Technology Poem by Thabani Khumalo

PALE SKIN, BLONDE SOLDIER DISEMBARKED A MASSIVE MYSTERIOUS SHIP.
HIS FEET SHINNY AS A HIDE SMOOTHLY SHAVEN AND WELL POLISHED – NOURISHED.
HE HAD PITCH-BLACK HEELS THAT WERE RAISED TO THE HEIGHT OF DONKEY HOOVES.
A TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICE: THE GUN WAS PINNED TO THE BELT AROUND HIS WAIST AND
BANG- BANG! THE GUN SHOT ME DOWN COLD.
IT SHOT ME DOWN, BANG- BANG!

HE LAID ME DOWN SOLELY INTO A SHALLOW GRAVE -
IN WITNESS OF THE STARRY NIGHT, HE BURIED ME.
ONLY DEAD STRANGERS LAY SHAMBLED ABOUT MY SOUL IN A LIFELESS SHRINE.
SHE CRIED NOT FOR ME – MAMA CRIED NOT
FOR SHE HAD NOT BORNE WITNESS TO SUCH – EVER,
THAT I HAD BEEN MURDERED COLD BY THE HAND -
OR BY THE HAND OF A NEW KIND OF SOJOURNER,
BANG- BANG! THE GUN SHOT ME DOWN COLD.
IT SHOT ME DOWN, BANG- BANG!

TIME ELAPSED AND UPON THE GREAT FUTURE –
MY SOUL REBOUND AND
THERE WAS AN IMMENSE ENERGY OF DÉJÀ VU
TO WHICH MY SPIRIT WAS BOUND STILL.
SPLENDID VISIONS OF THE TELEPHONE AND THE RADIO,
AND THE COMPUTER,
AND THE CAMERA,
AND THE TELEGRAM,
AND THE TELEVISION PUT TOGETHER IN ONE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICE.

PALE SKIN, BLONDE SOLDIER DISEMBARKED A MASSIVE MYSTERIOUS SHIP.
HIS FEET SHINNY AS A HIDE SMOOTHLY SHAVEN AND WELL POLISHED – NOURISHED.
HE HAD PITCH-BLACK HEELS THAT WERE RAISED TO THE HEIGHT OF DONKEY HOOVES.
A TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICE: A CELLPHONE WAS PINNED TO THE BELT AROUND HIS WAIST AND
BANG- BANG! THE CELLPHONE SHOT ME DOWN COLD.
IT SHOT ME DOWN, BANG- BANG!