The Kitchen Girl III
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
In almost every household of middle-income and upper-income families in Africa (and I suppose even in other parts of the world), they usually employ a houseworker. My opinion is that usually these workers are not treated fairly by their employers. The Kitchen Girl III is a reflective poem, by renowned Namibian poet Kavevangua Kahengua, who tries to portray the thoughts of a houseworker and in this particular case a "Kitchen Girl". It remains one of my favourite poems since I am a person who advocates for social-justice for the down-trodden. The poem goes on as follows:
The Kitchen Girl III
I am the kitchen girl
Like a cock
I am the first one to get up
At twilight I dare walk the path
That leads me to my masters' house
The aroma of the breakfast I prepare
Wakes up my masters from comfort
Here I toil till dusk
From Sunday to Monday
They say God hears prayers
Even from the kitchen
I am the kitchen girl
When my masters sit around
The table to enjoy the fruit
Of my sweet sweat
I am on my feet in the kitchen
Clattering of plates and spoons
Unending
I am the kitchen girl
The bank lady
Has just snatched my boyfriend
"How dare you touch my man?"
Twisting her red painted lips
She spat in my face
I am the kitchen girl
The Revised Labour Law III
Has omitted my occupation
They say the ommission is minor
After all, I was told
Minimum wages rule doesn't
Apply to kitchen chores
I am the kitchen girl
Copyright notice: Used with permission from the author. All rights reserved to the author, Kavevangua Kahengua. This poem appears in a book by the author entitled "Dreams" which is published by Gamsberg Macmillan Publishers Ltd, Windhoek, Namibia. ISBN: 99916-0-389-1
