Kano prism (a tonal drawing written in poetic form)

Kano Prism
(Kano, Nigeria)

there on the ground
is two little boys making one footprint
thick yellow stuff running down from the nose
and the other eye’s bright staring wide in the head
kinky hair dirty carrying native tongue grand
in plastic shoes with imported blues
there quietly stoking a fire burning red
and thinking about begging instead
looking out over this yesterday
making just like he had something to eat

Copyright © 1993 Asili Ya Nadhiri