Dlephu Mthokozisi Simlindile's poem captures a night of deep self-doubt. The speaker feels lost: a frozen clock and a compass with no directions suggest time has stopped and there is nowhere to head. They turn on themselves, asking why they can't answer their own questions and admitting they hate themselves for being unable to love themselves. It's a painful loop.
The image of "hauling a grave" for a giant that has died within them, compared to a miscarriage, points to the loss of something big, perhaps hope, potential or a sense of purpose. Still, the speaker resists giving up. They tell themselves it's a passing phase and refuse to sleep or rest, since rest might mean a final, quiet peace. The odd line about freedom "topped with a cheese" brings a flicker of dark, bitter humour, echoing the opening. The mood is heavy, restless and exhausted, and the short closing line, "One of those nights," makes it feel like something the speaker has lived through before.