from Its Inside-out & Orange: Singing songs in the sun A memory of growing up in SA Nothing but
a mineral mixture of metals and rock with the rot of leaves and flowers and the remains of the bodies others were dressed in. Playing in it as children we know nothing of its value. History sticks to our feet and stays under our fingernails and in our ears 'til we go home; Carrying it indoors, 'straight to the bathroom!' - burning ears pulled for better hearing - to wash it all away with hard water; Leaving pink- brushed fingers and toes to run to supper, clasp and curl together in 'Thanks' and kick each other under the table for worse sins committed against our brothers that day than Collecting dust. There are ways of becoming covered in dirt that are much worse than falling: like lying too still, too long, without breathing; or sitting too still, too long, not Saying what you must say and can't so that it sticks in your throat, suffocating you. There are worse ways to collect dust than racing and falling and rolling.
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August 2024
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