Mum, What Did You Want?

‘Ng’ombe’ and ‘Kwani wewe ni ng’ombe?’
Were the phrases that filled my ears
In my rogue childhood
I remember how you pinched my ears
When it was reported that I put the Tv on while you were away
And touched the heavy Sony remote
With my dirty hands from play
I remember how the remote would turn into a weapon of mass destruction
On my tiny head
I remember how the two everready batteries rolled down the wall unit
And I would struggle to trace them as you commanded
Ordering me not to cry or hiss