In sacrifice
Let the sweetness of the mango tree
Not tempt you-
Not soothe you.
Extend your roots, rise higher
Let fight overrule flight
When you forget that together
Is more succulent
More fibrous
Leave your body weightless.
Soul more present than cognition.
Conjointly climb.
We are all one.
The tree sources us equally
Ripe and soft
As we grow.
Time is time.
So in hardship, share your matooke, your riches,
Give yourself a puppet.
Carry the weight of your own.
For all we should really cherish is each other.
I wrote this poem on my midwifery placement in Western Uganda. I was working in a health center and a meeting was called with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation about an outbreak of Ebola on the Congo border. The man running this education meeting about prevention, equipment and treatment said the phase
'We don't hang our own over the mango tree'
in the context that we won't leave anyone suffering and let this disease spread. We will fight and we will support each other. After every statement he would rise and exclaim
'All together now!'
and he inspired this poem. Africa has ingrained, for me, the importance of community. Our societies mindset grows more individualistic everyday, which feels inhumane. Acting on every man for himself leaves people empty. Let us not forget that we would not have any purpose without each other. We hate living without love. The rush, demands and buzz of life is not as important as those you want to spend your time in this world with or than helping others have joy, even when they are suffering.