Polka Dot Bikini Poem by Consuelo Roland

Yonks ago,
On a beach in the land of sugar cane,
A girl
Wore a purple
Polka dot bikini
And eyed the sea
Like a matador might eye a bull.

Yonks ago,
On a beach in the land of sangomas,
A girl
Ran to the ocean's edge,
Long hair burning,
Blowing windward and wayward
In the pure blue sunshine.

Yonks ago,
On a beach in the land of ijuba beer,
A girl
Dived under,
The boys dived deeper,
Under the biggest waves
Never taking their eyes off her.

Yonks ago,
On a beach in Zululand,
A girl in a polka dot bikini
Walked by,
Wringing water from red hair,
The air around her aflame
With something I wanted.