CONFESSIONS: TRUTH HURTS by Thandeka Gonde

So many words,
Yet no truth in them
So much truth
Not loud enough for a soul to hear
So many things I should have said
But I refrained
I opened my mouth to speak
But the truth choked me
And words were wedged in my throat

I shut my mouth to hold back words untrue
But in impulse they did tumble out
All the things I never mearnt to
Shrill and absolute have I said
All what I said was, is not in the least
All what I mentioned not, is and has been
In senseless defense I uttered words of vanity
With words of sham I charted my course
And made approved what was not

My heart laments the deceit in my words
and in repentance I make known
Truths that lay shrouded in the depths of my soul
By layer upon layer of secrets and lies
and hatchets concealed in intution
With the motive to shield
The truth that could wound those I cherish
Yet  it would set me free
Hence I will hold back no more

SENTIMENTS OF A LONELY HEART by Cecil Gumbi

An undefined hole
A deep meaningless soul
I look at a stranger in this pool
This pool of an all too familiar dream
A dream of that Companion’s rule
Rule over me creature of eve
Torture me with that confusing whip
That scratches an itch a cant reach alone


My lonely heart sings
In black tones that the audience see
That causes stars to collide
Vision dissolves and evaporates in this sunshine
A heart in this desert without shade
I’m a hole though I know the one for whom I thirst
I dream for that creature of eve
Torture one with that pleasing whip
This deafening noise of the heart makes too much sense to me.

(c) Cecil Gumbi

WHAT PEACE? by Thandeka Gonde

All the things I've seen and heard
All the things I've perceived and felt
All the things that are
That I wish were not
But my wishes will not make them not
Do wishes come true?

All the pain I kept inside
All the silence I held onto
When I would have said so much
All the words I held back
As though I held my peace
For, what peace is there?
When there is so much to be said
That remains unsaid

(c) Thandeka Gonde 2009

He Is Here And I'm Not With Him by Mgcini Nyoni

Image - lauracohenphotography.com

 
He misses her
the love of his life
But he is here
and I am not with him
How could he be
When his heart
aches for her
She is away
But with him
In his thoughts
and in his heart
It’s me he married
For the baby he did it
honourable man
I think of letting him go
free him
Let him fly to his soul mate
But then
A slice of a great man
Is better
than a loaf
of an average man
This is the burden
I will always carry
Knowing
He will always be here
But I will never be with him.

POSITIVE'S THE LOSER 1 by Melissa S Nkomo

Positive's always overidden by negative
Beauty never lasts
Pleasure is momentary
Why should love be everlasting?
If it be positive, it sure does sour;
for it exists not in a vacuum

Dawn proceeds - lighting the world
Birds wake to celebrate
Praising the rise of yet another day
And at the melody - the bright sunshine smiles on,
warming the world.
Dew drops - flower buds pop open
Colouring the world. Light, music, warmth and colour
Is it not all beauty
But such becomes too much for the negative force
And darkness hastily shades everything

Does not the kangaroo keep her joey
safe and warm in her pocket?
Does not the gull feed her chicks from the nest?
Does not the cheetah show her cubs how to hunt?
Does not the zebra foal lean on his mother to balance the wobbly legs?
What but undying love could such gestures be called?
But close by - lingers the negative force
Death in the hands of an enemy for the young cub
Death - to blight all the affection
Love exists not in a vacuum
And so never lasts.

IN GOD'S PRESENCE by Mgcini Nyoni

I am too imperfect

to stand in thy presence

I don't have any right

to question thy ways

your will goes

But sometimes

I shake my heard in frustration

and aske why?

I am too much of a sinner

to understand how

you do things

But sometimes  I ask
why didn't it go this way
or that way
My way
What do i know about
I only wait for your guidence
Which i know won't
lead me astray
But sometimes
lost and confused
I ask
where is the damn guidence?
I understand why I don't have
a mountain of bread
But surely a few crumbs
won't do me harm
Sometimes it's all I ask for
In frustration
I sometimes say
Where are the damn crumbs?
But then what do I know
about life
bread
and crumbs?

*YOUR R£SPONSIBILTY* by Cleopatra Dube

You promised to be there,take care of my every
need,i have a need to be hugged and held so tight its a physical pain to breath.
You would provide for me you said,i hunger for all that i know you take for granted,feed my soul.

Everything hugs my body like a second skin,most of it is gone torn,proof of how many years have gone by,clothe the body that is at war with the soul.

The children of the cloud have no mercy on my tired body,constantly i am washed clean and reborn to the world.Mostly i face the earth as a creature belonging to the sea instead of the land,even the wind laughs at me as she carrys me left right and center.Shelter just my head under your wing,dont let them get a glimpse of my nakedess.

