What You See Is What You Sweat * Poem by Niki Nicholas Nkuna

Sleeves rolled up
Sweat streaming down my brow
Worry about the inclement weather the last thing on my mind

I want to see my sweat starching the ground
And growing into a castle
I want to surprise the earth and the skies
With dust and smoke

I know that when the mist finally clears
The castle will be there, standing forlornly
My sweat will stream more for other things to materialise
I may not have to pound the ground for them other things to sprout
I may be the hunter, the teacher, the office professional
Or the single star of the myriad sport codes

I will thus come up with a big smile
Heading miscellaneous precious things homeward
The kicking ones and the lame ones, sliding on my sweat
I will tell the onlookers…….
‘What you see is what you sweat! ’

They would turn back and see bare lands
Cold and dry
Worry wearing them thin to a point of nakedness
Missing their oversized wares
They would.. For the stream along the brow
And threw themselves down to beg on their knees or pick a shovel

So many choices to sharpen the weapons or let them be
And stump the igneous rock
And let the pond wet the dry ground
For the sweet oranges and berries to sprout
And sing the wake up clock
‘What you see is what you sweat! ’

So many choices to sharpen the tools
And let the sweat stream along the rhythm of the stone and brow
Eventually the office window will be opened
You will relish the fresh air
That blows your face cooling it to see the sweat on the ground
In all shapes and colours, physical reality
The castle, the Mercedes Benz in the yard next to the green
The Lily flowers, Daffodils and the Dandelions!
The Ferrari in the opened garage!
The BMW X6 just arriving through the magic gate!
‘What you see is what you sweat!

N Nkuna,8 June 2013