My Friend Who Sees And Hears It All, But Says Nothing

This is the story of my long-time friend
who I have known for over twenty years.
We meet at the same spot every day.
She is beautiful and always smartly dressed
in different but new clothes
which are replaced with other
new clothes every so often.

Though we have learnt to communicate effectively over time,
My friend will neither talk, nor smile, wink, or laugh.
She will not move, only staying
the way she was positioned by her master.
She just stands there, staring the whole day.

But I can’t help but envy her;
because, unlike me, she has all the time
to see and hear many things,
in her silence.
She has more time,
to enjoy and appreciate what a beautiful world this is
with birds flying about now and then,
a cat chasing a rat once in a while

She sees and hears everything, but says nothing:
Passersby venting out their frustrations;
others backbiting and backstabbing;
while others exchange love words, hugs, saliva;
as they pat her pretending to check out what she is wearing.
Everyone is busy; some searching for wealth,
others seeking glory,
and others wanting to become famous.

As she gazes into the streets that are buzzing with activity,
she sees and hears everything, but doesn’t say a word;
a passenger jumping off a moving matatu,
cars hooting and impatient drivers hurling insults,
loud music beaming from neighboring shops,
hawkers and newspaper vendors selling their wares,
and a carpenter making his pieces of art.

She sees and hears everything, but says nothing:
A mkokoteni pusher, transporting both merchandise and its owner;
a bodaboda which just missed a passerby by inches;
street lights and zebra crossings being disobeyed;
molesters, pickpockets and street preachers doing their thing;
window shoppers and others admiring the rotating roast chicken;
and young men and women on the streets
luring potential customers for manicure,
pedicure, a shoe shine, a haircut, roast maize, or into lunch dens.

My friend never once dozes off or takes a nap;
but gazes in the direction her master asked her to.
She has never added even a gram of weight,
probably because all her energy
is consumed in the gaze
or, may be, she swallowed a leech (thambara in Greek).

My friend, Mrs. Mannequin,

She sees and hears everything, but says nothing.
But I will continue to be jealous of all the time
that she has in her hands to gaze.
A stare that probably ends
when darkness creeps in and the shop has to close.

Then, she must be moved into the shop;
which makes her miss the beautiful
view of the moon and the stars.
She must have a good night’s sleep,
so that she can wake up in good time;
to wait for me tomorrow morning,
and stare at me and nature once more;
To see and hear it all,
in her silence.