CHARLES THE SERIOUS

Charles was a serious Kenyan
he was not intentionally bad
neither was he necessarily good
of course he loved his beer at Rhoda's place
but he would never turn away a beggar at his door
he never bothered with friendships
so he made no enemies
ten shoes he had
strenously collected from the markets of Gikomba
to suit the styles of Milan's spring collections
one of them he called a camper
though it had been nibbled by a mouse
another he called a loafer
though it closely resembled a small shovel
his head he scratched
to keep plans awake
his eyes visions they bore
to make him blind to all around
that he crossed Haile Selassie without looking
and a matatu slammed into him
leaving behind a Charles The Serious Kenyan stain on the road