Courtney's POV:I walked through the cornfields in my inayopendelewa white dress and boots.I hummed my inayopendelewa somg when all of a sudden,I heard a twig snap and I immediatly stopped walking.I looked around,but saw nothing,so I kept on walking.'If I die young,bury me in satin.Lay me down in a kitanda of roses.Sink me in the river,at dawn,send me away with the words of a upendo song."I sang.Another snap of a twig filled my ears.I turned around and looked,but saw nothing.I turned back around and screamed.I saw a teenage boy about my age.I fell to the ground and looked up at him."What do wewe think you're doing snooping around on me?!"I asked."I'm sorry ma'am.I was just wanting to ask wewe something.I'm Duncan,Duncan Coleman.You must be Courtney,the farmer's daughter."he alisema holding out his hand and helping me up."How'd wewe know who I am?"I asked. "You're dad told me wewe were out here.He alisema wewe were under a mti so I went there but wewe weren't there.So I started walking around looking for you.He told me all about you.about your singin' and all."Duncan said."Don't listen to my daddy when talks about my singing."I siad."Well I think you're real good.And wewe look beautiful in your dress and boots."Duncan said."Well thanks.Come with me.I'll take wewe up to the ghalani and get the farasi and go ridin'.Then wewe can tell me about yourself."I said.We walked up to the ghalani and found a spare horse Duncan could use.We rode up to the river and tied the farasi to a tree."So tell me about yourself."I alisema cutting down two rods of cane."Well I'm originally from the city.I moved to Texas when I was 8.Then I moved here today,I hope."Duncan said."What do wewe mean kwa wewe hope?"I asked."My dad is talkin' to your daddy about the house inayofuata door.We might songesha in there."he said.I chuckled to myself as he asked,"What?" "It's just once city boys songesha out into the country,they think they can do anything.I mean,it's too predictable.They work a little,find a pretty country chick,write a song about love,get famous,break her heart,then she writes a song about heartbreak."I alisema putting the cane rods in the water and handing one to Duncan."What's this?"he asked."If you're a true country boy,you should know what that is."I said.I watched as Duncan inspected it trying to figure out what it is,then I spoke up."It's a cane pole.I samaki with it when I don't have a real pole with me."I said.Duncan sat down in the nyasi and stared at the line in the water as I sat beside him."My dad told me that wewe and your dad were coming.And when new people come to this part of town,we throw a little party."I said."So wewe are throwing a party just for a new arrival?"he asked."Yes,that's why we're fishing.So we can have chakula for tonight."I said."Will wewe be imba that song wewe were singin' earlier?"he asked."Do wewe want me to sing that song?"I asked."Yes,did wewe write it?"Duncan asked.I nodded."I like your singing."he said.We looked at each other and leaned in to kiss when we stopped as Duncan's fishing rod jerked."Stand up!"I alisema as he did.Duncan pulled the rod to pwani as he had a big bass, besi at the end.I cut the hook out of it's mouth and held it up for Duncan to see."Nice one.Now only 17 zaidi to go."I alisema as he laughed.After a while,we went back nyumbani to jiunge the party.I walked up to my dad as he said,"Courtney,meet Duncan's dad,Willis Coleman." "Nice to meet you."I alisema shaking his hand and smiling."Nice to meet wewe young lady."he said."I gotta take these inside before they start stinking."I siad hold up the stringer of bass."Good job Court!These are real good keepers!"my dad said."All Duncan."I said."Now I can really start to smell them."I said."I've smelled them the whole way up here."Duncan said.We all laughed as Duncan and I went inside to clean the fish.After they were clean,I put the samaki in the frying pan."That was gross.And wewe have no problem seeing and smelling samaki guts?"Duncan said.I shook my head,after the samaki were done,we put them on the meza, jedwali outside as Duncan got on stage."Hey wewe guys,I'm Duncan Coleman,and I'd like a request from Miss Courtney to come up here and sing."he said.I slowly got on stage feeling a little embarrassed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If I die young,
bury me in satin.
Lay me down on a kitanda of roses.
Sink me in the river,at dawn.
Send me away with the words of a upendo song.
Uh-oh,uh-oh.
The Lord made me a upinde wa mvua that shined down on my mother.
I know I'm salama with wewe when she stands under my colors.
Life ain't always what wewe think it ought to be.
It ain't even grey but she burries her baby.
The sharp knife,of a short life.
Well,I've had just enough time.
If I die young,
bury me in satin.
Lay me down on a kitanda of roses.
Sink me in the river,at dawn.
Send me away with the words of a upendo song.
The sharp knife,of a short life.
Well,I've had just enough time.
And I'll be wearin' white when I come into your kingdom.
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger.
I've never known the upendo and never had a man.
But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand.
As a boy here in town,he sure did upendo me forever.
Who would have ever thought that forever could be severed?
kwa the sharp knife,of a short life.
Well,I've had just enough time.
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls.
What I never did is done.
A penny for my thoughts,
Oh no,I'll sell em' for a dollar.
They're worth so much zaidi after I'm a gonner.
Then maybe you'll hear the words I've been singin'.
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'.
If I die young,
bury me in satin.
Lay me down on a kitanda of roses.
Sink me in the river,at dawn.
Send me away with the words of a upendo song.
The ballad of a dove.
Go at peace and love.
Gather up your tears and save them in your pocket.
Save em' for a time when you're really gonna need em'.
The sharp kisu of a short life.
Well I've had just enough time.
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sang.Everyone started clapping as I looked at Duncan and winked.