Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

South Africa,
Media News images - 1990s,
Composites of daily life:
Overflowing morgues,
Rat infestations,
Rigor mortis,
Disrespect for human life,
Squatter families,
Babies birthed in side lane shacks,
Rioting.
Newsprint headlines proclaim,
"Peace" is on its way,
The perpetuated lie.

- Kathleen Katon Tonnesen, 1993

My poem and the painting "Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow" were inspired by my own inability to help stop, or even ameliorate in some small way, the destructive cycle of chaos within my country. I have addressed the images from separate actual news photos into a composite of what was happening on a daily basis: Where the morgues were filled to capacity; there was a huge rat problem; and bodies in rigor mortis were being dumped and bundled into open "bakkies" trucks; where squatter families were living on the streets and babies were being born on the streets; and rioting was prevalent; all the while, newspaper headlines reported peace was forthcoming in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. - Kathleen Katon Tonnesen, 1993.