My words are trending
now I'm seen as a poet?
Your algorithm is flawed
that little sign offends me!
I dont write for you
I don't care to impress,
fame and glory is not what I seek.

I give voice to my world
with a pen as my weapon.
Bleeding onto pages
every feeling, emotion and thought,
bonding it forever in ink.

Profoundly thankful for the ability
to captivate with a spell of words
to weave together a phrase
that tugs at your heartstrings

I share what I feel
and see and hear and wonder
I am glad you can relate
however please bear in mind
this I do for my sanity not yours.

I must confess
I fear to love entirely
and the inevitable
pain and misery it brings

perhaps my gypsy heart
was too often left out in the rain
and now, incapable to love

I hope I will find a heart
to occupy
the dusty hallow space
where mine use to be

for I fear in the end
when death comes knocking
I never got to tell
my one true love story

i am the book my son reads
and i often wonder what he sees
empty pages filled with the mundane
or a colourful piece of art

does he see my fearlessness
and my backbone made of steel
perhaps the circles under my eyes
betrays me

will he understand that life
is filled with moments that startle you
to heed the call of the world
and every adventure that beckons

i often stare at my reflection and wonder
am i, what he would want aspire to
fervently grasp opportunities and believe
to not settle for mediocrity

each time i boubt myself
i silently promise him
every part of me will strive
to better the next chapter he reads

i am not your kind of perfect
i am strange and difficult
and somewhat terrifying to love

have some patience
just wait and endure
don't stray, strengthen your pursuit

you will find beauty
seek further
beyond the walls, for my waiting heart

albeit old scars may be evident
together the heartbreak of yesterday
will be buried beneath the ash of our pain

if after all this
when you finally see all of me
and love me still

i vow for the rest of our days
to throw caution to the wind
and stay true, to only you

Narrow minds plague our streets
Ignorant views and empty arguments
Hearts filled with hatred for no reason

Are we not a country that fought for equality
Has the long walk of freedom not been walked for us
Did I misunderstand the meaning of Ubuntu

What happened to love, peace and empathy
The simplicity of an act of kindness
Has fear swept all your morals away?

They bleed when they are cut
They cry when they are sad
We breath the same air
Laugh at the same jokes
and even dream the same dreams

We are the same
It's not even about colour
How is their black different to yours?
brother hating brother
They too are Africa

Soften your blows
Try on their shoes
Its hurting them
and it will hurt you too