The red tree I remembered
From the last time I was here
With a strange sense of destiny
That grew as I came near

With ease I lifted off the ground
and climbed the canopy
Wind in the leaves, that rushing sound
set free the bird in me

With the wind under my wings
From branch to branch I flew
The grass was green, the leaves were red
And the sky was truly blue

I sat there 20 metres high
‘tween mother earth and father sky
I rested in the sun kissed crown
And let the breeze rock me to sleep

And as I fell asleep
I fell
Where I went I couldn’t tell
My body meanwhile tumbled down
From its bed atop the crown

I didn’t notice at the time
So peaceful was this sleep of mine
That even while I cracked some ribs
My spirit stood there bargaining
at the river Styx

“Your life is in my hands now, boy”
Spoke the ferryman with glee
“Is that so” I questioned?
It made no sense to me

“It’s mine” He said with fury
“Unless you bargain well”
I didn’t want to lose my life
So I pondered for a spell

I went out on a limb
And offered he take one of mine
“Monkeyboy can choose” He said
“Since he likes to climb”

I told him: “You may take my leg”
And before I got specific
He said “All right! I’ll take the deal!
I’ll have your right, terrific!”

I stammered as he faded
My view was broken blurry
I gazed upon the red
Of the foliage above me

I never thought my life
Would change its course like this
But I played dice with the devil
And he doesn’t take the ****

I woke up in the hospital
Where the doctors to no end
Looked upon my leg
Which they’d tried so hard to mend

I slowly came to understand
This wasn’t just a dream
I’d have to live without it
My right leg now has been

And though it hurts me deeply
And strife now paints my path
To have one more chance, to live this life
I would cut myself in half

~Kagiso

They say hell hath no fury
Like a woman scorned
Well we have scorned this mother of ours
Like no child of hers before
We have stripped her body bare
and ****** her **** dry
We’ve tried to beat her to submission
and ignored her anguished cries

And even if humanity
attempts escape into the sky
There is NO way to escape
the father’s ever watchful eye
In outer space
away from mother
is a lonely place to die

And mars is not the place to be
For a resource hungry race
That couldn’t recognise true wealth
If it slapped them in the face
We are now blessed with abundance
But even that seems not enough
Infinite growth, on finite planet
Is a monumental bluff

And if we do not learn to share
and embrace equality
The primal world will bear the brunt
Of our ways of gluttony
The white man might be spared the death
That comes quick and without warning
But while everything around us swiftly dies
We’ll feel the heat and even rich men will start squirming
As they powerlessly face
their imminent demise

We are approaching our extinction
and aware of it
Yet those who wield the sceptre
Would rather not admit
and would prefer to line their pockets
while our house is lined in flames
They’ll have to learn that there are violent ends
to their violent games

Dominating the indigenous
the women and the weak
will only further seal our fate
which at this rate is looking bleak

If we don’t act before we know
we’ll reach the point of no return
In that case there will be no future
for which we all so deeply yearn
Now is the only time for action
To prevent the chain reaction

Perhaps this earth life was a test
Laid before the human race
To determine our deserving
Of even reaching outer space
We have potential to ascend
As a peace civilisation
But if it’s hell in which we strand
it is of our own creation

Though we have the rocket power
If our direction stays distorted
From this womb that is our earth
We’ll be the ones being aborted
For nature and the human kind
Were irreparably misaligned

Yet I believe we have a chance
to heal this earth
If we realise our nature
In ourselves, our inner worth
In my heart I feel I’m part
Of this nature regeneration
To rebel against extinction
And protect all of creation
I believe that’s what is right
This is the peace for which I fight

~Kagiso

When I look into your eyes
I see a very old soul
So many times almost crushed
by despair and turmoil

But to me this is a sign of your tenacity
Your scars are living proof of your vitality
You’ve seen the highs
You know the lows
You realise what life is worth
It shows courage, that once again
You have returned to walk this earth

And once again you will find
that life does not come easily
There will always be
adversity and tragedy
But I’ve seen you have the wisdom
It’s the wind under your wings
You are painfully aware
these are but temporary things

For in your eyes
I see that childlike wonder
That vibrant spark of curiosity
You dream of what lies over yonder
You are delighted by the things
you’ve yet to see

You’re an eternal child
That much is evident
Your playfulness is like a shining sun
Radiant, and ever innocent
Though you are old
Your journey’s just begun

And on your path you’ll meet many a soulmate
Many old friends come back in different roles
Much like an acting troupe, these souls, travel in proximity
It’s impossible to miss a twin flame in your vicinity
You’ll realise you are part
of a much greater whole
When you look into my eyes
I see a beautiful soul
In it I see the universe
and stars brighter than gold

When I look into your eyes
I see a very old soul