Black knight, a poem, ca. 1990/1991

Today i read that a 94 year old SS officer, Oskar Gröning,  was sentenced in a German court. He had worked as a bookkeeper in Auschwitz, and he  was responsible for the collection and registration of personal belongings for all new arrivals at the death ramp.

At the same time a court case is nearing its end after 4 years. It concerns two war lords who had been living very near to my place,Ignace Murwanashyaka and Straton Musoni. From here in the South of Germany they ordered their troops by text message, mail and satellite phone to commit murder, rape and genocide.

It makes me sad to see the news, these news too.

there is no real justice, it is only formal.

nothing will change i fear.

it is very good to be conscious of it all, to bring it to light publicly, to be able to talk in the open with freedom of speech- and to initiate thought.

to initiate thought is the only possible way to go, 

not to put it to the side as done and dealt with.

but the real powers are not touched, and the badness just continues as ever. 

it appears to be imminent in the struggles of humanity.

it is not just about African countries or Auschwitz, it is a badness PRESENT...

this poem here was written following the death

of Maj.Gen.Fred Rwygiema,+,1990,Rwanda.

At the same time i had been thinking about many of my friends in the Ugandan army and intelligence who had thought they were fighting for

peace and for a better life.

In the end many felt disappointed and immensely sad.

"Across this leaden sky

I see

you

dark son of God

You roll your eyeballs

sullenly in anger

Your black skin shines

with unpolished power

Across this field of dollars

I hear

you

my brother in blood

I cannot understand words

but I listen

You cry furiously

I hear

your hunger, your thirst

Across this mined desert

is there any bridge?

I know

before the rains come:

you will fight

But tell me

Brother

voice in my mind:

how will you value

your life

to the dollar?

Where is the song then

born with the grass

dancing in the spring
proud and strong with the tall maize

I know

at the end of this night

I shall look for

you

Black Knight"