What Does It Do_What Do You Do? Poem by Merlin Mwaura

What does it do?
An Iron box, coiled cable connecting to the
wall,
330 milliliter bottle, half full some beverage
Pure petroleum jelly in some branded tin
Hairy wood, a black brush or broom
Carved wood, a blanket an' sheets
wound tape seal glue, see through.
Smear gel between fingers on head
Clutch a comb, vertical deliver go ahead...
Mirror in Frame, we hold our gaze....
what does it do?
what do they do?

Paper an' pen stationery borne
Books an' bind letters scroll
Table cloth draped, drooping on sides
Key on hold, open inside.
What does it do?
what do they do?

Questions and answers
Kisses and cancer
Slippers an' pampers
Bullets and rubber.

Cigarettes and burgers
burglar and alarms
secrets an' power,
rivers an' showers.
Nuclear and new year...!
What does it do?
what do they do?

What does it do?
Ask yourself what do all this things do
are they made that we may find something
to do,
are we so helpless to do without what this things do?
If so, then surely what do we do?
If all this things do everything,
what do you do?