What she carries

Behind this beautiful face she beholds that sweetness, the bliss in the city of gold. Staring fully on this glass sheet with a metallic coating where the significant reflection of her occurs. The reflection of this beauty that is like light breaking in the skies on a morning dawn. She looks at herself sitted combing, straightening out every single hair in her head. In her head she thinks , be it I can challenge these hosts of demons that are pressing hard on me to draw away the very integrity I hold to keep me sane.

As she pulls out the comb from her head, in her hands she holds it firmly. The firm grip that she has witnessed before on those dreary nights when an uncle or brother she named dared the smile she placed and misplaced it all for a thing that could never be named but for what they could touch and seek pressing pleasures on.

Behind her beautiful smile is a pained heart. A heart so painted in pain too deeply for a song. For the songs she sang pressed on care. The care she seeked from the sisters she named, but as the daylight faded into deep night shades , their real form faded into shadows. Only but their voices remained near as gossips and gossips that left her friend-less and remained her alone.

She sits infront of this mirror uprightly for those are the upright teachings she often heard from her mothers she named. They filled her up with the steps a woman needs to take to keep a man leaning on her breasts but behind those breasts is a soul so weary from all the what to do or not teachings but still lacks enjoyment. These men that come and lean so hard on her leave the mighty part of her suffocating and the rest of who she is empty.

As she combs the last portion of the curled hair in her head, in her head still she hears voices. Demonic voices that are slowly diluting the very integrity left to keep her sane. She is more than just the beauty she beholds , the heavy crosses she had to bear left a sting of confidence inside her she not realises. The love they all declared from her but she never claimed back, it all left a seed,a mark of how love begins. She sits there and these voices challenge her to be different, the voices block her sound mind, her clear conscious and she does not realize who she is or born to be any more.

Her heart still searches,she seeks for what she already holds, she is fighting a fight she already won. Yet she sees it not for these demonic voices have diluted all she sees as clear to a cloudy dark scene .
As she stares fully on her reflection and places the comb down with relief of a reflection she’s made look perfect – she is beautiful. But she is about to walk again with oppressing issues ringing in her ears. How else would she know that the stronger she dwells inside her. How else would she know that her happiness lies in her strength, her purpose is that found in the work that brings her happiness. How else would she free such doubts and fears when all she sees is well with her.

Normah Nxumalo

Listen to Audio here. LIKE - SHARE - SUBSCRIBE

Acoustic & Acoustic Reply : HiRev feat. Samantha Nomaswazi

Acoustic

HiRev

Chords to pluck,

I string my luck.

Only once did I,

 Again I begged, “Please!”

I'm in love with a box, 

Vanished with maple,

 Glare give me shine,

Validation of my affection!

Only once I say,

Only twice I dare!

For a moment,

Allow me to believe my persistence and diligence!

I know I can, 

And can I must,

 I'm in love with this acoustic.

By

 HiRev Rockstar

Acoustic: The Reply!

Samantha Nomaswazi

Chords you pluck

Stringing my heart with your charm

Once I saw you,

And knew it was right!

The voice from the box, vanished with maple

Soothes my soul

Shimmering my heart

With so much adoration!

Only once I say!

Twice never to touch my lips

For that time has come

To take that love outpouring from your heart!

My heart does not lie

Your bass-like voice

Lures me into

Deeper affection!

By

Samantha Nomaswazi

I Am Generation Equality, Realizing Women's Rights - THE 12 PIECE : with Comfort Ndlovu

12 POEMS 

for  I Am Generation Equality, Realizing Women's Rights.

 

By Comfort Ndlovu

Age: 31

Sex: Male

From: Qinisela Village, Gwezha (Ward 3), Matobo (rural) District, Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe.

Contact: +263 715 228 905 (WhatsApp)

+263 775 043 217 (Calls + SMS)

email: comfortndlovu4@gmail.com

1. (NEW) AWAKENINGS

New awakenings:

Dry leaves fly away

making way

to fresh ways

of green buds

taking charge of days

where hope once again lives -

where change arrives

and democracy thrives;

Call out the seasons,

Seek all the reasons

to behold and believe

a better life all can live;

Behold and believe,

Believe and live,

Live and let live!

Sow our dreams anew

under African sky blue:

Summer bless the seed,

Fill the need and wash away greed;

Autumn attend to our empty stomachs,

drown sorrow and all stretch marks...

