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He came down Broad Street
ninety degrees temperature
humidity eighty
he was sweating
sweating profusely
but
he wore a grey flannel suit
a three-piece flannel suit
vest
coat
and pants
all evidence of his civilisation
on his head sat a hat
you could see
he was hot
but he could not wear
his loose
cool shirt
made of thin-out cotton
he could not wear the dress
suitable for his oven-hot climate
no
not at this time
this place
he was going for an interview
he had to wear his civilisation
on his back
on his head
and on his arse
he was civilised
his dress showed it
at the intersection of Broad and Center Streets
he met a strangely garbed man
resplendent in his colourful robe
the stranger said
he was from Ashanti
the other fellow
our European-dressed friend
speaking in muffled words
like the talk of the dumb
accused the stranger of plotting
to turn Liberia into the Jungle City
"Your costume is too bright"
he grunted
"Your hair too thick
not brushed
your pants
which look like
stringed together ropes
are like the Liberian zebra."
the stranger slowly turned
and in a polite
gentle smile
retorted in a brilliant Oxford accent:
"Pardon sir
could you show me where the library is
I'd like also to know where the museum is
you see
sir
I'm a visitor
I'd also like to spend the night
at the theatre."
and when our European-dressed friend
turned to leave
the stranger pled:
"one moment
sir
where is the city park?"
Our civilisation coated friend
stirred in confusion
in utter amazement
he had not heard of these things before
a brief moment of thought dragged itself out
he recollected himself and said:
"The library you'll find
at every street corner
it has signs
they say
DO NOT ORDER YOUR DRINKS UNTIL YOU ASK THE PRICE
oh yes
the bartenders are out to cheat
as for the park
each street is a park
you have to be careful for the traffic
bonds for motor accidents come quite cheaply
a dollar and fifty cents only"
after much thought
"you're in the theatre district already"
the poor stranger crunched his teeth
tightened his body muscles
fluids flowing instantaneously
fortified to receive the shock
"Over yonder is playing COWBOYS AND INDIANS
here
WHAT'S DOING PUSSYCAT?
the corner theatre has SPARTACUS' GREAT DEEDS."
"I see my friend"
the quiet stranger said
"I think I've just decided
I'll pass the night
in my room
reading Wole Soyinka
thanks anyway
Ol' boy."
Nov. 13, 1966 (Fiama, Monrovia) |
Typescript
Khasu, Kona. “Our Man on Broad Street.” The Seeds of Time: A Collection of Poems. Mimeographed typescript. Monrovia, 1971. 17–21.
Printed Versions
(A) Khasu, Kona. "Our Man in Broad Street." Conversations with African Writers: Interviews with Twenty-Six African Authors. Ed. Lee Nichols. Washington, D.C.: Voice of America, 1981. 95–98.
(B) Khasu, Kona. "Our Man in Broad Street." Black and African Writing: A Festac Anthology. Ed. Theo Vincent. Lagos: Center for Black and African Arts and Civilization National Theatre, 1981. 149–151.
(C) Khasu, Kona. "Our Man in Broad Street." A Selection of African Poetry. Eds. Kojo E. Senanu and Theo Vincent. Rev. ed. London: Longman, 1988. 296–298.
Editorial Changes
| Line | Typescript | (A) | (B) | (C) | Adopted |
| 12 | all evidence of his civilisation | all evidence of his civilisation | all evidence of his civilization | all evidence of his civilization | all evidence of his civilisation |
| 25 | he had to wear his civilisation | he had to wear his civilisation | he had to wear his civilization | he had to wear his civilization | he had to wear his civilisation |
| 29 | on his asrse | on his arse | on his arse | on his arse | on his arse |
| 30 | he was civilised | he was civilized | he was civilised | he was civilised | he was civilised |
| 32 | at the intersection of Broad and Center Streets | at the intersection of Broad and Center Streets | at the intersection of Broad and Centre Streets | at the intersection of Broad and Centre Streets | at the intersection of Broad and Center Streets |
| 40 | like the talk of the dumb | like the talk of the dumb | like the talk of the dum | like the talk of the drum | like the talk of the dumb |
| 43 | "Your costume are too bright" | "Your costume are too bright" | "Your costume is too bright" | "Your costume is too bright" | "Your costume is too bright" |
| 45 | "Your hair too thick | --- | "Your hair too thick | "Your hair too thick | "Your hair too thick |
| 46 | not brushed | --- | not brushed | not brushed | not brushed |
| 47 | your pants | "your pants | your pants | your pants | your pants |
| 50 | are like the Liberian zebra." | are like the Liberian zebra." | are like the Liberian zebra". | are like the Liberian zebra". | are like the Liberian zebra." |
| 62 | at the theatre." | at the theatre." | at the theatre". | at the theatre". | at the theatre." |
| 65 | the stranger pled: | the stranger pled: | the stranger pleaded: | the stranger pleaded: | the stranger pled: |
| 69 | Our civilisation coated friend | Our civilisation coated friend | Our civilization coated friend | Our civilization coated friend | Our civilisation coated friend |
| 71 | in amazement | in amazement | in utter amazement | in utter amazement | in utter amazement |
| 82 | as for the park | as for the park | as for the park each | as for the park each | as for the park |
| 83 | each street is a part | each street is a park | street is a park | street is a park | each street is a park |
| 84 | you have to be careful for the traffic | you have to be careful for the traffic | be careful for the traffic | be careful for the traffic | you have to be careful for the traffic |
| 86 | only a dollar and fifty cents | only a dollar and fifty cents | a dollar and fifty cents only" | a dollar and fifty cents only" | a dollar and fifty cents only" |
| 88 | you're in the theatre district already" | "you're in the theatre district already" | "you're in the theatre district already" | "you're in the theatre district already" | "you're in the theatre district already" |
| 89 | the poor stranger crinched his teeth | the poor stranger crinched his teeth | the poor stranger crunched his teeth | the poor stranger crunched his teeth | the poor stranger crunched his teeth |
| 96 | the corner theatre has SPARTACUS' GREAT DEEDS." | the corner theatre has SPARTACUS' GREAT DEEDS." | the corner theatre has SPARTACUS' GREAT DEEDS". | the corner theatre has SPARTACUS' GREAT DEEDS". | the corner theatre has SPARTACUS' GREAT DEEDS." |
| 104 | Ol' boy." | Ol' boy." | Ol' boy". | Ol' boy". | Ol' boy." |
|
Nov. 13, 1966 |
--- | --- | --- | Nov. 13, 1966 | |
| (Fiama, Monrovia) | --- | --- | --- | (Fiama, Monrovia) |
