A day in Aids hospital

November 13th, 2006
They’re coming in…pouring in
Walking up and down
Some happy, laughing and smiling
Some in pain,but trying so hard to present happy faces
Some written sorrow all over their faces
Others written regret on their appearances
They share their stories
Convincing one another with realities of living with dreadful, monsters and painful disease is all the talk you keep hearing around the room.
Some are brought by their loved ones,they can barely walk
Others are on wheelchairs,death is all keep starring from their eyes
The queues are so long, we’ve been here since the early morning
BUT,because a chance to a better life is all we’re waiting for
What else is there to do?
What else is there to achieve?
Others look frightened and scared
As for the one next to me…I salute her
She’s positively promoting to others how she lives and maintains a normal life with her smoking and boozing as if nothing's wrong.
“Its true-nothings wrong,its only that she’s infected” after all she has to live a normal life just like any other normal living being in the world.FUCK! the status! and the HIV virus ,she must be crazy!
Some you can tell just by viewing and looking at them that-Gone are those days!
Whilst, others its like “I’m a size 32 but today I’ borrowed my brother’s/sister’s size 40 pans or T’s
OH! Shameless and mercy less is this HIV/AIDS
Its been 5, 10, 13, 20…..years
You hear others installing hope to the already hopeless
How terrifying but hearing them share eases the pains to others
Others have brought their babies and children whom are also sick
and you turn to ask yourself,Where did this AIDS come from?
There are various and different smells all over the room
Its smells terrible and making one feel like vomiting
Is it the smell of pills? different crowds of sick people? or is it the filthy smell of HIV itself?

“My mother use to warn me about running around with different men BUT I never listened and now I know I’m going to die and I deserve it”

this one keeps going on.
Some of these people are in chains-maybe-emotionally but not physically “I mean”
They are being brought here by the prison warders
What a shame and pity!
Some we know each other from the township as neighbours
BUT, because we’ve bumped into each other in this place
There are no friendly and neighbourly greetings as usual.
They seem ashamed and embarrassed
Shit! this AIDS is one thing capable of causing unnecessary hate!
With all that's happening around
I wonder…
Where am I going to end?
When is my turn?
When is the virus going to take over my fighting and willing body?
When will it all go away?
BECAUSE….
As strong as I can be
It is within this solid and concrete body of mine.
And slowly but surely
I WILL GET USED TO THIS
AIDS HOSPITAL!!!

* Latifah is a victim of hate crime and as a result is HIV positive. She lives Soweto, South Africa.
* Please send comments to or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org