Winter cool our brows,

Keep the green for animals all to browse;

Spring bring peace, let walls of division fall;

Bring salt, bread, water and work for all,

Salt, bread, water and work for all.

 2. I AM GENERATION EQUALITY, etc.

Did you see her fall?

Did you hear her call?

Did you hear her cry?

Did you notice blood in her eye?

Did you hear her shout

as she sought a way

of a cage full of rage?

To escape - she could not manage.

Did you notice, did you care

about the pain behind a wasted tear?

Do you recall the time and place

Where someone stole her innocence?

*                 *                 *

I shall not wait for her to fall

let alone in desperation wildly call;

I won't stand seeing her cry

and in shame behold tears tear off her precious eye;

Never will let her sail and fail alone,

Never will leave her to struggle along on her own;

I'll always play my part

to ensure she doesn't fall apart

For, 'tis my needful part - a part perfectly to play

to save her thin skin from the rough sun's ray;

I shall guard her way in and way out,

her way up and never let her down;

I'll hold her hand and bright'n her lights

of hope and comfort, for I am generation equality,

realizing women's rights.

 
3. Acrostic: REALIZING WOMEN'S RIGHTS

*R* aising their voices in search of

*E* ager ears willing to entertain their pain

*A* re oppressed women and girls

*L* iving in fear and

*I* n a constant struggle to speak out.

*Z* eal and zest the only salve

*I* n their bruised and swollen eyes,

*N* ights stretch, lights fade in

*G* rowing darkness facing their

*W* ay. Their smiles hide stretch marks

*O* f oppression and broken trust...

*M* ay mighty men arise, then, and

*E* nd empower them to see through tough

*N* ights and days, like

*S* weet seasons through rough years;

*R* ekindle the heat

*I* n the flames of

*G* olden hearts

*H* olding hands

*T* o sow seeds of hope for all

*S* catterlings of a fruitful land!

4. Acrostic: I AM GENERATION EQUALITY, REALIZING WOMEN'S RIGHTS

*I* am a rolling stone

*A* rolling stone I am

*m* oving downhill;

*G* rinding mountains to size,

*e* quality is my aim.

*N* o bed at night, no bread at noon,

*e* arly are my mornings. Alone,

*r* ising up against the daring dew

*a* ttempting to wear out

*t* he precision in me,

*I* roll on, constantly and persistently

*o* n hostile ground, pressures of which

*n* o man else can (with)stand

*e* xcept if compelled by insurmountable Purpose.

*Q* uietly, yet quickly

*u* nder high roots

*a* nd above dead leaves,

*l* ove encourages my pace.

*I* rudely am rolling my rough shoulder

*t* o a plain where

*y* oung women and girls plainly

*r* aise their voices in search of

*e* ager ears willing to entertain

*a* ll their colourful concerns

*l* ying low in their hearts and minds and

*i* n their mouths willing to take a stand.

*Z* eal and zest my comfort; my shapeless nature

*i* n a mission swallowed: "To be

*n* ine seasons in a night -

*g* iving a thousand voices to

*w* eary women and girls facing

*o* ppression and an order of silence."

*M* ighty men arise (I'm one of them),

*e* nd rape, human trafficking and abuse

*NOW!*

*S* ee the rainbow falling -

*R* ebuild, reshape and restore

*i* ts wondrous ways of hope.

*G* rind not healthy efforts to the ground;

*H* eal the rough throats of a silent generation;

*T* ry, by and with all means, not to

*s* ilence the stone!

5. LIMERICKY

There was a man who said: "Quality

of life can all be reached through equality

of opportunities and bright lights,

So, realizing women's rights -

I am generation equality!"

6. SHE NEEDS SOMEONE

Taking the sun blow by blow

A great struggle she faces,

A lone cloud surfaces

to cool her bruised brow

But that's not enough:

She needs someone to make her tough

enough to make it through the day -

to seek and find herself in mountainous hay;

She needs a generation that realizes her rights

without asking "why?"

7. LET HER SHINE

Give her your anger

she'll give you her fear,

Give her your hand

she'll draw you near;

Let her shine through the day

and you'll enjoy the light,

Take out her smile like wildfire

and you'll see flames through the night!

Strike her like Moses struck the rock

and you'll never see Canaan,

But, work constantly to ease her pain

and she'll - freeing the sky - make you receive sweet rain!

