The Voice of a Sudanese Child

Mommy died last night.
The elders that are left to me
She had something called AIDS
Because of all the white men she visits.

So now it’s just my sister and me.
I don’t remember Daddy at all
Or that little boy they always talked about.
I guess he died, too.

We have no money
And the white men want to meet my sister,
But she’s only fourteen.
What else can we do?