I once saw a sage
on his way to the end.
He walked with a stiffened limp,
his staff striking forward,
then back,
probing the earth.
Each step was a trial,
his adamant feet arguing
their lost case against
ankles folded in age.
Then he stopped and wondered:
how could his tremoring palms,
always stacked
between his head and his staff,
lift a hammer
against his grandchild?
Between short breaths,
he labored to catch
distant memories;
still he recalled,
he once roamed on two,
but none
had called him
murderer.
© Hamilton Chikhala 2026
Feb 19
Feb 19, 2026 at 2:17 AM UTC
I once saw a sage
on his way to the end.
He walked with a stiffened limp,
his staff striking forward,
then back,
probing the earth.
Each step was a trial,
his adamant feet arguing
their lost case against
ankles folded in age.
Then he stopped and wondered:
how could his tremoring palms,
always stacked
between his head and his staff,
lift a hammer
against his grandchild?
Between short breaths,
he labored to catch
distant memories;
still he recalled,
he once roamed on two,
but none
had called him
murderer.
© Hamilton Chikhala 2026
Body on Trial reflects the struggles of the elderly, particularly in Malawi and some other African countries, where many older people are unfairly accused of witchcraft. These accusations are baseless, yet they lead to social persecution, fear, isolation, and in some tragic cases, brutal killings. This poem explores the tension between the physical fragility of age and the unjust judgment imposed by society, showing the quiet dignity and humanity of those who are often silenced or misunderstood.
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