KEEP OFF THE GRASS by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali

The grass is a green mat 

trimmed with gladioli 

red like flames in a furnace. 

The park bench, hallowed, 

holds the loiterer listening 

to the chant of the fountain 

showering holy water on a congregation of pigeons.

Keep off the grass, 

Dogs not under leash forbidden.

Then madam walks her Pekinese, 

bathed and powdered and perfumed. 

He sniffs at the face of the 'Keep Off' 

sign with a nose as cold as frozen fish 

and salutes it with a hind paw 

leaving it weeping in anger and shame.