Hostility

Tuesday, October 3, 1995

A

You walk into uni

faced with angry posters

calling on subdued students to rally.

"No fees for degrees

in overcrowded

underfunded universities."

"Fees are bad for all

— worse for women."

In the lift

— packed to capacity —

no one is smiling.

You jerk as someone steps on you.

You are suffocating.

You drop off those books

and go back down again.

Same story with the lift.

You can't wait to go out.

You grab something to eat.

(Where have those benches gone?)

You get into the train station.

You shoulder your way to the platform.

Sitting is out of the question.

You were lucky to find a place to stand.

You munch depressedly.

Thinking about the train services

that are crumbling down.

Along with the universities.

Along with just about everything else.

And you haven't seen anything yet.

B

I need to take refuge in your arms.

To melt in the sea of our love-making.

Give me this antidote to the ever-increasing hostility!

... Afrodity Giannakis

From GLW issue 205