Saturday Poem by Niki Nicholas Nkuna

Saturday, my special day across weeks, months and years,
All seasons and weathers, my special Saturday
Remains steady, unshaken by nothing other than the special Christmas-like excitement in the atmosphere
The excitement always so short and sweet
I use to run against it forever trying to outstrip it
In my quest to satiate my special wants in a short time

It normally changes gears midday
When sports and other social events kick in,
I would be at a loss to choose which events to attend,
Funeral events are usual occasions,
Which sometimes take a chunk of the morning with morning
Even there the atmosphere is the usual one for my special Saturday
Throngs of people dressed to the nines,
They would move from event to event
In the same attire if you will and suited the occasion
One feels the excitement even in morning
Most of the time I will be caught in the midst of it all,
Agape with horror of the midday clock!
Haplessly wishing if I could turn it back

I normally start slow, carefree,
Taking in the special Saturday morning atmosphere
Suddenly overwhelmed by the freedom to be free
Free from any restriction of dress decorum
A sore spectre my dress sense was to my wife
Come my special Saturday she wouldn’t dare to comment
As if she knew what the word liberty means

Throngs and throngs of shoppers would overwhelm
Shopping malls with merry making
Window shopping, shopping and eating in the restaurants
Me and my family would partake in the melee and do it the Romans way
Walking from shop to shop, buying, and arguing
About what is beautiful and what is not
At the same time assuring the shop keepers
That their merchandise is out of this world!
My spirits would often be dampened by the load of merchandise
Which my wife would keep on piling on my muscularity
Thus my fashion comments were cut to silence
Breathless to utter anything for or against the degradation of the load

My wife’s love for clothing outrageously uncontrollable!
She would make us walk the whole morning to midday
Counting the shops in view,
Only to have a respite in a restaurant to buy something to eat,
Sitting in the restaurant on a Saturday morning,
Eating our favourite meal was enjoyable
The carefree spiced by the end of foot stamping from shop to shop
With goodies, pushing and bumping other goodies on the way,
Itching to get home and enjoy the rest of the day
Ouch! Another spoiler, my wife complaining about her sore feet!

N Nkuna,30 March 2013