John Andrews
Africa, 2001
Not having any toys, I play with words,
Take out an f and put in me,
Change Africa from dark to light -
Americas a place I’ll never see.
Our teacher tells us of American lives,
Of which a writer said: there are no second acts.
Rich men collect houses, cars and wives.
In my dry village, these are the simple facts:
To finish one act would be nice;
The curtain always falls too soon.
We feel we have no audience,
Our stage is barren as the moon.
Not having toys, I play with words.
I wonder if you understand:
With them I build a different life,
A different me, a different land.
Page(s) 52
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