I Speak For A People
Twenty five years ago-
we were surrounded,
by fears-
Our hopes,
immersed-
in tears-
But collectively?,
we decided,
to change gears,
and steered-
away from
anger and danger.
Made enemies?
our peers!
Made strangers?
our neighbors!
And now?,
instead of harm,
we do each other favors!
Together,
we make headlines in papers-
And the same world
that had forsaken us-
Now, Remembers us…
in a different light.
Today I have the honor,
To speak for a people-
who decided-
their pain-
would not be in vain-
who turned their hatred
into scaredlessons-to learn from.
A people who believe
that change,-
doesn’t come from
thinking and acting
the same-
I speak for a people
Who took their broken fractions-
and patched them-
to make a whole,
For the spaces between them-
that once were holes-
Whose,
Focus on
maximizing a death toll-
evolved to,
increasing life expectancy-
I speak for a people
whose mentality-
transformed in 25-
Years!!!!!
Moved from a system-
perpetuating genocide ideology
to one
making policies-
that allow for peace-
to live within our boarders
corner to corner.
I speak for a place
that is so beautiful-
That it dares you dream-
and defies the impossible!
I speak for a peoplewho-
lost more than
one million innocent souls—
in one hundred days –
and even after all this loss-
A people-
still willing to get up!
I speak for a people
who had to save themselves-
from a world,
that was willing
to watch them live,
in a man-made hell-
A people-
who know—-
it is not enough,
to wish a nation well-
when they,
scream for help-,
knows that,
debating on vocabulary-
and endless bureaucracy
hinders, real strategy-
and is merely…
a distraction
to taking action,
at the priceless cost-
of brilliant-innocent lives!
I speak for a people
who value the meaning of a life-
who want more than just to survive-
Who want to spend their lives living!
instead of killing…I speak for a people
who have chosen to
light candles of hope
over burning fires of fear-
A people who have made
pathways, out of roadblocks-
A people who have replaced-
hate speech and propaganda
with dialogue and conversation.
A people who decide, every day,
to choose unity and reconciliation
I speak for a people, from a nation-
who still mourn for their lost loved ones,
Every beginning of April-
whose hearts still ache-
but who became so acquaint’d
with fear-
that they became
unafraid
Even as we remember,
with sorrow in our hearts-
I speak for a people-
Whose minds remain focused-
on a promising tomorrow-
Who know-
there’s no place,
for the ways of yesterday- today-
I speak for a people-
who honor the memories-
of those loved and lost-
during the genocide against the TUTSI.These,
These are the people that I have the
honor to speak for Today.