12 Anxieties for April 12th

By LIESL JOBSON

 

On my side of the glass
POLICEMAN KILLS CAT
are burglar bars
on the other side
“DR DEATH” ACQUITTED
a grille
beyond that
15 KILLED IN TRAIN BLAZE
a high wall
glass shards
BOMB IN PRETORIA HIGH COURT CHAMBERS
protrude underneath
an electric alarmed
PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADMASTER MURDERED AT HOME
fence outside
a bullet-proofed
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR RAPED AND STABBED TO DEATH
vested security
guard protecting
POLICE PARALYSED BY VEHICLE SHORTAGE
my fragile
razor wire gated
MALL COLLAPSE: PLANS NOT APPROVED
community peace
seems a lot
FAMILY DRINKS POISONED WATER
of insecurity
and too much fear
COPS CRUSH BOY SUSPECT’S HEAD
to keep out
seems too much
HUMAN BONES IN POLICE CELL
more anxiety
too much heartache
MAYOR COMMITS SUICIDE
to keep in.

 

 

Liesl Jobson is a writer, photographer, and musician living in Cape Town.

Click here to purchase Issue 04

From the beginning, The Common has brought you transportive writing and exciting new voices. We are committed to supporting writers and maintaining free, unrestricted access to our website, but we can’t do it without you. Become an integral part of our global community of readers and writers by donating today. No amount is too small. Thank you!

12 Anxieties for April 12th

Related Posts

February 2026 Poetry Feature: Fatimah Asghar and Shane Moran

FATIMAH ASGHAR
i cursed the frog / that found its way into / my house. murderous, i laid / poison for the ants. i threw / my moon in the trash. / when he cheated, i wished / him a hall of mirrors. / doomed to endless versions / of him. i prayed they’d undo / each other. & they did. i took / from the earth without permission."

Mountain, Stone

LENA KHALAF TUFFAHA
Do not name your daughters Shaymaa, / courage will march them / into the bullet path of dictators. / Do not name them Sundus, / the garden of paradise calls out to its marigolds, / gathers its green leaves up in its embrace. / Do not name your children Malak or Raneem, / angels want the companionship

Book cover of suddenly we

Poems from suddenly we by Evie Shockley

EVIE SHOCKLEY
one vote begets another / if you make a habit of it. / my mother started taking me / to the polls with her when i / was seven :: small, thrilled / to step in the booth, pull / the drab curtain hush-shut / behind us, & flip the levers / beside each name she pointed / to, the Xs clicking into view. / there, she called the shots / make some noise.