“Rose Water” by Kate Hampton

Soft on my face
Pretty flower:
A rose by its own name
Has never smelt oh so sweet Oh
Rose without thorns
With your sweet water
Prick me.

Kate Hampton (@katechampton) is an editor at Kwani Trust and Jalada, and a writer of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Her work has appeared, or is forthcoming, in The East African, The Chimurenga Chronic, ESC 5, Kwani? 07, Kwani? 08, Bakwa 6 and Jalada.