8. TOIL

Sitting under the shade

I behold Mother stretching her hand

to plead, hoe-in-hand, with this hard land;

Sweat falling, dust rising, an inner tear I shed.

She loves the field

and my ever absent father,

but no rain to give her some yield

nor Father to come home my stomach to feed.

She leaves the field

and pursues Market Square Road. The dusty soil

she with heavy feet digs, has trapped her

Between hunger and toil.

9. MARCH TO FREEDOM

The stones cannot march to total freedom,

I shall march all the way, to free the four winds.

The stones cannot, with a song, call for equality,

I shall strongly shout in behalf of the weaker sex:

"Female genital mutilation

's a misfortune in any nation;

Early child (and forced) marriages

stain the throne of The Rock Of Ages;

"Indecent assault

is like a mountain of salt

forced down an infant's throat!...

Incest is the best

description of worst

of injustices.

Rape's a rebellious shark that -

swallowing all seas -

leaves fish, fauna and flora

shamefully to die..."

The stones shall stay,

I shall sail away

to an open land

where I'll lend a hand

to every woman and girl,

well, there're many stories to tell

and many principles to teach

and so great some heights to reach

but mine prime responsibility

is to inspire a generation of equality

For I realize women's rights

and hence would urge women to realize

how urgent it is

for them for their own rights too to fight

like a swarm of bees

to a land of justice taking flight!

10. SECRETS

Secrets of Mount Kilimanjaro

take me to a better tomorrow;

Sitting on top of Kilimanjaro

I see a path the wise must follow:

An exchange of hands causing bloodshed

with arms that build a shade

for scatterlings of hope;

An en to the rope

that hangs and kills without an end;

I can see the xenophobic rod bend;

An end to ridicule and rape

from Cairo to the Cape;

Hands and races and sexes coming together

to give birth to a new weather

and a new set of feet

to walk the talk

and to walk tall towards total triumph -

tall trees tying torn pieces of our moral fabric

back together again!

11. AFRICAN WOMAN, WHAT MADE YOU SO STRONG?

Taking life blow by blow

each day passing by, slowly,

You keep your head low

and your heart's hopes up -

unwilling to give up

yet willing to let go;

With a revolutionary song

strengthening every weak joint

You struggle along;

Though he made you wrong, so wrong

until you saw no point

of going on, you remained strong...

Submitting (and not standing up) to him

your sole comfort a heavy hymn

behind your walls of Jericho

unwilling to yield to the echo

of insults inflicted upon your weary brow

And fists hell unto your heaven he does ceaselessly throw...

African woman, what made you so strong?

Is it because you've "seen it all"?

African woman, have you seen it all?

Do you still care 'bout the diff'rence of right and wrong?

Is there no longer a pulse in your breast

that still hopes for the best?

Maybe it's because you've seen it all:

You saw the blood of your loved ones fall

while houses of oppressors pushed limits off the sky;

Maybe it's because you were made to pass by

a thousand rotting bodies of the ones you once shared

this life's joys; while fleeing from your village burning.

Is it that kind of bad?

You saw a crab feast on its children:

First, your daughter being drugged and dragged into incest;

Second, you've got to live with that smell of oil

that comes from Western Wells that swallowed your son -

forever lying lost - never to get cover of coffin nor home-soil;

Third, you no longer dread the colour red:

You saw once, a neighbour's daughter, raped

and covered in it. You witness, daily, her future in hell trapped;

Fourth, your boy who'd gone to the North long ago

came back recently, with men who'd forced him to go to war,

All of them one eye and one arm less;

Fifth, you hear about your husband going places

preaching about equality, women empowerment

and promotion (and protection) of their rights

But you see a different man(ster) coming home to break bedroom lights

and make sure you have sleepless nights.

12. LITTLE LIGHT

I've got a little light,

I'm going to make it shine

Not for the world to see

But for me my path to find;

I've got a wish to climb a mountain.

I may not be fast, but I'll continue to climb

Not for the world to see me

But for me the world to see;

I've got a desire to see the world

through an eagle's eye -

to see how equality can be realised

in this our generation;

how women's rights can be upheld

And what my contribution must be;

The world's wide darkness

LAUGHS AT my little light:

I can't light up the whole world

BUT, I'm so very sure that,

my own light guiding

I'll reach the summit on time.

© Comfort Ndlovu, 10 February 2020.

