1976

I was fifteen years old I was scared I was at the back of a crowd of schoolchildren turning I heard tyres screaming I could see smoke, hear cracks I could hear noise, see confusion I comprehended open-mouthed children charging at me screaming something I turned I ran Fear snagged my breath Chest exploding with ragged heat Wildly glancing for safety here and there Till the Pick n Pay as if by magic appears Just through the door past grasping hands Then they slammed and barred it, you understand So safe inside Outside the hammering on the door and the shouting took forever to subside Milk, I bought milk I accepted the landscape as familiar Lied to myself that everything was still similar E'en though I struggled to move on from what I learned that day That we were never as important as what was inside the Pick n Pay SP #June76 #YouthMonth2020

I was fifteen years old I was scared I was at the back of a crowd of schoolchildren turning I heard tyres screaming I could see smoke, hear cracks I could hear noise, see confusion I comprehended open-mouthed children charging at me screaming something I turned I ran Fear snagged my breath Chest exploding with ragged heat Wildly glancing for safety here and there Till the Pick n Pay as if by magic appears Just through the door past grasping hands Then they slammed and barred it, you understand So safe inside Outside the hammering on the door and the shouting took forever to subside Milk, I bought milk I accepted the landscape as familiar Lied to myself that everything was still similar E'en though I struggled to move on from what I learned that day That we were never as important as what was inside the Pick n Pay SP #June76 #YouthMonth2020