A Refugee Song - Otieno Amisi

I am a refugee
With no identity
And no nationality
No dignity
In this unreality
Simply a digit
In the devil's computer roll
I want a new life

I am a fugitive
A tattered tent
Over my battered head
A begging bowl
In my blistered hand
Cracked sandals
Under my weary soles
And little faith
In my soul
I want a new life

I am a fugitive
Fleeing from burning homes
And rivers of blood
Cursed to camp and decamp
Along life's lifelessness
I want a new life

My motherland is weeping
Give me back my child
The one you yanked
from my bare breast
Give me back my rivers of purity
that you polluted
with innocent blood
In your drunken fire
spraying spree
And take this new life...

Listen, my countrymen
The world is tired of my pitiful sight
And I am tired
Of your petty politicking
And your platitudes
Of ceaseless peace less peace talks
I am tired
Of your gun-totting gangsterism
And your fiery ceaseless clannism
I am tired
Of your terrific totemic tribalism
And your callous colorless claru1ism
I am tired
Of your empty platitudes
I want a new life

Oh my countrymen
Hear this my cry
To each and everyone
Take away the tears
from the eyes of the children
And fear from their sunken hearts
Wipe away the blood
From the face of the stars
The color on the blades of grass:
Let it be a dewy green
And let the children play on the green scene
Beat your swords into ploughshares,
I want a new life.

I want to go back home
I want to go back
and regain my identity
I want to go back a
and re-till my land
I want to go back
and re-build my fences
I want to go back
and re live my life
I want to go back
and praise my God.

---

Otieno Amisi (d. 2008) Kenya