What shall we do when our worlds collide?
Poem about culture and identity.
I live in a world where you speak your mind, you die
your world says freedom of speech.
If I throw a tantrum because I feel wronged
I would be stroke on my face and my back ached from the bounce of long stick,
You can tell your mama she was wrong
and thing would work out fine.
My elders call me rude if I
look them straight in the eyes,
Your culture says it
build confidence in children
to be able to face any challenges,
so, eye contact is allowed.
The choice my father makes
for my life is final,
your parents let you probe on what’s best for you and even offer their advice.
At the end of school,
as a female child,
I must live with my parents till marriage,
you have the benefit to live off them when you clock eighteen.
My people say you have not tradition and therefore you are loose,
you men call us barbarians.
I say,
the big line separating me and you is due
to the choices of one man to another,
they are called our ancestors,
by their choices,
they plan our lives and anything against it
is a sin to the culture.
You say let’s put our differences aside,
the dead old men enjoyed their lives how they wanted it
hence, we have the choice to mold
our own tradition and live away from everybody.
I say.
my family will disown me if
I dare betray our tradition,
You say,
I already did…
starting from the moment I set eyes on you.
This is the old me to my future daughter.
