rrodriguez

a day in the life of Gabezech

we walk a long way to get here

to get here, i was carried, i was tired

there’re many people here, living in fear

they lost their homes, all things, in the fires

 

my name is Gabezech, i’m 8 years old

father’s name Gandeyso, from Konso Zone

 mother’s Gedenu, she’s feeble and cold

please don’t leave us forgotten here all alone

 

i love to learn & love to sing

i was in ‘0’ grade in my little school

things went from bad to worse, war changed everything

the pandemic and violence are so cruel

 

what we learned, we learned by singing along

we sang the ABCs together in a little room

that’s how we used to learn, singing songs

but now i don’t go to school, there’s doom

 

my friend also came with me to school

her name is Agusit—we play games together

we play a game i love called Furushune

when i’m playing no one can beat me, never