Malawian Cafe

It's a mud-built cafe
on the dusty corner
of a village alley.

Dark inside and cool
despite the day's hot sun,
lively with laughter
and warm conversation.

The menu is simple:
bean stew and nsima*;
chicken with rice;
Coca Cola, Fanta
and Carlsberg greens.

The walls are covered
with postcards
of its namesake
The Ritz.


Previously published on the Camel Saloon.


* nsima is a thick maize porridge. 

Yesterday I posted Papayas and Lemons, another poem about Malawi, on my Crafty Green Poet blog. You can read it here.