Fumbo

By Regina Asinde Download pdf epub html

I heard the untamed thudding of the long drum fumbo,

I
heard the untamed thudding of the long drum fumbo,

felt
the frenzied throbbing of the fumbo

and
poignant melodies of the string guitar tongoli

but
through this all I heard you calling me;

and
like at the beginning I danced the fumbo dance.

I
wiggled and wriggled my waist like a
caterpillar

my
right knee slightly bent forward

inwards
my toes sunk, out I pulled them.

up
and down my ankles twirled and whirled.

I
was caught up in the tempo

frenzied
with the agony of your loss;

a shrill cry wrung
out of me

piercing
the pulsating night.

I
blended with the palpitating sounds of the
string guitar

that
awoke me during moonlit nights,

the
thudding throbs of the long drum

that
guided my feet across shadowy footpaths,

in
harmony to the melodious teke

and
persistent ankle bells

“Follow
the music and you will find me,” you always
said

I
could hear you call out to me

through
the far away thumping of the fumbo

It
vibrated and echoed, resounding over and over

kudeep-thum-thum Kudeep-thum-thum

ting-ting-tingili-ting
ting-ting-tingili-ting.

The
melody lent zeal to my feet

till
at long last I would emerge

from
the darkness into the swarming mass

of
sweat-drenched dancers sopping with exhaustion.

All around, the ankle bells jingled

as the sweating throng moved their bodies in tune.

I avoided the groping fingers of yach

as I searched for you

yearning to dance for you, with you

“Follow the music,” you always said

and like a moth to a flame I was drawn to you!

A shrill shriek was wrung from me

echoing through the lifeless night;

and like in life I danced for you,

willing you to follow the music.

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Regina Asinde Kasede is a thirty two year old female Ugandan from Mulanda in Tororo district. She currently lives in Kyebando, in Kampala city, with her four children and her husband. She works as a volunteer at Femrite, Uganda Women Writers’ Association, and she writes poetry and short stories.