Home 9 Literary Archive 9 Poetry 9 House-Sitting in Makhanda

House-Sitting in Makhanda

For David Glover

by Kharys Ateh Laue

Windows water
could seep through. Sunrise
a stomachful of colour.
& I’m thinking of our days here.
The dogs, the house
not our own. Rain & flowers
I don’t know the names of.

These seven years
of joy

folded
under our tongues.

When I said
the water is off
I didn’t mean
some other thing. I meant
the water is off. I meant
there is no water in the taps
again
. I meant
jesus christ we stink.

Now you speak.
Say something
beautiful.