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drug abuse and addiction, diseases, political unrest, justice and injustice, the
impact of social media, superstition, human rights violations, freedom, adultery,
killings, stereotyping, love and family, freedom as well as friendship. In general,
the themes/issues represented in any literary text replicate the writer’s lived
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
experiences on the page.

(a) Read the following poem and answer the questions.

LIVE AND LET DIE
One says that Meanwhile I wait
My children are dwarfs For Uhuru to flower,
That no one seems taller For Uhuru to come
Than the other. When the time is ripe.
That they never take a bath,
That they are soiled. Let them eat brother.
That they eat lice Because the rich man
From their clothes Is convinced that
Let them eat, brothers, It’s because I’m lazy
Until the system changes, That they don’t have food.
Until exploitation ends; That they don’t have good health.
Let them eat, brother, That they wear rags.
Because we are on the way And that their house
To build Ujamaa Is like an abandoned hut
But, at present,
The system has not changed Let them eat brother
Let them eat, brother. Because the rich man
Because the rich nations Thinks that it’s because
Are not yet ready I don’t plan my family
To die a little
So that the poor nation may live: Let them eat brother.
Let them eat, brother. Because the rich man
Because the rich man Does not like to hear
Is not yet ready That he is rich
To die a little Because of me
So that the poor ma may live. That I work hard.
But for him and
Let them drink water. Not for myself
Let them eat air. That it’s only because
Let them digest the sunshine I’m a slave of a system
Because that is what That I lead a poor life.
I can afford to buy. _________

Kundi Faraja

English for Secondary Schools Student’s Book Form Three
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ENGLISH F3 PB.indd 169 17/09/2025 16:34:49