That Boy Poem by Nkululeko Mdudu

Who is this boy?
Why is he here?
Is he demon or devil,
Dumb thing here to thin my hair?

His eyes are clean,
His small head and crown,
His looks menacing,
Shameless without a frown.

Tiny; troublesome boy,
here to annoy,
here to destroy;
I swear his head is alloy;
Yet he smiles like a toy

Unnorming, unconforming
Live-performing,
Unlending, unbending;
Life... descending
From my brother-in-law's wife.

Tinkery, tinkery, clank
The dish-washer's prank
In my house of rank
and despicable lies

The Kid cries
while the child cheers.
Is all that he does
and all that he was:

Here to spit on my head,
here to burn up my bed;
Blazing blasphemies
with Life, truth and dread?