Killing the Schoolboy
Poem by
Dr. Ahmed Gumaa Siddiek
Dedicated to the lost souls of the schoolboys and schoolgirls
of El-Obied Massacre in Kordofan July 29,2019
He was only a schoolboy,
On his way to school
He was thirteen, slim and tall
Unaware of the world around him
About to start his school day at a gym
As he was good at athletics
Excellent in physics and mathematics
And because he was a normal boy
His life was always full of joy
With his books all the day and his games
And sometimes changes his toys
With other boys
But he did never destroy or annoy,
Or disturb anyone’s joy
And because he was a normal boy,
He used to enjoy life with high dreams
Surrounded with a pool of good friends
And because he was a boy
A normal boy
He spends a lot of time reading books
Watching films, especially Tom and Jerry
But keen to do his assignments on time
Then will hurry,
To sneak on his Web Pages
On the Facebook and Instagram
Sending photos of birds and animals
As he dreams one day to be a vet
Then after that he will text his classmates
To make a date
For a tournament in the evening
At the school gate
He was only a boy, thirteen years old! !
Smart and bold
But on that day,
He was on his way, to school
Armed with some pencils,
Some textbooks, a football
And a ruler of twelve inches
His school bag on his shoulder
He did never talk to a soldier
Nevertheless,
The sniper shot him from above the roof
Why for? What for?
What did he want to prove?
Why did he kill the boy in cold blood?
Because the boy asked for a loaf of bread…
Was it a good reason to shoot him dead?
With a bullet on the back of his head?
That was exactly what the sniper skillfully did
He shot the boy dead on the head
Then the boy came down to the ground
His face kissed the sand of his land
The golden sand of Shykan in Kordofan
Where history began in Sudan
He was only a boy! !
But the sniper shot him down
He gave him no time
To defend himself
Or know his crime
He gave him no time
To say his prayers
Or say a goodbye to his family
Or pay a farewell to his Mom and dad
He was a mere poor lad
His soul soon went to sky
He did never shout against the soldiers
And he did never break their orders
He only asked for food
And a cup of water for the day
To finish his school and run away
Back home
Where he would sit down in his simple room
Read his books and do his homework
As soon as possible to join his schoolmate
At the school gate
To play an evening football match
But he did not think of the fate
That a sniper would shoot him
On the back of his head
And make him dead
But still SNIPER…….
Who taught you to (shoot to kill?) *
And still
Why did you kill the schoolboy?
What was his crime?
“Because…….”
“Because…………………………………”
“Because………………………………………………….”
In fact, there was no cause
But, ah….. because, the boy was too smart,
Slim and tall! !
And because he was adored by all
All his friends…
Because he was very good at football! !
And because, because he used to love the school
* A quotation for the famous Sudanese politician, Ali Othman Mohammed Taha, giving permission for the soldiers to shoot and kill any citizen crossing borders and carrying food to South Sudan.
