PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd – South Sudan

"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.

Shepherdess in Hunger Series

By Riak Marial Riak, Juba, South Sudan

hunger in south sudan
President Kiir and Riek Machar, challenges of the TGONU

They are going to look for grass,

Their sheep never graze yesterday.

I am going with them to safe my cow,

You know mother it’s only why we’re living.

That is my going mother, mother to feed my cow.

I heard that grains will be shared with pests,

There’s a rumour that tomorrow will be dry

Then why won’t I go mother to safe my cow,

You must know it has no calf to remain,

I must go mother, mother to feed my cow.

I have seen daughter of Agut-nyang in the land,

She’s flocking down her sheep to graze

But my cow dolefully mow why shouldn’t I go?

When our pools cannot sustain our cow,

I must catch up with them mother my cow.

I do not have muscles to steal a food,

I was born of nothing but to have a cow,

Just give me a porridge to slow down with her,

They’ve gone and is dust after them to see,

I must go now mother, mother to feed my cow.

I heard that forest is safe for hunters

So must our Lea also cooperate with us,

There I will sing to my cow holding club,

I need her to live happy of what she eats,

I must go now mother, mother to feed this cow.

Group of herders shouting for their cows

The music come intermittent and could never stop,

I must be haying like them although with voice wearied,

The meadow is divided mother

That I may feed my cow till noonday.

I live for you my cow, booboo

And go down there to taste that sour grass,

It lacks water to hold its root down

That is why it has withered like a hill,

I must stroll there mother, mother to feed my cow.

Riak Marial Riak is a south Sudanese poet/actor/director and self-taught philosopher. He can be reached at riakdeng23@gmail.com

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