AISHA AND RAKUMI

Aisha and Rakumi

Today, we must cross this vast sea of smoldering sand.
Today we must be in Rano
Rano is far away from Kano.
We have to get there before the sun goes to bed.
Rakumi, you know that even the sun sleeps at night.
And the moon comes to work at night.
That was their common agreement with God.
Come, Rakumi.

Aisha talks to me like we are the same
She wants me to eat whatever she eats
And to drink whatever she drinks.
I hear and understand Hausa and Arabic.
But, I am not Islamic.
I don’t have any religion.
I just believe that there is a God somewhere
Whether up above my head in the stars I don’t know.
All I do is just to watch Aisha move and I follow.
I always follow my master.
But that doesn’t mean my master is wiser.
The world is full of morons.
And they don’t even know that they are morons.
But, I thank God that Aisha is not one of them.

Come, Rakumi.
We must get to Ujamaliya
Before the sun reaches the middle of the sky
Then, we can rest at the oasis.
I know that you need more water.
Come my gentle giant.
I would be lost without you.