THE BROKEN LANGUAGE

WHEN YOU LEARN A LANGUAGE AS AN ADULT, WORDS ARE LIKE RAZORS ON YOUR TONGUE. THE SENTENCES YOU SPEAK ARE SO WOUNDED THAT THEY FALL APART WHEN THEY LEAVE YOUR MOUTH.

remember this i well hagos me fight had hagos do run follow i him field of landlord arrive sorghum tall me as clouds sudden come rain see i hagos run here there follow him i find he room to our landlord belong hagos in go to window go i take look high shelves everywhere books big now see i why this room close always no one in come workers told were hagos wet clothes off take on chair put he book lift this book notice i no words has pictures only cry want i never hagos see happy as this when i sudden voice hear degas name is hagos fell book to floor look for his clothes no wait say landlord at book by hagos feet point he on page open is woman like hagos naked see say landlord degas this paint i this painting see in paris i hereafter painter want become and wish i woman habesha paint like her me let eyes of hagos rest on woman in bucket bath landlord hagos hand holding still but say he landlord no girl from here find i who this accept all say no to hagos the landlord say this hagos i teach you paint really no need be literate or speak to draw but if i paint like this you me let hagos down head think landlord hand of hagos go let sorry say he how ask this could i of another man i no do this again hagos landlord hand back grab nod he you me let paint you hagos nod landlord cry i cry i watch hours as landlord hagos paint hagos me think learnt paint how so he me paint see this nude white me is hide me black in skin of Europe us free become think i when hide not art one day hagos paint me as me is black with all wounds

FREE LOVE, FENCED

Saba and Hagos joined a crowd watching a group of men fencing off Eyob’s three huts with thorn bush. Lightning flashed across the dark sky and Saba spotted Jamal on top of the hill. He was surrounded by oil lamps. She could see him clearly.

Next to Jamal, the large white sheet tied to two poles blew in the wind, like a flag of surrender to passion, to that impossible desire that she, as many, were taught to never recognize, let alone express.

Why is he building this fence? asked a man behind Saba. She looked away from Jamal and brought her attention to Eyob’s new fence.

It is not as if we are wild cattle that he needs to keep at bay, said a man, kicking at the fence made of thorn bush with his shoe. Maybe he has a secret to hide.

The brother and sister stood in front of the gate. The workers left. Eyob sat on his chair. Oil lamps lit up the compound, making it look like an oasis of light bathing in a sea of darkness.