Meticulous the Gardener by Tawona Ganyamatopé Sitholé
that plant is a weed
meticulous the gardener
decides with no hesitation
growing where it shouldn’t
so of kukosha
having none
so here come
necessary tools for necessary
hacking
hacking
digging
digging
that plant
of a thriving population
born of wind pollination
grounded such thing
earthed by totem being
a weed for weeding
and to do it properly
have to pull from the roots
and that’s the land cleared
this plant is a plant
meticulous the gardener
knows with no investigation
growing there it should
and of kukosha
having tonnes
so here come
necessary tools for necessary
tending
tending
fencing
fencing
this plant
of promising signs
born of meticulous design
founded such thing
birthed by human being
a plant for planting
and to do it properly
have to pool from the youth
and that’s the land developed
this plant that is rooted not in soil
this plant that stems not from seed
this plant that branches not for light
this seedling that is not a sibling
of scattered fellow earthlings
although raw materials will be ripening as it grows
so is this then what develop meant
this plant that does not dance in the wind
this plant that does not drink in the rain
this plant that does not eat in the sun
this plant that does not
catch brushstrokes of the seasons
although raw materials will be ripening as it grows
so is this then what develop meant
this plant that is not
a free and open source
no nourish flourish lively lush
just fizzy dizzy busy buzz
of worker drones
striving in dependence of this growth
expansionextensionextensionexpansion
expansionextensionextensionexpansion
playing on repeat
like songs
mighty mighty songs
of revolution
with a dreamy melody
sung from lips not from heart
by growth wishers shedding skin
for eeky strangers within
haplessly knocking shins
in a graceless jig
going
villainvictimvillainvictim
villainvictimvillainvictim
in this graceless jig
the day is done
meticulous the gardener
declares with no reservation
after an industrious time
a’counting ripe materials
and of kukosha
who can say
earth is earth
nature is nature
a plant is a plant
hmmm
a human being is something else
