By Shem Onderi
Her life will glow in many colours—
Diverse, resilient, never lamenting.
She will know her worth,
Carrying the strength to shape society,
Even when the world overworks her.
The next her will be a family soul,
Expected to build a home,
For many will propose once school is done.
And though the trend shifts
To one child or none,
She may still bear more—
Tradition calling her softly back.
There will be more food, they say,
As government promises security;
After all, someone must consume it.
The next her must be a problem-solver—
In boardrooms and backyards,
For the next him grows weary,
Wrestled down by the world.
She will tend to the environment,
Her gumboots dusty, her hands steady,
Planting trees, nurturing life.
A wise consumer, a giver to the needy,
Educated in saving,
Championing mental health,
Teaching reproductive health,
Facing maternal risks with courage.
She will be a leader by necessity,
Managing scarce resources,
Guiding the future she reproduces.
When the world cries over climate change,
She will rise to adapt.
The next her—
Brave, brilliant, becoming—
Is the next big thing.