Can't you see that you neglect me!Who else will take me in if you close your eyes like you didnt see me right now walking beside you.You are my mother,my brother,sister,friend granparent but i glare into your eyes as an enermy ready for battle.Thats my life daily nothing else makes sense except the pile of rubbish that puts a smile on my face for an impending Christmas.

You and i fight for the street but you dont belong here,you go to your warm bed tonight after spending the day trampling all over mine,then you wake me up too early for my growing bones as you dash past me,treating me like the scum of the city.

Why do you neglect me?I am still your responsibilty.Isnt that the spirit of UBUNTU?Its you who says SISONK£.

I Can Forget About You by Pentecost Mate

Image - entertainment.ezinemark.com

Inspired by Lloyd Rodson’s ME LIPS KAARN GETA STIFFY

I can forget about you if you get rid of your booty butt

your oversize night shift night duty butt

your bouncy butt

your bubbly butt

your busy butt your nightclubbing butt

your swinging swimming butt

your butty butt swishing

your blue-nickered butt

your houseboat butt

your badge bodice butt

your boastful butt in a

let’s - sit butt and screw butt moment

let’s bump and bump till we….

till the butt…till it…

your butt on my pillow butt

your manager’s special butt

your unity government butt

your batty butt buttered with buttercup margarine

your let’s meet in town butt when? Tomorrow

your South African Rand versus the US$

your real butt; your spacious – overdose butt

your stupid idiot butt silly selfless selfish butt

your umh! Ah! Butt

your teacher pupil butt sitting writing on the chalkboard

your butt on your sofa watching TV

your newsful butt of Botswana dancing bold butts

your Bollywood naked butt. Your Swati reed dance butt

your boiling on a paraffin stove butt because there

is no electricity in town

your bathroom sexy, sensuous, silk

silver-screen, silhouetted, silicon butt

your movie of the week

sister hood sister-in-law singing butt

your single parent, divorced butt

your widowed butt weaned from sex

your sizzling six fold clapping butt

THE BOSSES by Tendai Nhema

We live in the Eastern Suburbs
With each of us owning
More than one mansion
We drive posh cars
And own factories
Money is not a problem
We live luxury

The Western inhabitants
Are our slaves
They work for us
In the scorching sun
Yet we pay them peanuts
They hardly manage to live
But we want them at work
Because they maintain our happiness

We treat them as we please
And give them no time to rest
They strive and starve
From morning to dusk
Tired and hungry they
Drag themselves to their lodgings
While us – the top class
Drive ourselves to our triple stories
We enjoy and they suffer
They have no choice
Because
We are the bosses

© Tendai Nhema 2009

AFTER PARTY by Mgcini Nyoni

After the war on HIV
is finally over
After Sudan
Palestine…have seized to become war zones
After the homeless
have been sheltered
and fed
After there is
total freedom of speech
and expression
After every person
every country
no matter how small and weak
determines it’s own destiny
After the need
for nuclear weapons
is long past
After hills
caves
and mountainsides
seize to harbor terrorists
determined to shed blood and kill
for various bogus causes
After rape
murder
and robbery
are only referred to
in history texts.

© mgcini nyoni 2009

SONNET OF THE HUNGRY by Pentecost Mate

The political program was not right
Poor people pouted, but were pounded hard
And were too hungry to put up a fight
But were brave to lament over their dream marred
Painfully, months witnessed their falling tears
As boarded country buses in town
And almost biting each other’s ears
Much to the delight of one with the crown
Who sat and ate all the pie in the house
While the rest pushed for the crumbs on the floor
Like desperate, but resolute mouse
Eyeing
Watching
Gnawing – ready to glow
Coherent cries kept them coming to queues
From Cape to Kadoma to brew their cures

© Pentecost Mathe 2009

The Dam Of Tears That Romeo Built by Mgcini Nyoni

Its him
Romeo
His girlfriend
from six months ago
who is pregnant
His girlfriend
from two months ago
In his cabin
His phone is off
He missed his date
with his girl
from three months ago.
They are all crying
because the girlfriend
from six months ago
the one who is pregnant
Said something
About THE NEW START CENTRE

How black is the blackest black by Crispen Ndlovu

Why is black black?
Why is black associated with death?
Why is black the last journey from earth?
Why should black be the symbol of a curse?
Why should black be deadliest snake?
Are we the blackest black?
How black is black Sunday?
How black is black listed?
How black is black market?
How black is black mamba?
How black is black widow?
How black is black magic?
How black is the black devil ?
How black is the black temple?
How black is the blackest black man?
How white is white snow?
How white is the white white wedding?
How white is the white collar?
How white is the white milk?
How white is the whitest white man?

