By Samuel Rubadiri
Their voters charged the polling station
Like a storm they thundered: “Change!”
Their feet
blitzed.
Their hands darkened. The results rained:
blue blue blue blue blue
The world watched — us drenched in anticipation
SHOCK
A landslide victory in Africa?
Without coups or killing,
Without ballot box fixing. The ousted president cried,
PULA! PULA!
Soaked citizens rejoiced, satisfied they had won,
Until their elected leaders entered the stately chambers.
Within the steady stem of parliament, feeding
From the branches of government, a swarm of termites
Scurry as scandals surface from their colony:
“They ate all the money!”
The umbrellas fold.
Each man to his home
To plough their plots
Rather than rely on men in suits.
Samuel Rubadiri works as an English teacher in his hometown Gaborone. If he is not in the classroom, encouraging his students to take up the pen, he writes poems and short stories. Some of them are inspired by his upbringing in Botswana. Many of his works can be found on his website samuelrubadiri.com but also appear in the Kalahari Review and Brittle Paper.
Leave a comment