I come from a place where a woman is taught to carry herself with pride
Where a woman rises before sunrise
To fetch water from the river
It is summer if you have to be in the field
before the sun is silver

Ndedwe is where I come from
A woman from Ndedwe doesn’t have to tell you
You don’t have to ask, it’s just evident
Evident in the way she walks and talks
Respect shines in her eyes, tingles in her bones and glows all over her skin

Maje! I look at women raised today and shudder
Tears run down my face
For they stand square with the night
Never sleeping when the time is right
Kissing on bottles brown and green
Best friends with Vodka and Gin
Chased with a bit of sin

They rise with the setting sun
All over the streets chasing fun
“A good woman rises when it’s dark,” they answer when asked
Twisting it around for their own nightlife fun
Because rising before sunrise will never be the same
As rising after sun has set