tilapia last night

I can pay the school fee now:

I lift my head and laugh.

My child, she wears the uniform

Washed and pressed.

“I’m pretty,”

She says.

We’re in this together

My sisters and me

We come, we pray, we cry

And we put money

To our words.

No more must I choose

Which child to feed

(We ate tilapia last night)

No more must I live

Just one moment

One day

No more must

I

Fear.

This Jesus

Tips my world

Upside down.

Good news

He brings

This Jesus

Who sings

With African tongue;

This Jesus dressed in darkened skin

This Jesus to me

My life

Undone.

9- 8- 2010

sjb