The Questions They Ask You

By Linda Nabasa

when they ask you to step outside
and turn around,
when they ask you to step aside
for a few questions,
when they ask for any form of identification
and still ask you to prove if it’s really you,
when their cameras are off
and there is no one on the street,
don’t be terrified
they may kill the black man
ending who he was
and who he would have become
but don’t be afraid
for that is not your potion in life.

Linda Nabasa, is a performing artist in Kampala Uganda. A poet, playwright, actress and theatre producer. She believes that poetry has the power to not only heal hearts but also change mindsets. She has performed in Rwanda, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Germany and Croatia.