‘Dress me In Disobedience,’ my second poetry collection published in 2022, took its maiden trip across the Atlantic Ocean to the Library of Congress, the largest library of the world, with books, films, audio documents, and the largest research arm of the U.S Congress.
Before I sent the copies to the African Studies Bookstore, located at the Uganda Museum in Kampala, with gratitude for the support, I leafed through each of the pages to ensure that they were in mint condition. Apart from home, there are several team members that have copies of the book, and sell to willing buyers whenever the occasion arises.
On leafing through the pages, smelling the now faded scent of newly printed books, the musk of dust and ink, which sends an alluring and unforgettable intoxicating feeling, I found a smashed cockroach in between the pages of the poem,’ Dress me In Disobedience.’
I do not know the significance of the smashed cockroach or if I am reading too much into it, that it lay flat, motionless and incapable of causing fright, in between the pages of this particular poem.
Am I too flick it off and send it along with the other copies, or shall I just keep it aside and research into the movements of cockroaches in libraries?
I choose to set it aside, not for further potential research but to save the reputation of my poetry and of Uganda’s literary establishment.
Did I mention that the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, audios, films, photographs and manuscripts?
I wonder how many other cockroaches lie between the pages of my life and my dreams, smashed, dead, without my knowledge? Have I become too familiar with where I stash my dreams, ideas and friendships that cockroaches have laid there for so long and are now dead?
This is the day of my revival. Back to the full realization, manifestation and fulfillment of my dreams that I have stashed for so long.
Great day!
Bev
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