🌴🐾🌴🐾🌴🐾🌴🐾🌴🐾🌴🐾🌞

brought to you in association with SHIELD FOUNDATION:

POETRY DAY SLAM - Stop Hurting HER! by Lindzy

Stop Hurting HER!

Our biggest fear, not making it home safely!
Our greatest regret, trusting you!
Our strongest hatred, loving you!
Our biggest mistakes, falling in love with your euphemised lies!
Our purity, stolen by you 
Our innocence, ripped from our hands!
Our body’s, beaten and bruised!
Our hearts, broken and crushed!
Our cookie jars, forcefully emptied!
Now tell me, are we safe?

‘Get a protection order’, they say
‘Take boxing classes’, they say 
‘Watch how you dress’, they say 
‘Don’t walk far ‘, they say 
‘Hang around the right people’ they say 
And yet each, ‘they say’ led to one more statistic 
Each stereotypical “they say” led to two more statistic 
Each ignored statistic led to more statistics!
Now tell me are we safe?

It’s hard to see u as someone I used to know
It’s hard to think of you as someone worth my forgiveness
I’m stuck in a cycle of vicious memories I shouldn’t have 
I’m rolling around in a circle of regret and bitterness 
I’m playing on a playground of resentment and hurt 
What did I ever do wrong?
Your nails, how they dug into my skin when all I wanted was to be caressed
Your hand, how it merged with my face when all I wanted was to rest 
Your teeth, how they left rabbis marks when their job is to chew.
Your belt, how it left swollen tattoos on my skin, when its job is to hold your trousers.
Your junior, how it constantly injured me when its job is to satisfy.
Your body, how it compressed me when its job is protect me.
Now tell me, are we safe?

 You pretended like you loved me in kisses 
When my skin remembers bruises!
You acted like I was your precious pet
When all you did was treat me like a dog!
You love to call me pretty
 When I learnt to see ugly in the mirror from your words!
You deceived with lies 
When all I wanted was your heart!
You played me like a toy 
When all I wanted was to be you one and only!
You loved me in intimacy
When all you wanted was to puppet me!
Now tell me, am I safe?

You make me fell crazy for remembering your fist
Ironically, that’s the only thing that seemed to turn you on 
You fill me with compliments
Ironically, you’ve stuffed me with insults
You act like you’re strong and manly
Ironically, only weak men force 
You act like you’re sincere 
Ironically, you knew your actions were pretend 
You acted like you loved me in sight
Ironically Cupid was blind
Now tell me, are we safe?

Red, swollen, enlarged
Pain, devastation, betrayal 
Regret, hatred, disappointment 
The bruises don’t hurt anymore 
My body is numb, numb to your pain,
Renewed wounds and relived scars.
It has become a norm in society. 
My palace of respect is now a vessel of insecurities.
Ignorant, naïve, carless1
Pull down the stereotypes! 
Take down the lies!
Stand up for us!
Now tell me, why won’t you make us safe?

Gently, he would stare into my eyes with endless admiration
Lightly, he would caress my skin with soul swelling adoration
Delicately, he took my purity with promised good intention
Mildly, he became hollower and spoke words with less conviction
Rarely, he treated me with love respect or compassion
Harshly he handles me with no regard or conscience 
Roughly he inflicts pain and sadness without hesitation
Now tell me, are we safe? 

I tried convincing myself that this is love
Always counting the ways I let u down 
But truth is I let myself down 
 I should have known something so painful wasn’t love
That something so forced wasn’t love!
That something so painful wasn’t love!
That clearly I was a victim of manipulation.
Now tell me, are we safe?

Now tell me, are we safe?
She is now mute 
Her tears have run dry 
Her sobs have silenced 
Her lips no longer utter 
Her skin no longer flawless 
Her face no longer attractive 
Now tell me, are we safe?

~Lindokuhle

 brought to you by:

#up-poetry101: I WILL RISE AGAIN with Nothando Nxumalo

I WILL RISE AGAIN

He looked at me,

 with eyes piercing of great anger and hatred as he pointed saying ,

‘iwe wuyapano’ (You come here).

I was scared and terrified as fear shivered down my spine,

I could feel the walls of my strength caving in on me as I leaned towards the wall.

He hauled me down the floor,

before slapping me twice on my face.

I swallowed the pain as my mind battled with questions that had no answers.

