You've arrived
Story goes you ran bare feet to the corner store. For paraffin and Lion matches. Met the sleek along the way. Scratched their backs with Mama’s change and saved yourself a slap on the head. Got home and sold Mama a tall tale about the neighbour’s dog that chased you down the road and made you lose all the cents in your hands.
Now you don’t need those, you lean against the wall and up bright becomes the room. You touch a switch and the stove goes hot, then another you will have your music.
You’ve arrived.
In the informal settlement they run bare feet to the corner store. For paraffin and Lion matches. They meet the sleek along the way. Scratch their backs with Mama’s change and save themselves a slap on the head. Get home and sell Mama a tall tale about the neighbour’s dog that chases them down the road and makes them lose all the cents in their hands.
When they lean against the wall it threatens to fall. It takes a lifetime to get the stove hot and most times waiting is their only music.
You’ve arrived.
You covered your head with plastic bags on rainy days. Stepped into poodles with dog poo on your way home. You fetched wood from the forest. You sat in circles around the fire for Grandpa’s stories.
Now you don’t do those. Car has a rain sensor and smells dog poo miles away. There’s a choice of a heater or a fireplace. And the heat can also come from under the floor. Channels have many stories.
You’ve arrived.
In the informal settlement they cover their heads with plastic bags on rainy days. Step into poodles with dog poo on their way home. They fetch wood from the forest. It takes a lifetime to get the fire burning and most times waiting is their only story.
You’ve arrived.
You took turns to lay the blankets on the floor. The biggest bed on the planet. Rested a sister, brother, cousin, friend and the visitor who lost their way. Under the kitchen table. But uncle got to use the sofa. Fought in the morning to be first to wash. This cake of soap washed all up but the visitor cleans up first, eats first even when it’s the last slice of the bread that Papa brought home.
Now you don’t need those, everyone has a room. There’s a single, double, queen and king size bed. There’s another room built for the temper, it’s the fed-up room used when Papa and Mama fight over the leftovers that no one wants to eat.
You’ve arrived.
In the informal settlement they take turns to lay the blankets on the floor. The biggest bed on the planet. It rests a sister, brother, cousin, friend and any visitor who loses their way. Under the kitchen table, even with uncle. They fight in the morning to be first to wash. Their cake of soap must wash all up but the visitor cleans up first, eats first even when it’s the last slice of the leftovers that Papa brought home.
You’ve arrived.
Help another to find their way. It is the wise who say a candle loses nothing when it lights another candle, but darkness loses a great part of itself.
You arrive when everyone arrives!!
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