(after e. e. cummings)
the girls i mean are not resigned
they believe in things they’ve never seen
they refuse to be deaf / or dumb / or blind
or accept that’s how it’s always been
they grow their hair / they ink their skin
they scream hate is the only sin
they ditch their shifts / quit nine to fives
the boys i mean are not resigned
the girls i mean are not resigned
they write and sing and laugh and grieve
they scoff at Money / sneer at Time
they know all that shit is make believe
the presidents quake in their boots
the ministers are terrified /
the tree is rotten stem to root
and the girls i mean are not resigned
the bishops bluster / priests and deans
threaten curses from the lord
to no avail / the boys i mean
do not believe in gods
Alvin Kathembe is a writer from Nairobi, Kenya. His poetry has been featured in Dust Poetry Magazine, The Short Story Foundation Journal, Poetry Potion, and other publications. His short stories have been published in Jalada, Omenana, Brittle Paper and Equipoise, available on Kindle. Find him on Twitter @SofaPhilosopher, and on Medium.
