The Burst Balloon
A drunk man burst a child’s balloon
That was the black and white of it that afternoon
Colonialist and patriarch
Contrasting shades of light and dark
Generations lost in space
Fingers pointed, voices raised
Neatly boxed and clearly labelled
Fuses lit to turn the tables
A passer by in chinos and a shiny new electric car
Exercised his privilege to pour oil upon the fire
Meanwhile the bar’s habitués found a new balloon
And quietly sent the drunk man on his way back home
Peace restored, the lesson clear
From Uccle to Matonge we are all God’s Children here
