Photo courtesy of Ian Nduhiu ’22
Mornings were me waking up to the not so distant sound
Of ironsmiths and blacksmiths
Engaged in their craft
Mornings were clanging metal being my morning alarm
My wake up call
Mornings were me learning how to make my bed
How to tie up the mosquito net and not leave it hanging
Mornings were me waking up earlier than everyone else
Well, apart from my grandmother, she was always the earliest of us all
There was no way I could beat her
Mornings were me falling in love with tea
“Too much tea is not good for a small child,” they’d say
“Yeah just keep on talking,” I said to myself, knowing I’d have my way,
Mornings were me glued to the television screen,
Waiting to watch Justice League, Powerpuff girls, all those cartoons
Mornings were me hoping it doesn’t rain for the day,
But mornings were also me hoping it doesn’t stop raining
As nothing was more soothing than the sound of rain falling outside
While I slept
Mornings were me waiting eagerly for time to pass
For it to be afternoon.
Afternoons were me playing football in our compound
Getting yelled at by our neighbors for causing a ruckus
Afternoons were me pestering my father to take me with him
A part of me even hoped he would take me to school with him
Just to see how he teaches
Afternoons were me hoping a guest would come by
Just to get sent to the shop to buy stuff
Afternoons were me basically hoping to get out of the house
Any reason for me was enough
Afternoons were me being sad when it looked like it would rain
Cold, grey and gloomy all over
I could not play in the mud if it rained
At least that was what I was worried about,
Not getting wet, or catching a cold, or falling sick…
That was for the family to worry about…not me
All I wanted was to play
Afternoons were me watching replays of reality tv shows
Or sitting through some boring newscasts
Waiting for my evening cartoon shows to air
Afternoons were me hoping the school bus would be a few minutes early
So that I could still get to watch Ed, Edd, and Eddy on Cartoon Network
Evenings were me doing my homework
Evenings were me learning how to cook
Evenings were also me not being allowed in the kitchen
For my tendency to drop plates and cups and all kitchenware
Evenings were me running to hug my dad when he arrived from work
Evenings were me getting scolded for playing too much,
Or dropping rank in class, or just some other reason there
Evenings were me watching telenovelas with my family while eating dinner
Even though all their plots followed a similar trope, we still enjoyed them
Evenings were me hoping the late-night movie would be awesome
And fanboying over comical Jackie Chan action scenes
Nights were me playing video games with my dad
Well, mostly me watching him play…
Nights were me falling asleep on the couch
And finding myself in my bed the next day
Nights were me falling asleep in my father’s arms when I was sick
Nights were me having to take meds that I hated before I slept,
Nights were me having dreams with monsters that I could not fight
Nights were me sleeping next to my grandmother feeling just right.