But why? why,?

why ?hurt me so much when I’m just a young woman;

 fighting for her freedom and inner peace?

He kicked at me mercilessly

 as if he was just thrusting some ball.

My voice was gone, I couldn’t speak!

but my eyes said it all with tears pursuing each other down my cheeks.

Little did he know that my silence does not mean weakness.

I may be young but not naïve,

I may be weak in physical strength but I’m very strong emotional and mental.

I may be a woman but exercising restraint does not mean I cannot defend myself.

I may be bruised and wounded today but I will rise again.

Darkness shall pave way for light, night for day and weakness for strength.

My scars shall I wear with pride

as they will forever tell of these bitter experiences.

All these years have kept my voice under wrap for fear of judgment

but will no longer I be afraid .

For the time has arrived were my voice is better heard than my silence.

I will battle for my freedom and peace.

I will not drown in fear.

I may be defeated today but my today will never define my destination.

You could have defeated me because I’m unarmed and young.

I’m just a woman, but that did not stop you from strangling me.

Tomorrow will be mine and I will arise again.

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#up-poetry101: THAT'S THE WAY I SEE YOU with Pretty Shumba

Pretty Shumba

Boy! I  Imagine you as arose,

Elegant with satisfaction

that’s the way I see you.

When you walk towards me with deliberate strides

and your eyes dancing around with hidden implications

making my heart miss a bit,

and my mind jump to the clouds

I picture a violet blue

and you swing in the wind full of life.

An image runs into my  mind “you my man.”

Your mouth tilted up into a great smile.

Your  head slightly turned to the side.

A man of innocence, handsomeness at its birth.

All I can do is blink my eyes at the best.

As there would be no word that can justly describe the rest.

I’m about to take a break so please bare with me.

In the darkness it becomes bright. You are in the desert…

Do you see the cactus?

Tall and bold, a survivor at most,

still strong enough to play all the way.

That’s the picture I see in you.

A picture of you standing out from the rest of the sea.

You are stronger than you know,

believe in yourself and I wish I could say that’s all,

but you have to also make it show from inside out.

That’s the way I see you on Valentine’s day

#up-poetry101 : LOVE CONNECTION with Vongai

Vongai Monica Mujakachi

Love Connection

I won't call it a decision.

For it didn't come from the mind.

I call it a connection,for it came from the heart.

His,mine,together our hearts got connected.

I couldn't see where to disconnect .

Wait a minute l didn't even search for the off button.

For l want to be forever connected.

If its a temptation

I give in without hesitation.

If its an addiction

I will drown in it and ignore rehabilitation.

This love  connection is petrifying.

I feel like am on the top of a cliff.

I feel its beyond my strength.

I can't and won't even fight it.

Reason shouts you will get hurt.

My heart whispers take it as it comes.

I close my eyes.

All l see is this love connection giving birth to a knot.

A knot which can only be broken by the grave.

I raise my hands in surrender.

Happily l allow the love connection to reign

VMM (Monicabliss)

#up-poetry101:AS I BEGAN TO LOVE MY SELF with Samantha Nomaswazi Nunu

Samantha Nomaswazi Nunu

As I Begin To Love Myself

As I begin to love myself,

I see me for who I am,

I see the hurt that I went through,

But unlike a broken vase forever broken into pieces,

Loathed, discarded and forgotten,

I was able to rise and glue myself together.

As I begin to love myself,

I see strength in my weaknesses,

I gain strength from my weaknesses,

I move from one point to another,

Scares from all the pain I have suffered flow through my veins,

Slowly fading like the rays of the sun as it sets,

As I climb the ladder of my life.

As I begin to love myself,

I lick the deep wounds that people left in my life,

As I climb the ladder of my life

I break free from the strong roots of pain

That my childhood left,

Still pulling me down.

As I begin to love myself,

I cry, so that the salt from my tears cleanse my wounds,

To prevent them from any infection.

I cry, not because I am weak,

But so my tears will redeem me,

From the whips burn I got from suffering.

As I begin to love myself

I look at the people around me,

I manage to smile at them,

I begin to understand that they had to hurt me

In order for me to become who I am.

As I begin to love myself

I accept others for who they are

Despite all their cruel deeds upon my life.

As I refuse to let their faults bring me down,

I move from one end to the other

For they have taught me to find value in myself

As I begin to love myself.

Samantha Nomaswazi Nunu (c) 2019.