By Timothy Okurut
There was a time when every seat in the classroom had a familiar face. Friends laughed together, shared stories and believed those moments would last forever. However, as life unfolded, some classmates left school, others drifted apart, and some never returned.
In And Every Seat Had Its Sitter!, Timothy Okurut revisits his primary school memories from 2014. Through a deeply personal reflection on friendship, poverty, early marriage, loss and growing up, he captures the painful difference between the classroom they once shared and the empty seats left behind. Above all, the poem reminds us that behind every empty seat is a story worth remembering.
We were in primary four,
Two-zero-one-four,
Before life taught us
To wear wooden boots!
I remember;
We used to make jokes every night,
After classes, before the light
Went out at ten-forty.
Oh, how we used to laugh out loud!
And every seat had its sitter.
Every seat had its sitter
Before everyone started to grow
And stopped making jokes at night,
But remained staring at the ceiling
Till tears flowed out silently!
Every seat had its sitter
Before fees became too high
And Okwalinga had to drop out!
And Lucy was given out for “marriage.”
I miss when that room used to be full;
Now all there is are silhouettes
Of empty seats, seated in silence!
Now we only speak when we meet.
Sometimes it’s even hard to greet,
For you have drawn lines between us!
Others left us and never came back!
I remember Madam Asoga,
Oh, my language teacher!
Her seat remained empty,
And we never saw her again.
Rest in peace, Amuya, Deogracious and Oluk.
Peace be with you, Mathew, too.
And Teddy, that young lady,
Hanged herself, and all said
It was hunger and some spirits!
But trust me, a lot was going on,
Unsaid, unattended, and life;
Life was eating itself up!
Hey! They all fought
A good fight, I tell you!
But something I miss;
Those days when every seat had its sitter!
— Timothy Okurut
Of course so proud of you
Nuff love and rispekt Sir Tim ✌️
Thanks to all the motives from inexcusable memories.
Timmy this is so emotional and touching because in two-zero-one- four, everyone had a dream they wanted to fulfill buh some didn’t make it because of different reasons….
To all those who are responsible for someone else’s dropping out, I mean those who undermined others, demoralized others,made them feel unwanted I hope you be moved by this art piece….RIP to all who never made it…
Timmy your the only guy who has at least lived towards ur dreams, when I remember when were in senior one
U wanted to be poet n am seeing it coming true.what poem with deep past carry emotions.big ups bro God add u more wisdom to educate us in poetry.lol
man Timmy this masterpiece is so emotional n speaks a lot u nailed it bro n thanks for remembering madam Asoga may her soul rest in perfect peace ️ the English in her really changed a lot of us ✌️ for ever proud of her
Timmy this is beyond a poem, it is a journey through memories, pain, and the silent struggles people carry as they grow up.
Every empty seat tells a story, every name holds a memory, and every reunion reminds us of how much life has changed. We were once children with dreams, laughter, and endless friendships, but life happened, and not everyone made it to the other side.
May we never forget the people who once made our classrooms feel like home.
Truly, and surely Timmy this is a masterpiece that speaks to the heart directly
The past is deep.
Oooooo this is so nice Timmy, l have just flashed back to some memories at school
We have lost many to early marriages, suicide, early pregnancies and those we lost their lives.
May their souls rest in peace
Nostalgic and painful! The innocence of childhood is only ripped off by the wide world that separates us, each into their hustle not forgetting death.
Indeed those were days /when every seat had its sitter/! We knew who sits where
Wow what anice piece!
Every seat had its sitter.
I liked how simple but deep the message is. Everyone has their own purpose and place in life.