Game of Cards/ MCHEZO WA KARATA
By Prof. Kithaka Wa Mberia
We sat, facing each other
In life’s parlour
Two factions, we were
One, ours
The other, of ogres
Playing a game of cards
In our team
We discerned, all along
That game of cards
Wasn’t going to be easy
Because ogres
Are full of crafty schemes
But we didn’t dull our dream
We heartened our resolve
When the game started
We cast a card
They cast a card
We cast a card
They cast a card
Cunningly, they won the round
In the following round
We cast a card
They cast a card
We cast a card
They cast a card
We drew a card
Our ace trophy card
Trusting it to succeed
In tilting the scales
In our favour
When this became evident
The High Councilof ogres
Changed the rules
The ace card we intended
Was outlawed,
From the game
In the next round
We cast a card
They cast a card
We cast a card
They cast a card
We casting a card
They casting a card
This game of cards
Is exhausting our muscles
Like climbing a mountain
But we won’t dull our dream
Of victory in this parlour
Tuliketi, tukiangaliana
Kwenye ukumbi wa maisha
Tulikuwa vikundi viwili
Kimoja chetu
Kingine cha mazimwi
Tukicheza karata
Katika kundi letu
Tulielewa tangu mwanzo
Kwamba ule mchezo
Haungekuwa mwepesi
Kwani mazimwi
Wana hila chungu
Bali hatukulegeza ndoto
Tulijikaza moyo
Ulipoanza mchezo
Tulitupa karata
Wakatupa karata
Tukatupa karata
Wakatupa karata
Kwa ujunja wakashinda hiyo duru
Kwenye duru iliyofuata
Tulitupa karata
Wakatupa karata
Tukatupa karata
Wakatupa karata
Tukashika karata
Yenye uzito ambao
Tuliamini ungefaulu
Kuinamisha ratili
Upande wetu
Hili lilipobainika
Kamati Kuu ya Mazimwi
Ilibadilisha masharti
Ile karata tuliyoazimia
Ikawa marufuku
Kwenye mchezo
Kwenye duru iliyofuata
Tulitupa karata
Wakatupa karata
Tukatupa karata
Wakatupa karata. . .
Tukatupa karata
Wakatupa karata. . .
Huu mchezo wa karata
Unatuumiza misuli
Kama upandaji mlima
Bali hatukulegeza ndoto
Ya ushindi ukumbini