Voglio postare una poesia scritta subito dopo l'indipendenza delle Zimbabwe (1980) da una giovane combattente dello Zanla, il braccio armato del partito di Mugabe. Spero che questi versi possano far riflettere sull'importanza del delicato rapporto tra «indipendenza» e «libertà», due concetti che in Africa spesso non procedono di pari passo.

A mysterious marriage

di Freedom Nyamubaya

Once upon a time
there was a boy and a girl
forced to leave their home
by armed robbers.
The boy was Independence
The girl was Freedom.
While fighting back, they got married.

After the big war they went back home.
Everybody prepared for the wedding.
Drinks and food abounded. Even the disabled felt able.
The whole village was gathered waiting.
Freedom and Independence
were more popular than Jesus.

Independence came
but Freedom was not there.
An old woman saw Freedom's shadow passing,
Walking through the crowd, Freedom to the gate.
All the same, they celebrated for Independence.

Independence is now a senior bachelor.
Some people still talk about him,
Many others take no notice.
A lot still say it was a fake marriage.
You can't be a husband withoyut a wife.
Fruitless and barren Independence staggers on to old age,
Since his shadow, Freedom, hasn't come.