Esther Wangui
She Lies
She lies in silence
Under the gaze of God
For no one's sake
She waits for time
To stop a ticking
Hence close the phrase
'She died of Aids'
She lies in repose
For nobody's state
At last in peace
With God and with men
For they cannot laugh
That her bones protrude
Nor ever comment
On the hollowed look
She lies amazed
In death as in life
Of lovers who give
No time to their spouses
Nor thought to unborn babies
Those that too late will know
Of heartache and waste
Through HIV Aids.
For Lily and I
For Lily and they
Who face her jutting hip bone
Count ribs on nada flesh
Because the plague ate all away
God's Son truly died
Through Him the access
To life in His beautiful beyond
Forever in love, attention and care.
Lily, sweet dear
My sister harshly stilled
No death could ever do us part
In life you were
A silent one
In death, remain a mystery
And though so young
You sadly left
To join the ranks that glow above
I still hold you so close to me. 
Photograph by Ria
Painting by Esther Wangui
Page(s) 18
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