Mrs. Keru’s Sunday

by Nadia Maddy

The stillness of Sunday

smothers my light-heartedness.

One helper drifts in, for half a day.

Neighbours’ doors locked-tight.

From the kitchen, the compound yawns hollow.

The desolateness of Sunday deepens.

A deep South evangelist’s voice

Blares through the streets, 

Singing of love and miracles.

My mother mumbles and curses.

Mrs. Keru’s Sunday has begun.

Broken sleep, restless,

The desolateness of Sunday thickens.

The smell of fried eggs and fresh bread

Forces the house to stir.

7 a.m. mass is finished,

8 a.m. mass begins,

9 a.m. mass awaits.

Breakfast determines the church visit.

Hymns drift through windows, infecting our urge to leave. 

The desolateness of Sunday clings.

Grandpa sits, immaculate, at his spread.

Shirt and tie.

Bicycle haircut.

Cufflinks gleam.

Grandma sips her large tea, her plate cleared.

My four aunties’ clothes betray, if they’ve been to mass or will.

The desolateness of Sunday steadies.

Front seat, white leather.

I watch church hats stare me down.

The Yellow Cadillac shimmers in the sun.

Billy Graham’s ‘He died for me’ fades, 

Drowned by freshly starched colourful dresses, 

suits, shiny shoes ambling to

Catholic and Methodist heaven.

My purgatory confusion.

The priest drones, hollow with gloom.

At communion I watch heels and hats bounce,

Humility on display.

I wonder if my wicked soul stands a chance. 

The desolateness of Sunday steadies.

Mrs. Kerus’ house stands. 

symmetrical on the long street.

I wonder how large her waist is, her headwraps colour.

Her secluded husband sits.

She saunters, humming, feeding him.

I sit in the veranda with Billy Graham’s melancholy.

Mundanity will leave my body.

My worthless soul will ignite tomorrow.

The streets will be filled with kerosene calls,

Women cursing men,

Traders banging the gate, 

Neighbours bringing gossip,

Everyone demanding the dog be tied up.

I will laugh again.

Nadia Maddy is a London-based writer and producer of Sierra Leonean descent, renowned for her storytelling that bridges cultures and ignites imaginations. Her work spans novels, documentaries, and screenplays, reflecting a deep commitment to amplifying diverse voices and exploring the transformative power of storytelling.