am your silence--
My voice is sharp like a blade
Slicing your throat with a smiling face

Silence, sand in a dry throat
Silence, the eternity of a woman in labor
Silence, a closed box of anger
Silence, a needle in a woman’s breast
Silence, a blanket over a cobra

Silence, the voice of the unsaid

Pain and cries of pain
Unsaid unheard unknown