Palm tees blowing in the wind
The last bits of sunlight hitting the new pump
Neighbors come to say hello
How the day? Alright oh
Where Love at? She went to her frien’ house
Motorbike driver comes by, drops someone off, and picks his nose
A boy is scolded for throwing a rock on my porch
The mechanics at the car garage chatter from underneath the hoods
Ladies walk by in their African suits going to or coming from church
They wave to one of the mechanics and stop at the top of the hill to chat
I read a book about poor children and the education system in NYC
The drying clothes swing in the wind
The clouds roll in again, marking the end of our relief from the rain
I think about work tomorrow and all that needs to get done this week
The family behind me turns on their generator and a Sunday evening movie
A boy tries to fix the hole in his bucket
Caroline, the little girl next door, draws me a picture with the crayons I brought
We share a banana
Young men stroll with their headsets plugged in to their cell phones
Love stops by to chat and tells me how her mother died of Malaria during World War 3
Little girls sit on my front porch, speak in Kpelle, and stare at me
I find out that the car mechanics are Mandingo, which explains why they are working on Sunday
I get a mosquito bite…time to go inside.
Liberia. 2011.
Amy Deal 