the sisters’ voices rise and fall
Not deciphering the words,
I still hear a lot
Their stories
words in liquid bursts
and velvet licks
laughter erupting in near shrieks
I plead
“Please use English for the jokes”
Their eyes flicker
but still Luganda
Their mother enters
frowns,
“Use English!”
The quick tongued sisters
just laugh
Author Bio:
Kathy French has been a lover of words and rhythms all of her life, so reading and writing poetry comes naturally. Recently she retired after many years of teaching and raising children. She has spent time in Uganda, the source of these poems. Kathy roams the Western states finding great satisfaction in her adventures with people, animals, and the wilderness.