Interview with Ethio Youth Media-Cheers

Fitsum and Webitu

 When I looked out 
to the black sea
of caps and gowns
searching for your lovely face
I found a woman
swaying with that sweet June air
your oh so habesha modesty
taking in the sight
of the ceremony.

The crowd screaming
your Enat and Abat glowing
friends beaming with pride
we stood up just
to get a glimpse of you.

 I smiled for weeks on in
Re-playing your walk
Slow motion.
Small eyes, shiny youthful face
You posed for the camera
at the edge of the stage
AND
Just like that
You became a college graduate.

You leave me speechless
like a movie star
on the red carpet.
You didn’t just go to college
You fought upstream
For the gates of that place.

When you got to campus
You felt overwhelmed
under-resourced,
fighting to belong.

You sat through classes
feeling alone with
your ideas and skin color.

At times you were the teacher
peace keeper-rewriting
world history for classmates and professor.
  
Under the graduation cap
I saw the faces
of your childhood.
Kindergarten years.
Your small tender face
in middle school.
Petite body in high school.

We should have known
you would become this lovely woman
Standing upright
facing the world with
Those brave eyes.

You do have a solider for
A father
An Ethiopian queen for a mother
Poets of relatives
You do rain from
Ethiopia, where
The farmers and stay home moms
Speak in metaphors and rhymes.

As far back as
You trace your name
Which would be the start of humanity
You find scholars.

We  named you Fitum and Webitu
You were somebody
before the crown
Girl
show that oh So modest habesha smile
Cause you make us all very proud.

Writer: Selam Misgano (June 2012)