Poetry

Sɛt Yu Mɔt

Mama, yu se na smɔl nɔmɔ Sɛt yu mɔt!
Mama, i de at – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Mama bɔt a gɛt sɛns pas Alfajɔ – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Mama na mi go bi Dɔkta – Sɛt yu mɔt!
A du bɛtɛ pas ɔl mi kompin dɛn na skul, Mama – Sɛt yu mɔt!

Ɔnkul nɔ tɔch mi de – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Anti, lɛf mi bɔbi – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Ɔnkul luk, di bɛlɛ dɔn kɔmɔt – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Mama yu bin se na smɔl nɔmɔ, bɔt na ɔltin dɛn kɔt – Sɛt yu mɔt!

A nɔ wan fɔ do am – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Bebi, yu no se na rep yu rep mi – Sɛt yu mɔt!
Gal pikin ɛn i vɔys, pas dɛn tɛl mi fɔ sɛt mi mɔt
A dɔn genz… fɔ sɛt mi mɔt
Us bɛtɛ a bɛtɛ we a sɛt mi mɔt
Na mi go be prɛzidɛnt, A NƆ GO SƐT MI MƆT
Na mi go bi fɔs uman Chif usay a kɔmɔt
Na mi go tinap fɔ mi sista dɛn we nɔ ebul tɔk
A go du dis ɔl de… A NƆ GO SƐT MI MƆT

This poem was inspired by experiences of Sierra Leonean women and girls including mine, and how people told us to hold back our truth and emotions. It describes the plights of women and girls in our communities who are told to shut up when talking about abuse, taboos and harm.

Today we see a group of women in our communities’ standing up for all causes important to their hearts. The poem is dedicated to all the Sierra Leonean women who did not SƐT DƐN MƆT, and in that, encouraged me to OPIN MI MƆT.

5 thoughts on “Sɛt Yu Mɔt

  1. Ar lek am bad bad!
    Too many times society keep telling we for set we mot! Me, as long as God bless me with a voice, a nor go set me mot ????????
    Good one Sis ????

  2. They say, “if you don’t stand for anything you’ll fall for everything.” With that being said, tenki for opin you mot mi sista. Dis go gee boku pa we oda sista dem d courage for mek dem sef opin dem mot. Mumu sef mus tok!

  3. Nice woman should stand against harmful things like rape and abuses thanks fefe for set u mot poem ❤️

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