Barbara Allimadi.
Barbara’s Watch’s Over
I. As we mourn,
We celebrate you, Barbara! Daughter of Bungatira And Kal Patiko.
We celebrate
Your exemplary life Of courage—
The courage to fight And fight
And fight
For the least
Of God’s children,
That they, too, Might know The blessings Of liberty.
You taught us
That civic courage Is the highest
Mark of citizenship.
Now you live on
As a monument
To our unfinished struggle
For dignity
For inclusion
For democracy
For equal citizenship.
II.
Go well, Nyatwon.
Your watch’s over.
Now plead our case That we, too,
Shall stand our ground Until our watch is over.
For ours is a relay:
From one freedom fighter To another
Until this land
Is ours again—
Bound by fellowship And by the bonds Of equal citizenship.
Let freedom ring!
Let freedom ring!
Keep your eyes on the plough!
Barbara’s watch’s over!
III.
You are us—
We who will never accept
To be children of a lesser god.
You are us—
The civilization
That raised Egypt
And the vaunted pyramids.
You are us—
The warriors of justiceWho’ll never leave the arenaUntil dawn has come.
You are us—
The songs that Lawino sang before Uhuru ever came.
You are us—
The daughters and sonsOf Africa who’ll
Stand their ground,
Because this
Is our ancestral home; Because this
Is God’s sacred ground:
Ngom kwaro!
IV.
Fare thee well Daughter of Bungatira And Kal Patiko.
Your watch is over.
Now you have handed The baton to us
Who still live.
Please tell our ancestors
That we shall not fail our watch, Though the hour be dark and bleak.
And when the sun rises again,
The children shall sing your name, Adorn the earth with Bwola dance, And raise dirges to the heroes—
Heroes who never gave ground When few were the sentinels To guard the homestead.
