This poem was written in the 'Feeling' poetry anthology in honour of Hon. Canon Rhoda Kalema
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Hon. Canon Rhoda Kalema
Every black and white photo is regal
The ones that came before the burden of selfies
Where hair was parted with a line in the middle
And the afros sprouted on the great deeds of those decades
Black and white photos remind us of those
Who were able to outlive internal and external dangers.
They remind us of how colour was a luxury,
And living was a necessity
The people in those black and white photos
That wore loafers and sometimes white gloves
Whose families posed with the protectors at the back
And the guardians in the front
Those people in the black and white photos
Were the inventors of socialising without media.
They met for tea wearing floral dresses and bowling hats
Talking about their unfiltered victories over polished silverware.
Hon. Rhoda Kalema created a passage for the oppressed
Where all women under misogyny and hurt
Found safety as they tunneled their way using their own light
They left cake crumbs and clues for those behind them.
The Mother of Uganda’s Parliament invented the first reality show
It was a black and white show where women and girls became.
It was a film where the real life heroes started trending
Uganda’s first hashtags were #RhodaKalema #RealLifeHero
Without any artificial lighting or eyelashes,
She waded through and drenched herself in the forbidden waters
Threw a lifeline for the thousands of Ugandans on the other side
Who had no thought of how to make it viral
They created their first black and white film
A reality show from a real life hero
Every black and white photo is regal
They are unfiltered images of great deeds.
Poem by Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva
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