Ojja nobula,
Nondeka mu matigga.
Onkaabya ngomuto alumbiddwa Ssiga.
Missana nakiro,
Onsiibya mu maziga, nafuuka muddu wo
Omutima gwange gwe aguffuga.
Nkulowozaako nzenna nensannyalala,
Nensikondoka nga eyaffiriddwa nnyina.

Obulungi bwo busukka ku musana ogw`akaboneka.
Omasamasa nga zzabu mu lubiri lwa Saabasajja Kabaka.

Nazza gwaki gwottulugunya….!
Obulungi bwo bunsibye kantuntunu.
Naye lwaki Onkokoonya?
Amaaso go gakanyuga obusaale mu mwoyo gwange,
Obusagwa bwa “simayiro” yo banaatera busoma ku Masengejje.
Yeggwe luyimba lwensiiba nnyimba.
Walungiwa nosukka…….okirako ekizimbe Massegere.

Amaziga gomutima gwange
Nsazeewo Steele mu kitontome,
Mbuulire abe buvanjuba, nabebugwanjuba
Engeri gyotigomya omutima gwange.

Negomba, singa oba nnali mulangira!
Osanga wandinjagadde nomponya obuwuulu obundabisa
Ngomukadde.
Ngamba kale singa nnali nagagga
Nenkutonera ebyobugagga ebijjuza ennjyanja
Nalubale!

EKITONTOME KYO`MUKWANO
(A love poem).
By Bernard Gabriel Okurut.

TRANSLATION.

AMAZIGA GO `MUTIMA GWANGE.
(TEARS OF MY HEART).

You appear and disappear
Leaving me at stake.
You make me wail like a little one attacked by “Ssiga”.
Day and night, in my tears I drown.
I became a slave to you, my heart…You rule.
I think about you and get paralyzed.
I mourn like one who has lost a mother.

Your dazzling beauty is not comparable to the morning sun.
You glitter like gold in a king`s palace.

What crime did I commit for you to treat me thus.
Your beauty blindfolds me,
But why do you tease me with it?
Your lovely eyes shoot arrows into my soul.
The poison in your smile will soon be read on the daily news (Amasengejje).
You are the song I ceaselessly sing.
Your beauty is far much better than that of the famous “Masengere”.

How I wish I a Prince,
Maybe you would take pity on me
Save me from this loneliness that makes me look terribly old.
How I wish I was filthy rich,
then I would shower you with treasures
That would overflow the mighty lake Victoria ( Nalubale) .

Poem by
Bernard Gabriel Okurut.

About the author.
Bernard Gabriel Okurut is a poet, singer and songwriter…A literally activist and enthusiast of creative writing. He spends his time researching about culture and reading all kinds of literature. He is the author of “The Noisy Silence” a Ugandan poetry anthology published on Amazon. Follow Bernard Gabriel Okurut on any social media platforms and on the internet to read more of his writing.