Password pleaseDenied? An error?hmmmfrozen,expired.A black Dell – as in PC, not boy-September 2016good run User?(The name on the screen, not the character)Dh?Error.LampardError.I know, I knowHP?Meaning?High pitched(not the sauce)Error. Heavy, 16 inchShoulders strainedsore back, broken charger, the colourful wires escape the jack, white, red and blackroaming freely, enjoying its last legs.Last breathe. The green light pierces … Continue reading Password Error
White for your ነጸላ (netsela)Clean, soft and warmmatched with most of your clothingor ጻዕዳ (tseada) for your beloved popcorn, over ቡን (bun), ሚለኑ (Milenu), some ዋታ (wata) and ወዲ ገብሩ(Wedi Gebru)ብጫ (becha) for your reassuring smile and cheeky giggles (pre asthma irritant),brightening every room you enterGreen for the beautiful ሹፎን (shoufon)each with its own pattern … Continue reading White, yellow and green ጻዕዳ, ብጫን ቀጠልያን
“Half a job” was it?Over what? Half a job over honeyHalf a job over your buddyHalf a job over the warm starsHalf a job over glowey eyesHalf a job over dem damn palmtreesHalf a job over shiroHalf a job over fish and chipsHalf a job over footieHalf a job over frozen timeHalf a job over … Continue reading Half a job
That loud cry,scream for the inevitablethe justicethe plainstakingly obvioustoo blind, too numb to seeAwoken by that crythat roarthat aubergine First tree, lights and cosy socksgiddy with a smileto pay was to noticeAhhhhh finally!Brown, gooey aubergine with the sharpest smell that woke meThe equally brown purse, its first victimSecond? The all important yellow to payfrantically wiping … Continue reading Aubergine’s roar
Pre flight sleepoverHot choco, carrot cake and ጓል ዓንዳት Gual Andat’s Himbasha(Ma’akor of course)The wheels on the suitcases gleefully glid as they finally serve their purposeClothes upon clothessnickers upon snickersand not to forget that raggedy netselaMurmours of laughter, gossip and joy through the nightlasting to dawn’s road ahead Fast forward, Last morning – tea and … Continue reading 6 weeks and beyond
The first ones were 10 of them10 starseach glowed and pressed firmly on the beige ceilingAt night in the pitched silence- bar the occasional motors- it glowedShined even[Whispers] ሓደ (hade), ክልተ (kelete), ሰለስተ (seleste), ኣርባዕተ (arbaete), ሓሙሽት (hamushte), ሽድሽተ (shudushte), ሸውዓተ (shewa’ate), ሸሞንተ (shemonte), ትሽዓተ (tishe’ate), ዓሰርተ (‘äserte) “Ewaayyy!” Taking a mini pause from her … Continue reading Être: Stars of Zen
Blurred memory Well, a memory of a memory, VHS cassette black box, flip over JVC enter play. Countless kids A 2nd and a 7th dresses, checked shirts and two kaba’s Three large cakes Guyla from the album of the decade you know it Laughter, joy and claps from the gleeful audience behind the scenes Ahh … Continue reading Green fruity
31°c degrees maybe 32°c Red slippers, a plastic bag, that rasta hat – to cover the pealing and those permanent smiles. Salvador, Bahia. Boa tarde Hours of walking, could have been the beach or the market. Consumed with pre-carnaval bliss, we ambled on. The once icy water from a forgotten street vendor near Boa Viagem … Continue reading The Guy and his Avó
Why did she call you that? “Hagaz’iey” Your mother that is. Was it your help with errands at home? Perhaps your courage and compassion was just what she needed as she mourned the loss of her infant daughter – your baby sis. Her “hagaz’iey” just the shoulder she needed Her rock. “Hagaz’iey” Maybe it was … Continue reading “Hagaz’iey”: My sweet uncle Seltene
“Hesas’lede” is a term referred to the youngest child in an Eritrean home. The most adored, often spoilt, independent and arguably the sharpest, quickly learning from their older siblings. Meticulously absorbing their surroundings, they might be the first to greet guests and assist them without a second thought. Some hesas’lede were freer than their older siblings, … Continue reading The Hesas’lede’s Burden
