I
The entrance to the chapel
has a mosaic on its floor
mosaic means fragmented pieces forming a picture
Mosaic means of Moses
Capitalisation of a letter turns fragments into flesh
II
The Word says
Let us make man in our image
The Word says
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return
III
I met Moshe in August
the month when everything settles
except the dust
August means eighth month
august means respected
Capitalisation of a letter says respect comes with time
IV
I told my fragmented man:
I am not god
I told my fragmented man:
I am not dust
so I want to settle
with you
V
On our wedding day
I found him face-down and shattered on the floor of the chapel
On our wedding day
I held dust in my hands
VI
You cannot say men do not live up to their names
Nkateko Masinga is a 26-year old woman from South Africa. She is a published author, a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, a TEDx Speaker and a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow. Her poetry is published in U.S journal Illuminations and is forthcoming in UK pamphlet press Pyramid Editions in 2018. In 2015, her work was shortlisted for the ‘Respond’ Human Rights Poetry Award 2015/2016, organized by the United Human Rights Student Network. In 2017 she was a finalist for the 4th Crystal Ruth Bell Residency in Beijing, China.