By Olsfred James
Sanae dropped her school bag. She stood tall stretching her scrawny arms above her head.
“You looking ready, girl” Carina acknowledged, between crunches of ice from her Frozen Joy.
“I readying all day. Where is he tho’?” Sanae responded.
“Here he comes!” a boy announced.
From around the corner Jeffrey approached.
“I gon’ wap you” he greeted while jogging in-place. Sanae did not respond.
“It’s late so get on your mark. First around the school yard wins” one of the students rushed.
The two exchanged glances while crouching down at their imaginary starting line.
With a combined cry from the students “Get set. Go!” Sanae sped off, and Jeffrey was close behind.
The cheers from their classmates first grew further then closer and louder with each step. She was still ahead of Jeffrey and knew she could win. Startlingly, a hand brushed her shoulder. It was Jeffrey trying to pull her down.
As they neared the finished line, Jeffrey made another attempt but missed and fell plum on his face. Everyone started laughing and congratulating Sanae for the win. She did not laugh, simply told the soiled, panting boy, “Never doubt me because I am a girl. Now who’s next?”
Olsfred James: “I do not refer to myself as a writer or a poet. I simply like to think of myself as one with words.” James is a Best of Books Promising Writer pick in the 2015 Wadadli Pen Challenge.
Olsfred collects his prizes, sponsored by the Best of Books and the Burt Award, from poet and guest presenter Dotsie Isaac Gellizeau, who released her CD ‘I am Speaking’ earlier this year.
All Rights Reserved. While linking and sharing the links, referencing and excerpting, are okay, lifting content (words, images, other) from the site without asking is not cool. Respect copyright.
Wadadli Pen 