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.