Leaving, Pt. II

how can i explain?
my life is here, here where you have not been

they tell me i must leave behind
mothers
fathers
brothers
sisters
lovers
teachers
friends
my dark family full of light

they tell me i must leave behind
tiny bare feet, dirty and worn
hungry mouths that speak up and say,
"mzungu, 500 for school fees, please?"
oh, these brilliant blind children that truly see

they tell me i must leave behind
my life
free from distraction
full of challenges i cannot understand
cannot conquer
humbled, i love to meet them just the same

they tell me i must leave behind…
Uganda
fierce beauty, valued tradition, painful honesty
corruption, poverty, brutality
quiet chaos
these are problems, i've learned, that are not mine to fix

they tell me i must leave
may 5th
i will not
can not
must

they tell me i must
somehow leave my heart behind
and carry this burden home

how can i explain?
my life is here, here where you have not been.