Storage Space: A Collection of Contemporary Verse by Darren A. Stein - HTML preview

An African Picture Postcard

Let us walk hand in hand
across the hills like others did in greener climes in England way up North.

But this is Africa, where chocolate box
scenery can’t be found, and we stumble over
loose rocks, past thorn trees, blackjacks,
snakes, and khaki bos that make up the unseen
building blocks of Africa’s picture postcard. Let us walk, you and I, through this country. Let us probe the old stone circles of native tribes who, like us, still wonder under the grey-blue storm clouds of Highveld skies.

Let us stare in wonder at the valleys of a thousand hills, and the fire-bright yellows, and the wind, and at the

end of the day, I will pick
the blackjacks from your
clothing, as you will do
for me, and I will read you poetry from Africa,
about real people,
and a real country,
and you,
and me.