OF POETS AND HIPPOS Poem by Albert Nyathi

You have yawning hippos
And terrified poets
And slippery roads
And unsympathizing tyres
And swerving swaying vehicles
It's been raining here
Omekongo says
Tumi says, there is no coverage, shame
And Yamita says
But hippos don't need cellphones

Today mud will define our fate
If those black rhinos
Decide to block our way
At Tala Game Park

Miserable poets
Terrified wordsmiths
Tortured by mud and hippos
Poor poets