Grass Will Grow

If you should take my child Lord 
Give my hands strength to dig his grave 
cover him with earth 
Lord send a little rain 
For grass will grow 

If my house should burn down 
So that the ashes sting the nostrils 
Making the eyes weep 
Then Lord send a little rain 
For grass will grow 

But Lord do not send me 
Madness 
I ask for tears 
Do not send me moon hard madness 
To lodge snug in my skull 
I would rather you sent me hordes of horses 
Galloping 
Crushing 
But do not break 
The yolk of the moon on me. 

*

Jonathan Kariara was a Kenyan poet born in 1935. He was one of the first English honours graduates from Makerere University where he edited Penpoint, the university’s student literary magazine. Kariara went on to work as a book production editor at Oxford University Press’ branch office in Nairobi. He passed away in 1993, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the world of African literature.