Mulenga Kapwepwe wrote some stuff A poem from the forthcoming anthology of poems called ‘Life and Love in Chitenge.” Papu - Chitenge Love The other day, my Madam asked me to walk with her Flicking her long blond hair to make her point You African women, don’t hug your babies enough Not like us, she said Towering over her baby, strapped In his wheeled and well padded chair Decorated with colorful noisy comforting toys We made towards the park Your babies must feel, said knowledgeably A sense of abandonment, looking at my cranky toddler Papu! Cries my child distressed toddling beside me Embarrassed I lift the child, in one move Place him on my back, tie him to me with my Chitenge Shift him to the front, next to my heart My walking rocking him all the while The umbilical-tight knot of my Chitenge Keeps him attached Fitting him closely to me Chubby foot resting on either side of my hips Now rest, one on the rise of my belly The other finds the slope of my buttocks His toes curl with pleasure in response To the contour language of my body My heart, stethoscope-loud in his ear, Thumping pre-birth music Fisama! He hugs down in the Chitenge As he did when he hid in my womb Breathes mummy-fragrance, milky hug drug Chitenge hug-me-tight, womb temperature Colorful extent and foreground of his little world Huggy cuddly snores vibrate through my chest Arms-free, hands-free, I hug him We move together, huggable, hugged, hugger Cuddling , rhythmic , extremity of closeness Connected mind sense, mind heart, head to heart Of course she couldn’t have understood Papu! Means hug me! I want to hug you! Her baby cries desolate She crouches down and adjusts the pushchair strap, he screams I straighten up to tighten the knot on my Chitenge Your poor baby has not been hugged I say knowledgeably All the while we walked A flutter of surprise runs through her eyes Mine has. Papu
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:31:21 +0000
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