CHEKI

I woke up today;
Feeling like picking a fight;
Feeling the need to fight with someone;
So, if you are reading this, it is you I chose to fight with;

I’ll start with your complacency;
We handle the truth with gloves;
Afraid to name it for what it is;
Like what I am doing right now, deflecting;

Our reporting is always camouflaged to be morally right;
Instead of rape;
We’ll call it sexual assault;
As if that gives it, some sort of dignity in our mindsets;

Instead of outright rape;
And taking advantage of a child;
We’ll call it sex with a minor;
Because sex has multiple meanings based on our biases;

Today I’ve come for you;
And the media;
And your distorted version,
Of morality and sense of values;

Today I’ll speak my peace;
And of my disgust in your enabling culture;
As long as we hide behind a curtain,
We are all complicit.

“Cheki,” a Swahili sheng’ word that loosely translates to “listen here.”