By Shem Onderi
From afar, Lake Victoria shimmers blue,
Clear to every watching eye.
Once, its creatures thrived in harmony—
Each grown fish a prize for the fisherman’s gaze.
Rivers once hurried freely to your embrace,
Crystal streams, pure and untainted,
Grumbling only in their rush to join the vast waters.
Lake, you sustained humanity and life alike.
With your borderless reach,
Your waters touched every shore,
A restless wanderer with no limits—
Just like the teeming life within.
But in your generosity, you welcomed all,
And the rivers betrayed you.
They poured their filth, their garbage,
Oils and decay, choking your depths.
They abused your kindness.
And one day, perhaps, their flow will cease.
Then you will wither, your bedrock exposed,
Aquatic life gone,
Your silence broken only by human settlements.
But when they claim your bones as their own,
You may rise again,
Swallowing the intruders whole—
A sweet revenge,
For the choked lake.