Photo by Edward Echwalu

Hashtag

Davina Kawuma

 

Headphones edged with brio,

bulging over skirted sofas.

Sport is the new sex.

Dogs versus coyotes on the tight

end of the stereo.

Hazard lights stitch footsubishis and TV

chicken into seams of Nokia eleven hundred housing.

In loose sprays, cracked for patches

of grey I save English names one cocktail

at a time. Tusky Big Brother Africa house

mates sniff my lemon bracts. I’m middle

middle-class with a chance of un|dress

codes. Raglan sleeves, push-up bras, harem

culottes, wine-glass heels and a backpack full

of silence. I will never wear myself out

trying to get rich.

 

Hash Tag, YouCantThreatenThePoor

 

How about it, then?

Shall I serve a late helping of morning;

slop poached pinks and yolky yellows

onto thick slices of doughy landscape?

Shall I take the day off and a bus buried

by a loud pedal to a faded scrawl?

Invite your size-six Adam’s apple to my capacity

building workshop?

Shall I slaughter a mannequin?

Upload the video on YouTube?—YouGroup?—YouThink?

YouCome?—YouGrab?—YouCantOrderFrenchFriesWithThat?

Shall I read you some bumper sticker advice,

im|press you with my flaky fonts and American’t accent?

Save you fifty on a bootlegged DVD?

 

Hash Tag, TheSystemIsStupid

 

Hash Tag was published in the Suubi Collection. It is a collection of short stories and poems from the African Writers  Trust’s creative writing programme produced in association with the British Council. 

Download the Suubi Collection here.

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