– A Poem by Bongani Kigundu
I was planted under a Baganda rooftop
which fell in a Xhosa home.
Which am I?
Germinated & fertilised
to speak languages
vastly foreign
to both my parents
Distant to my mother seed
& “me”…
Languages from as far as Europe.
Watered by traditions from those
all around me when
my own would’ve been enough.
That once empty pit was covered,
Shaped to fit an arrangement,
molded to fill gaps
in that garden we all fall under.
And in each,
I became broken
into many petals,
Many identities.
Is each one a lie,
is there any truth?
Many know of me but none know me.
I relate to others but
only a few relate back.
Only a handful can grasp at the bouquet
I have made myself into.
I don’t exist as one,
I bloom as an abundance of cultural
diversity.
Sharing myself with you
I choose not to stunt myself,
rather I move
through each one of you,
displaying flowers
you find welcoming,
inviting ME in.
