Name:Persis KisituStatus:Former Namasagali Student
Residence:London,United Kingdom
On the Reunion of Past Pupils of Namasagali College
– Boston, June 2007 –
Deep in Busoga Uganda, is a school
Namasagali is its name,
I went there so I know.
I also know it was a shrine
Where miracles were wrought;
Upon the lucky, lucky few –
Us children that it taught.
We students who were planted there
As simple seeds were sown;
But how we were to grow and bloom
We never could have known.
How could we have foreseen and how
Could we have been aware
That lawyers, doctors, teachers, artists, social workers
Sat as children there?
One visionary saint there was –
Perhaps he saw at times
The treasures that lay latent there
For he was Father D.Grimes.
He saw the beauties of the world
So rich and marvellous
And knew the talents that were stored
In every one of us.
So under his most loving care
Each petal then unfurled
And spread as envoys of his word
To all around the world.
To Canada, Uganda, Denmark,
England, U.S.A.
To Sweden – and so many more
There’s more than I can say.
Though so far flung in distant lands
We all are so delighted
To travel any distance here
To be thus re-united.
To those who’ve organised all this
Our thanks are most sincere
Indebted to all of you, to name but a few
For bringing us all here.
For seeing once again old friends
How wonderful to share
Those memories of who we were
And what we all did there.
For giving us a chance to talk
After so many years
And once again live through and feel
The laughter and the tears.
For giving us a chance to pause
Remembering friends so dear
Who were so vital to our lives
But are no longer here.
For Gerri’s birthday dinner and
The barbeque in the park
And for the ballroom dance where we
Danced on long after dark.
“We are the World” rang in our ears
“What more is left to do?”
And so – for just a little while –
We thought that it was true.
But not for long these selfish thoughts
We knew it was not so
To children out in Africa
We still had much to owe.
Far more important than our fun
Is what we had to give
To those not lucky, like ourselves,
A chance for them to live.
So may the charity we’ve launched
Grow rich so others may
Enjoy the richness of the lives
That we enjoy today.
And may its wealth supply their needs
Just like a trusted friend,
More valued with the passing years,
Live long and never end.
Deep in Busoga Uganda, is a school
Namasagali is its name,
I went there so I know.
I also know it was a shrine
Where miracles were wrought;
Upon the lucky, lucky few –
Us children that it taught.
We students who were planted there
As simple seeds were sown;
But how we were to grow and bloom
We never could have known.
How could we have foreseen and how
Could we have been aware
That lawyers, doctors, teachers, artists, social workers
Sat as children there?
One visionary saint there was –
Perhaps he saw at times
The treasures that lay latent there
For he was Father D.Grimes.
He saw the beauties of the world
So rich and marvellous
And knew the talents that were stored
In every one of us.
So under his most loving care
Each petal then unfurled
And spread as envoys of his word
To all around the world.
To Canada, Uganda, Denmark,
England, U.S.A.
To Sweden – and so many more
There’s more than I can say.
Though so far flung in distant lands
We all are so delighted
To travel any distance here
To be thus re-united.
To those who’ve organised all this
Our thanks are most sincere
Indebted to all of you, to name but a few
For bringing us all here.
For seeing once again old friends
How wonderful to share
Those memories of who we were
And what we all did there.
For giving us a chance to talk
After so many years
And once again live through and feel
The laughter and the tears.
For giving us a chance to pause
Remembering friends so dear
Who were so vital to our lives
But are no longer here.
For Gerri’s birthday dinner and
The barbeque in the park
And for the ballroom dance where we
Danced on long after dark.
“We are the World” rang in our ears
“What more is left to do?”
And so – for just a little while –
We thought that it was true.
But not for long these selfish thoughts
We knew it was not so
To children out in Africa
We still had much to owe.
Far more important than our fun
Is what we had to give
To those not lucky, like ourselves,
A chance for them to live.
So may the charity we’ve launched
Grow rich so others may
Enjoy the richness of the lives
That we enjoy today.
And may its wealth supply their needs
Just like a trusted friend,
More valued with the passing years,
Live long and never end.
Persis Kisitu 2007
1 comment:
Percy,
I am not so certain I recall who exactly you are. The Persis I knew was either Nalumansi or some other Na-name. Anyhow, that does not matter. This Boston reunion poem - MY!! Not only is it great poetry, speaking in literary terms, it is also nostalgic, clever and apt in the issues it raises and handles. Great work, dear. Bob Kisiki,
1992-88.
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