In an African country
on a trash mountain
in a corrugated-iron shack
lives a boy called Togbouté
His father
his mother
his brothers
and sisters
a goat
a cat
an old dog
together, they are ten
On a bad day
men with rifles come
Togbouté has seen fear and tears
in his father’s eyes
Together, they are only nine
his mother
his brothers
and sisters
a goat
a cat
an old dog
and Togbouté
Many bad days come
starvation and war
the brothers disappear
the mother cries out both hearts
Together, they are only seven
his mother
his sisters
a goat
an old dog
and Togbouté
The goat gets stolen
the old dog
dies
and the sisters sing quietly
Together, they are only five
his mother
his sisters
a cat
and Togbouté
Bad men take both girls
pull hair and skirts
the mother covers her face with her hands
and Togbouté cries revenge
...
