the Sun is hot this morning
in Tlhabologo
things so civilized even
strolling ants behave
yet why should
time be unruly
given how things unfold here?
once fast mushrooming
now at a standstill
roosters crowing, children chattering, birds singing, dogs barking
every noun declined, verb
conjugated
so set in their ways could
be written (would have said stone
but cracked concrete
would fit better)
and in each rough
or polished dwelling
secret
lives
unheard sounds
(again
we might classify
under rough
and polished).
***
note:
Tlhabologo (SETSWANA for “Civilization”) is a village 7km South East of Mafikeng in the North-West Province of South Africa. My wife Modiegi was born and grew up there.