Musa the Village Honey Harvester
bees make honey-old news
and Musa,
yes Musa, the rugged,
self acclaimed village bachelor harvests honey
his farm has a drone of hives,
bees seem to like him
and for some reason, the village women as well
this day, under a hot tropical sun,
a bunch of old village men sit crouched
the agenda of the day awaits
on one side sits Musa the village honey harvester
on the opposite side sits Kaari, the village mason
his face furrowed in wrath
his poise crouched,
like a tiger about to strike,
eyes full of venom,
anger directed at Musa the village honey harvester
next to him sits Fatima, the third wife of Kaari, the village mason
in her youthful modesty, she is oblivious of the whole process
her face is puffy
she bleeds in some places
understandably since Kaari is the village mason
but she does not seem to care
far from it- she looks condescending
her actions have brought her here,
to escape the wrath of Kaari the village mason
and the passion of Musa the village honey harvester
to embrace the wisdom and council of the village elders.
as the sun ebbs off in the west
the meeting comes to a close
a few revelations have been made
that Fatima, wife of Kaari the village mason
and Maimuna, the village gossip
and Kabura the upcountry lady
and Mwende, the wife of village chief from far yonder lands
and Salama, the daughter of Muina village herbalist,
Konte, the village tramp
and Buura, the lady who sells mangoes by the roadside,
Lowe, the woman who cooks samosas using donkey meat,
Philla, the lady everybody suspects of being a witch,
Kamoni, the village model- the lady who knew how to tie a bandana first in the
whole village
Kuba, the young nephew of Konge, the village musician who invented his own
music
Blamo, the darkest lady in the whole village
and other ladies ladies not forthwith mentioned...
they all loved honey
and for some reason, they also loved the honey harvester
in his acute generosity,
Musa the village honey harvester did indeed give these women honey
a proof solid as day made by the protrusion of Fatima's stomach,
beings of honey sworn by Musa the village honey harvester
a farmer ploughing in wrong fields of land
but since the elders established that the crime was indeed committed
but the crime was committed by obliging parties,
a case of willing buyer, willing seller,
Musa the village honey harvester goes Scott free,
and his honey harvesting business keeps on thriving.
wanjeru kamau
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