loxion workers
(dedicated to the miners murdered in the eland shaft. and to all those who are able to imagine what those miners were thinking about before the lift started to descend)
we are the ones
who wake up with the humming songs of morning sparrows
the fat burps of sleek retiring rats
the hammering hoots
of vociferous ventures
hunting the roads
like voracious vultures
we are the ones
who walk the road without the company
of our own shadow
to get to woebegone train stations
and hang like the thread of a tampon
between the thighs of cold coaches
we are the ones
whose regular breakfast is qota, boiled eggs or magwenya
munched in a haste
in dusty street corners
we are the ones
who are screamed at by stinking bosses
and must say ya baas to old school racists
and yebo sis to new guard fascists
we are the ones
who earn
1-2-3-4
hundred rand a week
but are still expected to say
dankie dear madiba
amandla cosatu
nyiabonga mr boshoff
we are the loxion workers
the circulating system of this sick body we call home
the beating heart of this
and many other
shadow ghosts
our precious bones are buried alive in the hidden truths of the new south africa
adorned with gold and diamonds jewels
we are the sunrise runners
knockin-off bandits
and busy street dogs
are our journeymates
we don’t see each other’s faces
since our backs are bent
under the load of a life
we did not choose
for ourselves
our mothers
fathers
and children
in trains and taxis monotonous rock
we move our heads
from shoulder to shoulder
as if figuring things out
03 june 2009
June 14th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
This is a beautiful and awe-inspiring piece.