OKOT P’BITEK,

A Minstrel of Pensive Love not just a poet in Song Of Lawino.

For so heart touching the song has been.

Of life 'O' Lawino you stand on the desert,

And go far and beyond with wrecked heart.

By Sabya Sachi Gayen

And again O graceful poetry of English,

Monopolize you what heavenly Bliss.

So reaches the falcon in what Afro-soil,

And roosts there with no trouble and toil.

Hence mesmerize your sharp eyes whose mind

In an Ugandan poet your all spells find.

O unique art of ringing the wedding bell

Between English and Acoli exhibits not to fail.

So cultural centre in that country capital

Along you become director of theatre national

And song of Lawino, one of the great masterpiece

Which to enjoy no one should miss

And here Lawino, O poor Acoli damsel

In what manner is stained your wedding bell.

Where is your husband so debauchee Ocol

Seems to me, nothing but a poor soul

Enchanted by the beauty in the west

Bleeds your heart, Oh! Lawino he at best.

Ah! Glorious Acoli culture on the stage of earth

Of life O Lawino you stand on the desert,

And go far and beyond with wrecked heart.

P’Bitek makes you to take rebirth.

Oh! no! at the burden of cultural description

O Lawino, becomes your pain a notion.

Oh! Weep! Weep! Lawino weep quite loud,

Evacuate from your mind the cloud,

Of pain, emotion and that pensive love

Eh! Becomes you a symbol o’ sweet dove

Of not your culture but all Afro worlds

Thus what golden fresco of love moulds

But Alas! What stigma in on your portion

As rebukes Lawino in so caustic motion.

Hay! P’Bitek! Have you done what mess?

Really, the more you darken her face.

Not the way you have to show her pain,

Makes your pen not her, a lover but insane.

But yet your lines in course repeat

In a tragic grandeur, in order to meet.

Eulogize I with honour your nice attempt

Along the style of verse everyone to tempt.

And hence with the unique craft of your hand

A new horizon of English, there expand.

Of love you attune what unholy dirge,

Which is the emotion, yet to submerge.

O holy minstrel of incredible Acoli-land

In what way your lyrics you command,

Ah! Ends it in a very tragic note

But justifies in global stage a culture remote.

And thus play you with your dark violin

Sabya Sachi Gayan 
M.A. (Previous)
Department of English, BHU