Reality Check

I have been to a place
where young boys and girls
roll merrily on lush lawns
as they drink-in the joy of life.

I have also had to embrace
life in putrid hell-holes,
where the death of
one man was not
worth a mere mention.

In the unlikely event of
a chance to choose between
the two, I would have to
forfeit my turn.
For reality teaches us
that life consists of
treading the boundaries of
the latter place, while willfully
walking towards the former.

Where are the men?

gone to towns of silver rooftops and golden sunsets in egoli*.
gone toiling for near close to naught -- all in the name of manhood.
left all of us here, fighting to be men before our time,
with hardly any wit in our talk nor fire in our bellies.
left a whole gang of us here,
to be raised by the women

and now we are the men;
with more swank in our styles
and less sense in our acts,
marching alongside the flight of our youth,
swiftly racing away
to eons beyond.

* An Isizulu (one of the official languages in South Africa) word meaning: place of gold

What would Cupid say?

Can we love?
Love for the sake of
Love?

Loving for the sake of love,
Is loving for the joy of loving.
Loving because the love
Comes, hits us and
Becomes evident in us.

To love is not to possess.
To love is not to control.
To love is not to stupefy.

To love, is to admire
To love, is to want to know
To love, is to make greater
Can we love?

I smell a rat

Scrounging for a meal, the rat found its way
Into your closet and gnawed
Your favourite cotton slacks.
Actually found them tasteless.
No harm in trying (he thought).
Is he wrong?

On my way from the store, I met your
Wife rushing home. Couldn’t mistake
Her face -- brimming with glee.
They say she’s been frequenting
The doctor’s and opening her legs to be examined.
Pity, you’re the only one in the dark.
Apparently, you’re seldom home.
Is she wrong?

There goes your perfidious wife
Spewing vile invective
As she chases the rat out of the house.
Ranting and raving at the crazed creature.
Who’s wrong? I wonder.

The power of me

I’ve been around the world
Quite a few times

Met a few good men
And plenty more pretty girls

Quite a few hearts I captured
And broke a lot more

I have experienced pain
In all its different guises

I have toiled for decades
Only to see the work
Destroyed in a minute of malice

I have been maimed and shamed
Sullied till I was devoid
of all honour

I have learned
To seek succor
From friend and foe alike
And got smarter in the process

These I have endured
Knowing fully well
That my day would dawn

So, as I stand
Before you today
Steadfast is my faith
In the power of me

ennui

I flip through the Guardian pages,
Intrigued by the predictability of it all:
Rigged elections in some corner of Africa,
A discredited politician closer to home.

I slouch on my couch, try and shut out
All the humdrum that so bogs me down
I am roused out of my reverie
By the shrill sound of sirens
Whizzing past my window

Even now as I try
To piece these few sentences together
I can’t help but notice
My disjointed train of thought

Resurrecting Dad

I want to fill my space with you
Every bit and piece of you
Strewn all over this loft

I want to clone you
Carve you from memory
So every sinew in you is plain to see

I want you here
So close to me
That you could never leave again

At last, I have you
Every bit and piece of you
Etched on my psyche