I’m possessed by the till
Processing person
After person
Next in line!
My simple, but
Productive refrain.
Once, I was a teacher
Carving English words for
The tongues of bemused
Often confused
But unfazed
Ndaus of Rusitu Valley.
Now, here, countries away,
I have glued my soul
To the quivering spirit
Of the checkout till:
Two grinning customers
per minute
As I blow off questions like dust,
Yet smiling like I’m employee of the month:
Where’re you from?
You’re from Nigeria, aren’t you?
Do I detect an accent?
You’ve a beautiful voice!
At five o’clock,
I punch out,
With a flash of Gerber cans
Added to the giggles
Of my new-born son,
Propelling me
To my apartment.
Five more days
And I will start answering
Those Zimbabwe calls.
Emmanuel Sigauke, founder and editor of Munyori Literary Journal, is the author of Mukoma’s Marriage and Other Stories, a finalist for the 2015 NAMA Awards in Zimbabwe, and Forever Let Me Go, a poetry collection. He is also co-editor of the collections Roses for Betty and Other Stories, and Sundown and Other Stories, as well as the African Roar Series. Sigauke teaches writing at Cosumnes River College and is at work on his second poetry collection and a novel.