MASERAME JUNE MADINGWANE
Two Poems
Misunderstood
I step on toes
When I don’t mean to
I stumble on stones
When I don’t mean to
I slip on shells
When I don’t mean to
I trip on trees
When I don’t mean to
I step and stumble
And slip and trip
When I don’t really mean to.
I got to stop
Steppin’ an’ stumblin’
And trippin’ an’ slippin’
Because I don’t truly
Don’t mean to.
Being misunderstood makes me
Misunderstood why I’m being
So misunderstood
Skoonmeid
Day in day out
She sits in front
Of the bottle store
With a face caked
With age-old dirt.
Day in day out
She sits in front
Of the bottle store
With cracked heels
And legs.
Day in day out
She sits in front
Of the bottle store
Calling out:
“Gee my ‘n Rand asseblief.
Hee makoti ngicela
I-Randi tu mtanam
Askies medem, only one rand!
Just for food
Asseblief missies!”
Her language depends
on her parasites.
Day in day out
She grins:
“Dankie my skat!”
When she gets the money.
Day in day out
She disappears
Into the bottle store
And emerges with
750ml of Black Label beer.
Day in day out
When they try to share
Share her beer
She screams:
“Haai suka wena!
Ke bojwala jwa me!
Jou gat man!”
Day in day out
She sits in front
Of the bottle store;
Grinning, shouting
Swearing, pleading...
Then, she waits for
The next day to
plead, grin, shout
and swear,
while sitting in front of her
favourite bottle store.
