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Friday 15 January 2021

I love you, my gentle one - Ralph Bitamazire

I love you, my gentle one;
My love is the fresh milk in the rubindi
Which you drank on the wedding day;
My love is the butter we were smeared with
To seal fidelity into our hearts.
You are the cattle-bird's egg,
For those who saw you are wealthy;
You are the papyrus reed of the lake,
Which they pull out with both hands.
And I sing for you with tears
Because you possess my heart:
I love you, my gentle one.

Ralph Bitamazire (20th century) Uganda
Source: Poems from East Africa, selected by David Cook and David Rubadiri,
East African Publishers, 1996

38 comments:

  1. I LOVE THIS POEM SO MUCH , I TEACH IT IN S2

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  2. I did this poem while in high school. Thanks for posting.

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  3. I love this poem very much. I did it back in high school taught by Mr. Rono Patrick

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    Replies
    1. it's a nice poem very romantic

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    2. I like this poem so much ,,am a teacher in making at kyambogo but we are doing it

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    3. Wow I do love this poem, it reminds me 15 year back once I was F3 student at Mpui sec. Sumbawanga TZ

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  4. Beautiful poem

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  5. I like it poem

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  6. Judith Nalwanga9 June 2022 at 17:02

    One of the most delicate and beautiful Ugandan poems! It’s a favorite of mine.

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    1. Hi Judith. I am doing this in university, may you help me analyse pls..

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  7. I love this poem coz it express the real love

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  8. The very famous poem

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  9. I learnt this poem in senior two taught by Mr.Rogers💖💖

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  10. Who is the persona

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    Replies
    1. The persona is a lover,he says 'I love you my gentle one.. you possess my heart.'

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    2. Beautiful poem quite phenomenal
      "My love is fresh milk in the rudindi"

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  11. Classify the above poem

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  12. Hi,I am very overwhelmed having posted the poem,may you please help me analyze the poem using,who, when, where and what happens, problems, issues implied in the poem

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  13. Woow so beautfull poem when I was high school

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  14. Which economic activity can be drawn from the poem

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  15. Apart from the theme of love,, which other theme is raised in this poem?

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  16. Wow, what a beautiful poem it is!

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  17. What a beautiful poem our teacher told US to search for!

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  18. Am in S3 but our teacher told us to search for this poem

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  19. What a wonderful poem Ralph wrote

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  20. The poem is really amazing and lovely,,,

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  21. Am a student too,the poem is about a person who expresses how much she loves her lover,this is evidenced in the whole poem from line one to the last one.Therefore the tone is lovely and romantic

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  22. I did this poem in High school years Later i have remember it now to speak to my special person

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  23. Can the audio form of this poem be found

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  24. I'm a student and I personally enjoy this poem. It just inspires me to fall in love.

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  25. I can't stop reading it,the words are sounding in my brain.

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  26. I liked the poem

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  27. The greatest of all times

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  28. The best of the best of all time. Indeed only legends will understand.

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  29. Its really awesome

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  30. Hello there ...am so delighted ....am in love with this poem ..am doing it ... gulu university

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  31. Beautiful poem it's better to read his poem

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