Are we the black and cursed?
Are we the closest to the devil?
Are we the bearers of the curse of Ham?
Are we the prodigal sons?
Are we the worser half of light?
Are we born for slavery?
Are we born to be misgoverned?
Are we born for dictactorship?
Are we born for violence?
How blackest is the black?

BEAUTIFUL WOMEM by Proud Moyo

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

Meditation and disciplining
Combine practical ‘hows’
With thoughtful ‘whys’
As they rapture in excitement
So does the beautiful women

Their beauty does not come
From the outside only
But combine both outside and inside
To make their faces glow and glitter
With beauty even in times of trouble

Commitment and dignity makes them
Enjoy to love and be loved
Gives them hope to face any challenges
Hope to fulfil their dreams and ambitions
As their hearts are peaceful

They have no time for gossip
And eavesdropping
Materialism like most
To the extent of selling their beautiful bodies
But they have time only
To accomplish their mission
As beautiful women.

THE TOWN CRIER by Fortunate Nyahwema

THE TOWN CRIER

Here arrives the town crier
With interesting tales to tell
News from near and far
Stories true and false
New and old
The menu list is brought to the table
Before meal starts to enable
Tragedies
Romance
Comedies
To be discussed at length
Some spiced up by the strength
Of a pinch of salt
Praises
Disapproval
Fault
All served to your satisfaction
If you think you can handle the risks
Do come aboard
But get ready for the bills
And stay alert
In case you get stung by the bees
For you can never trust the town crier’s tales.

© Fortunate Nyahwema 2009

CORPORATE RUNS by Tendai Nhema

CORPORATE RUNS

She wears to attract
Clothes more revealing
Than concealing
Do the talking

And he responds
By waving car keys
And displaying his money
This signals the agreement

Cooperation unlocks the doors
Of their game
And they use what they have
To get what they want
It is survival
They claim
They chose to call
Corporate Runs

© Tendai Nhema 2009

SHOULD I OR SHOULD I NOT? by Tendai Nhema

Should I or should I not
Open the doors of my heart
And let him dwell in my soul,
And follow his commands?
Should I accept this person
And let him be the light
When I am in darkness?
Should I let him comfort me
When I am in sorrow?
Should I let him
Pave the way for me to a brighter future?

Or should I close
The doors of my heart
And him knock until he gives up
Should I ignore him
And follow the route of the devil
And be led to hell?
Should I or should I not?

© Tendai Nhema 2009

THE LAST DAY by Angel Dube

He across the street
up and down
he went roaming
the death streets
He never saw it coming

LOVE by Tecla Moyo

Times I begin to wonder
And the feeling within grows fonder
But noone has tried to conquer
What lies beneath this border

As It grows, it stands for itsself
No need for any shoulder
Without it I aint bolder
But it taught me to be a soldier

Some came, some come
Some still enjoying the doll-drums of the see-saw
Some left with words unspoken
Still feeling the beat of love inside
For one has no life wothout hope
Coz has sunk in the world of no love.

TROUBLED by Aleck Kitumesti

TROUBLED

How could this be?
Am I the only one?
Or I am the only sinner on the face of the earth
Why do things take this path?
Or is it the only path

I regret the day
I regret the minute I opened my mouth
to ask her out
After giving her everything
she does nothing
But spit on my face
After giving her attention she does everything
to break my beloved heart

After years of service
A letter of dismissal is what I get
Nothing to my name
It’s just me and my belongings in a box

No matter how much I try
trouble always finds its way to me
After sowing a thousand seeds
In deep trouble I am
Where under the sun
am I going to get money for my next meal.

© Alec Noko Kitumetsi

I Sing A Song by Mgcini Nyoni

I sing a song
for the lovers
kissing and cuddling
in the park
It might not last forever
or it might
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the young prostitute
her life might change
and she perhaps
won’t cry a river
every night
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the children
playing and screaming
in the dusty street
ecstatic in their
youthful innocence
They should enjoy it
while it lasts
I sing a song
for the wife
enjoying orgasm for the first time
after ten years of marriage
there is always light
at the end of the tunnel
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the pregnant teenager
Perhaps she is carrying
the country’s next president
perhaps he won’t be a tyrant
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the old lady
roasting nuts and maize by the roadside
to feed AIDS orphans
So we can say YES WE CAN
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the flowers in bloom
the singing birds-
reminding us to smile
and be happy once in a while
I sing a song
for the silently weeping,
the grieving
the broken-hearted-
it will come to pass
and the sun will shine again
I sing a song
for the young man
looking longingly at the luxury car
and muttering ONE DAY
One day he will realize his dream
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the young couple
taking comfort in their
love for each other
minding not
the sugarless black tea
So I sing a song
I sing a song
for the poet
scribbling by candlelight
knowing not
when a publishing deal will come
but hopeful
I sing a song