Bernard Gabriel Okurut

Forty two days .

 

And after fasting for forty two days

and forty two nights, we were hungry.

And the tempter came and said to us,

\'\'If you are really sons of God, 

command the stones to become loaves of bread.\'\'

 

By this time, our ribs you could count.

To their graves our children fell, one by one.

Death healed many a broken hearts,

Leading them down into the house of the dead.

Some the poison took,

Others by rope their lives took.

 

Our teary faces did for food plead,

\'\' just a little food and water please,

for these our condemned souls\'\'.

But with thunderous contempt barked he, 

and reminded us...

\'\'man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of the law.\'\'

 

Terribly paralyzed I was by how the devil

scripture by heart knew.

 

And then the devil took us to the holy city

and set us on the pinnacle of the Temple

and said to us,

\'\'if you are really sons of God,

throw yourselves down at the Black Mambas,

Kiboko squad, Boda Boda 2010.\'\'

for its written,

\'\'He will  command the angels concerning you,

and on their hands, they will bare you up

lest you strike your feet on stone.\'\'

 

I  was gasping for breath,

I was salivating and wishing for bread.

 

Again the devil took us to a very high mountain

and showed us all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

He said to us,

\'\'All these things I will give you if you fall down

and worship me, board the yellow bus and raise your thumbs in my praise,

or else... you will ask for fish and will be served with human flesh.\'\'