Search

In: Anthology

When They Ask What My Name Means – Gloria Kiconco

 

a placeholder until I return                                                         I don’t remember

 

a theory I’m testing for practicality                                              who named me it’s

 

a way to keep existence from coming into existence                     a name so common

 

a chemical component                                                               you could pull it out

 

undercoating so I don’t crack on the surface                                of a crowd. at home

 

dilapidated buildings in Kikuubo                                       it is not at all special

 

a hammer pulled back for precision                                            except when it is

 

solitary confinement in Kyebando                                              mine and only my

 

a middle finger pulled on Colfax Ave                                          mother keeps it

 

an oath                                                                                     on her tongue. it

 

pre-big bang conditions                                                   means gift or talent

 

an impressionist oasis                                                                I’m not sure. the

 

stroke mark in a dystopian painting of a picnic                   translation is so

 

a hallucination. a queer delusion                                        easily lost, like so

 

an obsession with the smell of paper                                           many maiden names

 

a life vest. a swallowing wave.                                            this side of patriarchy


Gloria Kiconco is a 27-year-old, female, Ugandan poet, essayist, and zine-maker based in Kampala. Her poetry has been published by Brittle Paper, Lawino, Sooo Many Stories, and FEMRITE. Her personal essays have appeared in The Forager Magazine, Doppiozero’s Why Africa?, Writivism, and adda. She was a correspondent for Commonwealth Writers (2015/16). In 2016, Gloria premiered SOLD OUT, her poetry zine project at LaBa! Arts Festival. She is currently serving on the editorial team for START Journal of Arts. Gloria performs poetry regularly around Kampala. You can follow her work at otherandelse.wordpress.com.