a year ago,
a day in june ended
1.59 milliseconds
too early,
the shortest day
ever recorded.
we begrudgingly forgave
the interning angel
who made the error
and life went on.
today i bring it up
in a prayer-turned
-argument
where i demand
my 1.59 mil
-liseconds
back.
i am not willing to forgive
any more glitches from above
& i suspect that this year
there would not be wars
coinciding with world tours
& the earth would not have quaked
& tarmac would not have cracked
& snow would not have fallen
where it does not usually quake
where it does not usually crack
where it does not usually fall
if that angel in training
had paid attention that day
& not pulled the plug
1.59 milliseconds too early
Nkateko Masinga is an award-winning South African writer. Her poetry has been translated into French, Bengali and Tamil.