What A Painful Parting Poem by William Mpina

What a painful parting
After hours and hours of waiting
Followed by hours and hours of hearing
Unrefined songs from minibus touts
Catalyzed by ethanol satchets
Seasoned with 'chingambwe' smoke
Finally, the minibus kicks on
'Farewell boy, say hello to Roy.'
Says a smiling aunt to me
I fork out my arm
Down the road
People, houses, trees whiz past
Vruuuu! beeeeep!
Darkness, darkness at noon
'Farewell soul. say hello to Jesus.'
Says my body
So painful and uncompromising
What a painful parting!


NOTE: chingambwe is a chichewa(local language) word for raw tobacco.