The first of my (poem-based) Gambia reflections; hopefully more to come!
"You can't understand,"
They say.
"You haven't seen the world.
You are too young."
Too young?
Tell that to the baby
Tied to sister's back with empty belly
Who watches as change is asked for
No pockets are patted, no wallets searched.
There is no change here.
"You can't understand,"
They say.
"You haven't seen the world.
You are too innocent."
Too innocent?
A three month old lies asleep in hospital
Small as a bag of sugar.
Grandmother is near, nursing a broken heart,
Heavy with thoughts of her daughter, a mother who will never be met.
A baby grown wise at birth.
"You can't understand."
They say.
It's not I who can't understand.