A freedom song BY MARJORIE OLUDHE

Atieno washes dishes,

Atieno plucks the chicken,

Atieno gets up early, beds her sacks down in the kitchen,

Atieno eight years old,

Atieno yo.

Since she is my sister’s child

Atieno needs no pay,

While she works my wife can sit

Sewing every sunny day:

With her earning I support

Atieno yo.

Atieno’s sly and jealous.

Bad example to the kid

Since she minds them, like a school girl

Wants their dresses, shoes and beads,

Atieno ten years old,

Atieno yo.

Now my wife has gone to study

Atieno is less free

Don’t I keep her, school my own ones,

Pay the party, union free,

All for progress: aren’t you grateful

Atieno yo?

Visitors need much attention,

All the more when I work night,

That girl spends too long at market,

Who will teach her what is right?

Atieno rising fourteen,

Atieno yo.

Atieno’s has a baby

So we know that she is not bareen

Fifty fifty it may live

And repeat the life she had

Ending in post- partum bleeding

Atieno yo.tum bleeding

Atieno yo.

Atieno’s soon replaced

Meat and sugar more than all

She ate in such narrow life

Were lavished on her funeral.

Atieno’s gone to glory,

Atieno yo.

  GENERAL THEMES

q Child labor

q Oppression

q Importance of education

q Exploitation

q Lack of parental care

q Early pregnancy

Thank you

By Sindano FM

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