POEM TRANSLATION

*Ndorimana Emanuel* but he uses *Maneri* as a pen-name. He is 21 years and his home country is Congo. The poem is written in Kinyarwanda.

Basically, the persona in the poem is a Refugee talking about how life has changed due to Covid-19.

In the first stanza, he remembers life before Covid-19. He talks about how he used to survive, basically, by being assisted by people who were well off. For example, if you The third stanza talks about how

are a Refugee and have friends Covid-19 has drained everyone of

abroad, they were in a position their resources. Anyone who had

to send you money for upkeep not saved before Covid-19 is just

when you were going through a trying to survive by all means.

it affected the whole world. This, getting assistance, has become a great challenge.

The second stanza talks about how people have stopped assisting him during this Covid-19 pandemic. All those people who used to assist him have deserted him.

hard time. But since corona came,

In the fourth stanza he is asking, where will he run to? Where will he farm, he that does not have a

country? His life has become that of survival. He sleeps anywhere he can. All the people that used to help him now refer to him as a Refugee. He says, “Maybe when this Covid-19 pandemic is over people, will stop seeing me or referring to me as a Refugee.”

Stanza five; He talks about how the culture of sharing has ended due to the fear of Covid-19. People used to share items, now that culture has stopped due to the fear of spreading the virus. Right now when one coughs, people run away. When he thinks if all these things, it breaks his heart.

Stanza six; I am a sleepless refugee who seeks to find a way. Now corona has made me go hungry. I am malnourished. My friends have deserted me, their hearts are full of darkness. My face full of tears.

Stanza seven; At the moment, everyone is trying to survive on their own. Since Corona came, one only strives to feed himself with the little he gets whereas before, I used to eat and leave enough to sell. Back then, when I was able, I used to be respected. Corona, go back to where you came from.

Last stanza; Life is boring. Go away corona. You don’t choose between the rich and the poor. We are all affected. It’s a challenge, there is nowhere to run to. Who will help me since even those that used to help me are trying to survive with the little they have left due to fear of the unknown.

Go away Corona, you have become something that we fear.

| August - September 2020 | YEMI | 57 |