Outside Child
Long before the sun, Outside Child will rise,
fold her mat, tie her lappa
and wipe the sleep from her eyes.
Her rubber slippers gather dust along the path
to the well where she’ll draw water for
for New Ma’s children’s bath.
Skillfully atop her head she balances the zinc pail,
while stepping over driver ants that bite with fire
when feet trespass their trail.
“Come quick now, before my children be late,”
admonishes New Ma when the small girl returns.
Waiting upon inside child becomes outside child’s fate.
The scent of sweet rice bread fills the air.
spying the table she hopes
they leave small piece for her there.
She is careful that the coal iron scatters no embers
that might scorch the uniform she presses.
The last cuff to her head for such she still remembers.
She watches her siblings stroll off to school
as she makes her way to the market for
fifty cent cassava to beat for New Ma’s fufu.
She slips away while New Ma sleeps
to find her own cradle of serenity,
betwixt the welcoming limbs of a guava tree.
There, inside now, she recalls her own ma’s advice;
words that when heeded and repeated
would always bring ease and validation to her life.
“Whatever you are told, you must do your very best.
Try hard, try oh so hard
not to make the people vexed.”
Hold your heart my child, I telling you,
your time coming soon.
God love inside child but he love outside child too.”
fold her mat, tie her lappa
and wipe the sleep from her eyes.
Her rubber slippers gather dust along the path
to the well where she’ll draw water for
for New Ma’s children’s bath.
Skillfully atop her head she balances the zinc pail,
while stepping over driver ants that bite with fire
when feet trespass their trail.
“Come quick now, before my children be late,”
admonishes New Ma when the small girl returns.
Waiting upon inside child becomes outside child’s fate.
The scent of sweet rice bread fills the air.
spying the table she hopes
they leave small piece for her there.
She is careful that the coal iron scatters no embers
that might scorch the uniform she presses.
The last cuff to her head for such she still remembers.
She watches her siblings stroll off to school
as she makes her way to the market for
fifty cent cassava to beat for New Ma’s fufu.
She slips away while New Ma sleeps
to find her own cradle of serenity,
betwixt the welcoming limbs of a guava tree.
There, inside now, she recalls her own ma’s advice;
words that when heeded and repeated
would always bring ease and validation to her life.
“Whatever you are told, you must do your very best.
Try hard, try oh so hard
not to make the people vexed.”
Hold your heart my child, I telling you,
your time coming soon.
God love inside child but he love outside child too.”
A Public Secret
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