Photography © Glenn Bowie

Roles-Reversed

Papa please don’t leave the house
Not for walk around the block.
Lickspittle! This ain’t no jail-house!
Coughs are locks you best believe.

Grab me ma keys child,
Gonna see miss Mae down the drive.
If you wanna see eighty you best a-bide.
Sit down pa, close that door.

One more step and I’ll tie you down
Bind your arms, and your legs too
I’d rather a bruised livin’ pa
Instead ‘a cold buried one.

I’m too old for whippin’ pa
Look outside the window though,
No breathe, no life, no voices pa
‘Cept siren sounds -with masked men.

Hold me papa, hold my fear
With the spirit that got you here
Come child- let’s play some chess
For the knights have never prevailed.

Edith Knight Magak is a Kenyan writer and editor. Prior publication credits include Brittle paper, Flash Fiction Magazine, Urban Ivy, Jalada among others. In 2019 she was longlisted for the commonwealth writers awards. She is currently a contributing interviewer at Africa in dialogue and a member of the African Writers Development Trust.

Glenn Bowie is a published poet, lyricist and photographer from the Boston area. He also owns and operates an elevator company that supplies custom-built elevators for clients from New England to Hollywood. Author of two poetry and photograph collections (Under the Weight of Whispers and Into the Thorns and Honey) on Big Table Publishing, he donates all profits from his books to various charities for the homeless and local animal shelters.