Rhyme and Introspection
Woman
Is she cursed or the architect of her own fate?
Ever so loving and giving
So forgiving and trusting
To the detriment of herself
From the sights and sounds around I see
The path to which she’s doomed
As she sets herself up to be marooned
Rather than shake herself free
In her quest for love and fulfillment
She loses the strength she’s endowed
Hoping to find contentment
In bowing until totally cowered
Woman, awake and shake free!
Beneath the jewelry and frills
Lie great strength, an armor of silk
To overcome with will of steel
Giant Dwarf (Ode to Nija)
I love you and hate you
Sovereign land of my birth
Fleeing yet returning
Time after time after death
I find you and lose you
Like a tail-chasing pup
I know you and loathe you
Embrace and give you up
‘It cant be, its not true’
Tales of horror appall
I know well it’s just you
No tap can stem your gall
Your first born has run mad
Your brides have long since gone
Your last child is not bad
But vowed not to come home
You curse those who love you
Hold plunderers to your breast
Strangers dine at your table
While your daughters scrape the dirt
‘Why should this be’ I wonder
It makes no sense to me
– Just then I see, Eureka!
You sold your soul for fodder, giant dwarf of Africa
After a bit of Rhyme, Some Introspection
Trust in the Lord with all your heart – lean not on your own understanding… Events taking place recently in my life have got me going: ‘Wow!’ and ‘Yikes!’ – I am experiencing equal amounts of excitement and trepidation. Yet, deep on the inside is the quiet, certain assurance that everything will be just fine. I’ve been down this road before. Standing on the edge of the cliff, knowing it’s time to take a leap of faith and wondering: ‘What lies beneath? What lies ahead?’ I check that I am not under any kind of intoxication (pays to be sure) and once I know I am where I need to be, I simply take a deep breath, close my eyes, listen for the voice of my Life Coach and with my hand in His, on His mark… LEEEAAAAPPPPP!!! Fear! Exhilaration! Terror! Excitement! Then, quiet peace and… a soft landing. I open my eyes and I’m alive! I look back to see how far I travelled and I have no idea how come my heart didn’t fail. It held out and here I am.
I have had the privilege of being under the tutelage of the Sage of Days as I was asked to observe the lives of two people with whom I have mutual friends but am not too close myself. Life is constantly speaking to us: in parables mostly. All around there are lessons to be learned and I have learned some hard ones myself but I think some of the most valuable lessons I have learned have been from observing other people’s lives. A very influential man died in my neck of the woods recently and was celebrated with pomp and pageantry but beneath all the accolades lay a sad, tragic secret. It was said by those who knew him the most that his life was the parable of the rich fool! What agony for those who loved him and had other hopes for him. Another one is unfolding before my eyes: A young woman who has made a life of leaning on her own understanding suddenly finds that at the end of all her scheming and manipulations was a price she never saw coming. Now she would give anything to turn the hands of the clock back.
I dare not feel superior to anyone, because there, but for the mercy of God is my life. As I now lay awake at night in contemplation and quiet supplication, I think about the rich man. I received evidence that prayers were answered: as he lay in a coma a few hours prior to his passing, it is reported that he began to weep uncontrollably for a long time. My hope is that these were tears of remorse and repentance. I hope that although it was not appointed to him to live again, he received mercy and forgiveness, because such is the heart of the One with whom we have to do. For the woman who has made costly choices, I continue to pray that she would now choose another way: repentance and restitution. Would she? Could she? Would I?
These things humble me. The knowledge that I do not have what I deserve, instead, I have much more than I have earned. My life took a dramatic turn at a time when I had reached the end of my own tether and saw quite clearly that I was in need of help beyond myself to live the life I desired, to make the choices I knew deep down were right. It took a lot to admit that I had no power of my own, that I was weak and helpless. It was not how I wanted to see myself but admitting it was the best thing I ever did because it meant I could ask for help. For, while I stubbornly held on to my own sense of righteousness, I remained unable to access the help that I needed and on which I lean exclusively today.
The Cynics Verse
We come alone
We walk alone
We fight alone
We win alone
Don’t be deceived
Neither with friend nor soul-mate are we one in Spirit
For when we live alone
We die alone
Love Conquers Might
Some tell me so I dream
That life is like a stream
And time itself would prove
That to live, one must move
Along with the tide and trend
And of needs put to mend
Those views of life in youth
Of Utopia; the bitter truth
Is that life bends those who would
While all others break like wood
On myself the point I took
For all who care to look
That some lone variant
Who might appear a deviant
Could take the step I sense
Of needs would make the difference
‘Cos to my mind I find
I need no one to remind
That when the mad dog bites,
Man bites back to fight
Well, I’m no dog, I would
Prefer the dignity if I could
To limp away, tend my wound
And soon return to soothe
That mad dog – who knows
Might need a friend to nose
Being its friend in need
Is being a friend indeed
Which makes it worth that bite
For love is stronger than might
Yellow
Fear — Hate — Doubt
Passions raging deep
Beneath veneers of pure bliss
Lie storms that soon will rout
Stop — Listen — See
Chaos reigns supreme
A world that fights for peace
Peace from it will flee
Love — Trust — Care
What became of these?
Have we all lost the feel
Or simply do not dare?
Introspective Minus
Searching for the sight, looking for myself
Looking in the mirror, looking for the depth
Mirrors can but see varying degrees
Of the sight and knowledge hearts can perceive
Searching for the sight, looking in their eyes
Looking for the reason looking blinds the sight
Mirrors can’t reveal feelings and the dreams
Lurking deep beneath images and skin
Searching blinds the sight, looking cramps the eye
Looking clouds the vision, looking cripples time
Eyes can but see varying degrees
Of true sight and vision hearts can perceive
The Victory Rings Hollow
I chase after a rainbow
I dance close to the edge
I dream about tomorrow
I fall over the edge
My dreams recall the sorrow
I hang on to the edge
Rejoice at what I lost;
I mourn the price you got
I walk away from it
And look from where I sit
Alone amidst the throng,
I hear the victory song
As earth resounds the echo
The victory song rings hollow
