Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua: Wambui our Warrior

Wambui Otieno (Image courtesy of BeatriceSpadacini.com

Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua

Mbaara ya mau mau
Yagũkorire
No diagũkuire
Ukĩhũrana na nyakerũ
Ta mũndũrũme
Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua
Ũkiugaũkũhikĩra ikenye rĩaku
Kĩũma kĩa goro mũgathĩini
Ũyũ Wa mũtũrĩre
Na ũkĩĩhotora ta mũkũi warwĩmbo
Ũkĩina rwanyarugunga
Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua
Wendo ũhana ũũkĩ mwatũinĩ
Wa ciana, mũthurina bũrũri waku
Warũũĩra wendo wa mũthuri
Ta nyamũ ya gĩthaka Ĩ ndihie
Na ona watihio ngoro
Dũigana kwĩira
Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua 
Mwĩrĩ wa mũthuri na wendi wake
Waũhũranĩire ta hiti na nyama
Na magĩgũtunya nyama Ĩ kanua
Kĩrumi makĩĩhumba ta nguo
Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua
Ta deri igĩthiũrũrũkĩra kĩimba
Maathingata mwĩrĩwaku
Indo ciao, itua riao
We mũtumia,
Ta mwana
Dwagĩrĩirwo ni gũkũũrĩraarũme maitho
Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua
Atumia oothe maro oeererea makinyamaku
Gũkinyĩra ma na kĩhoto
Ta mũrũũthi wonete thiiya
Huurũka rĩu na mwedwa waku
Wambũi Mũtumia Njorua

Njeri Wangari-Wanjohi2ndSeptember, 2011
NjeriWangari(at)kenyanpoet.com
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– All rights reserved©The English Translation

Wambui Our Warrior

The Mau Mau uprising
Found you and left you
You fought with the white man
Like a man
And won
Wambui our warrior
You chose with your heart
The bead to place
In your life’s necklace
Girding yourself
Like a soloist
Singing praise songs
To Nyarugunga
For bearing you a lover
Wambui our warrior
Your love, like honey in a hive
For your children, husband and country
Was fresh and abundant every day
You fought for your husband’s love
Like a wounded animal
Their stabs to your heart
Left you bruised
But not dead
Wambui, our warrior
For your husband’s body and his will
You fought
But lost
And they adorned themselves his curse
Like a bride for her day
Wambui our warrior
A pack of vultures surround your remains
you
Their possession
You,like a child
Had no right
Raising your voice to grown men
Wambui, our warrior
May women try filling your shoes
Fight for truth
Fight for justice
Fight for what is right
Like a lion with its prey
Wambui our warrior
You have now found peace
At the bosom of your lover
Wambui our warrior
Njeri Wangari-Wanjohi
2ndSeptember, 2011

NjeriWangari(at)kenyanpoet.com
—————————————————————————
– All rights reserved©

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