Two girls and water
2021, Senior, Poetry & Spoken Word
Golden sun slips through her curtains.
Groggy eyes slowly open as she rolls to grab the cup.
One sip, two sips, three sips.
Her overnight thirst is quenched.
Dawn.
Cracked lips, dry tongue aching for water.
Little Abdul is crying.
She grabs the bucket and heads out.
Her favourite flip flops arrive to the bathroom.
Lukewarm water sweeps away her fatigue,
Exfoliant, rose mist spray, hydration cream to follow.
Tattered sandals marked with thousands of hours of voyage.
Beneath a lonely moon, across the withered soil
To the desolate tap.
School starts in a frenzy.
Her latte’s bittersweet aroma skims to and fro
She grabs it and sips delightfully.
Liquid flows from the tap mouth.
The bucket is too heavy for her frail being.
Alleviated, she laps some water hungrily.
Distant footsteps are already arriving—
Soon, everyone will line up
Behind this one, desolate tap.
Squeals and laughter as the volleyball soars in the air
They pour water into their shirts and down their mouths
To relinquish all that was lost.
One step, ten steps, one thousand steps.
She empties the bucket into their water container.
Little Abdul waves as she sets off once more.
The end-of-day bell dings itself five times.
She takes a drink and snacks on pastries
Before delving into a world of chemistry and mathematics.
Across the barren, cracked land
Past appealing puddles
Yet the preceding pain restrained her lips.
The creek is venomous
And temporary relinquishments are costly
Or at least Aaliyah’s corpse said so.
She closes her books and follows the fragrance down to the table.
Roast beef and fresh juices for dinner—
They eat, fulfilled and joyous.
Back to the tap
Except it is desolate no more
But instead is the carrier of hope
for ones just like her.
She stands behind dozens of heads.
The bustling day has come to an end
She steps merrily into the hot tub
The steamy water will sure fuel an ethereal dream.
She twists the tap and water flows out
Impatient slurs sound behind her
Hurriedly, she turns off the tap and walks away
Her sore yet determined back carries the water
Like precious diamonds, a paragon of gems
Nothing else compares.