Writers Space Africa- Kenya

God, Kitche Magak spoke to you as man to God
I plead to do the same
In this heartfelt prayer
And please God, let me finish, too, before you say a word
For this could be the only time
I find courage to speak to you.

You see God, my wife’s younger sister
My sister-in-law
Came visiting some months ago
And after a fortnight she went back upcountry.
I then heard she was pregnant
She has now delivered
Delivered a perfect replica…
Of me!

God you very well know my house out there in the urbans
It’s not even a house;just a room
The very room we use as the bedroom, sitting room, dining room, kitchen
And at times…
The bathroom!
I’m sure God you know life out there in the urban slum.

You see God, when this girl came visiting
During those August holidays
You let a lot of things happen
And God, admit it, you have to take your share of the blame
I know my excuses might sound lame
But God you know

Even when a thief is caught red-handed
Will always try to prove their innocence.

Now God, when this girl came visiting
My wife came with the news
That she, my wife, would go to South Africa
For a seminar
That her boss organized a one-month seminar
And she was among the ‘lucky ones’
I was to sleep on that bed alone
With my wife’s teenage sister, my beautiful sister-in-law
Sleeping somewhere in the same room
On her own bedding
Just a meter or two from where I would sleep.
And God you know I’m only human.
How was I to keep away from temptation without your help, God?

I had never thought of cheating on my wife
But one evening, God
This little teen, my sister-in-law
Came looking for trouble
She came from the bathroom
And her towel fell off, right in front of me
Yes, God
The towel fell off, accidentally on purpose.
She hurriedly picked it up to cover back her body
But what I had seen, turned me on.
I took the challenge, God
And after a few minutes of persuasion
We were on the bed – by mutual consent
And within the moans and groans

The tissue of pride she had held on for 16 years
Was all gone!
And there after we would share the same bed
For the next few days.

Now God, before I forget
My wife also gave birth a few weeks ago
And I have an issue with that baby.
The baby has Chinese eyes
God, and that hair, really?
Even in my wildest of imagination
I won’t think of that short Chinese man my wife has for a boss
Having shot hot life into my wife.
Is this the reason my wife won’t talk of her sister’s baby?

Now God, put yourself in my shoes
Your wife gives birth to a Chinese baby
The entire neighborhood laughs at you
A minor has your baby
And you run away from home in fear of the law.
Poverty stares at you straight in the face like a hungry child.
I know they’ll find me some day
So God before I go rot in jail
Just take me away.

By Mukonya Mukonya (Nehemiah Omukhonya)