My ramblings....

The Day the Birds Settled Down

My breath is dropping with every exhale
For that is what becomes of it in such heat
Behind the hut in scant shade
I've never understood shade like I do now
Never saw it's quality nor it's reason for being
Now I understand it, it comes for me
My limbs are tucked from the sun and stretched from skin
A delicate maneuver, close enough to examine my knees
My knees are fascinating in the afternoon
Dusty white lines that sink in the divets
Pale and sickly strewn against my black
Blacker in the shade, browner in the sun
I try not to move too much
Everything stops in this hour
The hour of the reigning sun
It is our universe and only it does speak now
But still I hear a hollow thwacking, mama said he should not be working
Yesterday, but not today
He should not be working today
I told Anan that but he would not listen
He wrote in the dirt
I said you should not do that today
Yesterday you could write in the dirt but not today
He did not listen
He looks more like me now because my hair is lessening
And his belly is becoming swollen like mine
I look at my belly now and ask it if it wants to be with its sister
Belly do you want to visit Funanya's belly?
You growl loudly like hers did, and are large as well
If you go I could see her too!
But I do not know where she went
Mama says she has much in her belly wherever she is
I would like to go there and fill mine
The shade is smaller now
I am tired of all this thinking
But I hurt too much to sleep
Mama doesn't let me sleep at this hour...
The shade is moving now
Sometimes I see tricks with my eyes, never the shade moving
Such excitment the sun brings at this hour
But it is not a trick!
Mama is calling to the birds, the birds!
The birds are playing with the shadows on the ground
Men have come out of their houses to yell to the birds
I yell to them too, are we befriending them?
Yes, they settle down on our ground, around our huts
Their feet make traces in the dust
Mama says Today! You must catch them Today!
Come in Today! Eat Today!
The men have caught the birds
And are bringing them for supper
The men dance and sing, mamas are shouting and whooping
Come eat Today children, fill your bellys once again!

posted by Unknown @ 5:57 PM