Look Beyond Chobe River
Three poems by Samuel Rubadiri, illustrating social issues in Botswana such as pollution, car accidents, corruption and income inequality
The A1¹ Is
A stretch of strangers
On a tattooed tongue
Overtaking then overtaken
By buses and trucks,
Swallowed and spat.
We share much common ground,
The tread of tyres on the ground —
Driving — it comes with camaraderie,
Trying to arrive despite
The hypnotism of waves of blades
Of golden grass and dabs of thorn trees.
The glare of the sun waters
The road in a mirage
To the weary eyed driver. He sees
The skid marks bleed black
Before the body parts splat
To the tune of dancing glass.
Shattered. Wrecked
Cars rust where cattle graze.
The daydreamer awakes
From his worst nightmare
On this road that rarely bends.
A car wreck rests just off his lane,
Within in his line of vision. “Hell,”
He thinks, “It is a drift away.”
- A1= a highway that runs through Botswana but is also known for fatal traffic accidents
Look Beyond Chobe River
Look onto Chobe River.
See a scarlet sun sink
On the horizon. Silhouettes
Of reeds and birds and trees
And herds of buffalos grazing.
Look onto the boats on Chobe River.
See a marvellous sight
Of tourists as silky haired as sunbeams,
Downing bottles of wine and cider,
Save the few hobby photographers.
Look onto the jetty on Chobe River.
Before the sight of a priceless sunset
At the parking lot where you arrived,
Find popped bottles refracting sunbeams
And squashed cans tarring the dirt road.
Look onto the village near Chobe River,
Neighboured by lodges which charge
More than most ever earn — even in the capital city.
Watch villagers walk at night where
Elephants graze, lions hunt and impala jump.
Look beyond visitor, look beyond Chobe River.
Kasane is rural and flamboyant, dangerously safe,
Hidden to citizens yet open to foreigners.
Kasane is an expat investor’s million-dollar project,
Whose funds barely bless our market.
People come here for our wildlife,
Not our culture and wild lives.
These Northerners only know our North,
Sold off as The Four Corners of Africa,
Which flirt with Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia,
And to these neighbours they go forth:
To follow Livingstone’s memory
At Victoria Falls by helicopter
Or to luxury hotels in Livingstone,
Save the rustic few who escape to Swakopmund.
Altruism?
There is no charity,
At least in this city.
No work is done for honest gain
Without unknown added costs.
Some call them favours,
Others incentives.
To me, it’s an insecure insurance
Policy to motivate workers,
Who will always have a story
Why the work can’t be done,
Without paying for extra labour,
For simple services, like fixing a car.
It goes in for a usual service –
It comes out needing to be re-serviced
Since parts are ‘misplaced’,
When the next mechanic says:
“Boss, these parts installed are faulty.”
Were the two men in collusion?
We can never be certain,
Other than the roaring costs
For a job half-done. I turn in
Loads of notes. Upset, I visit the barber
I tip him, and he tips me off.
His boot is loaded with fine shoes.
“Best name brands at better prices.”
Than the store? But how did he get them?
I buy a pair, but am I in collusion
To the manager looking for walking shoes?
I just wanted my haircut, but the cut
Of prices of these name brand shoes
Sedates the fury of my car in service,
And I make a saving and return
To the crook that downgraded the car.
“Reimburse me on your poor workmanship!”
He looks at me in disbelief:
“Bo rra², with what money?”
The leeching is a means of feeding
The hungry family. Swindling is a means of
Educating the children. As for the money,
“You can afford to make more.”
2. Bo rra: dear sir
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Samuel Rubadiri works as a secondary school teacher in his hometown Gaborone, but when he is not in the classroom, encouraging his students to take up the pen, he writes poems and short stories. Some of them are inspired by his upbringing and feelings towards Botswana, while others explore more universal themes like love and grief. More of his works can be found on his website samuelrubadiri.com . You can also follow him on Instagram @kwaemsam96.
