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

-

I'm sitting here in my office
watching steam rise in cursive swirls
from the black coffee in front of me
on this stormy Friday morning

Staring at nothing in particular,
I allow my thoughts to linger,
becoming completely lost in another
beautiful daydream of you and me

      we walk along a secluded beach,
         palm tree shadows sway,
     sand between our toes,
        a sunrise surf lulls hypnotically
          in rhythmic tempo whispers as I peer
       deeply into your maple syrup eyes,
    falling deeper in love with you
          with each longing glance
      We kiss and my heart melts
        at the feel of your sweet lips
      pressed tightly against mine…

A loud clap of thunder wakes me
as I once again realize where I am,
sitting behind a desk covered in paperwork
and another now cold cup of coffee, but…

There are many more daydreams where
that one came from that will always include
you because… they all originate in my heart
and there’s still hot coffee in the ***

I don't understand why I'd come here.
But they told me to lighten up, to live but they don't understand.
They just don't get it.
I look up to see the fire dance,
With a sense of freedom in its own little cage,
Filled with so much rage, yet portrays such a beautiful rhythm.
I see a boy across me,looking at me,
His eyes flashing with emotions, each trying to get the bigger spot,
Pain, Sadness, Confusion, Guilt all thrashing in on him.
I see him gulp his alcohol burning his throat and he looks to me.
In his eyes, dare I say it...
I see hope.
I guess it's true what they say.
As I see a traumatising story surge through his eyes to mine.
I wonder, Does the Broken only Understand the broken?
I give him a faint smile and wave.

Forty-three years ago
I was expendable.

Expendable means:
cannon fodder,
unimportant,
food for powder,
victim, target, pawn,
disposable, superfluous,
replaceable.

Not an appropriate
term for humans.

Once you have been
expendable,
you can never be
quite human again.

  ~mce