Tuesday 22 May 2012

My Son and I



When I look at my son
Fingers flicking on the play station
I marvel

Some few years ago in 1967
When I was his age
There were no such gadgets

Instead, we played sheki and birkoli
And shot each other using jumla plant guns
Girls played kora, boys played lifundo
I liked pepeta, I dribbed the ball like Christian Ronaldo
We made clay toys at Kacheliba Mixed
We went to mtelezo at Shabaha
Hunted for hyraxes and hares

But my son,
My son shoots with his toys
I don’t get it—he shoots people!
Or drives fast cars by pressing buttons

We are world apart,
I, the old fogey who played in the dust,
And my son, who sits up all day playing video games
I once sneaked into my son’s room and tried them
I think when I saw a figure aim a gun at me, I ducked
That was the last I had with those weapons!









Photo credit: Google.

2 comments:

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I love this, Salem. We had such basic technology when I was a kid and I never stop being amazed at the small things kids hold in their hands that they are so proficient at. However, I believe we used our imaginations and resourcefulness more as kids, because we had to make our fun.

Is this a photo of your brother????

echoesofthehills said...

We have come a long way, Koko. I agree. I am not sure if we are progressing or regressing, though.

No, that is not my brother's photo but of my brother from another mother, a Pokot actually.

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