In this world,
We live but a corseted
Life,

But, in You,
We live full and
Free --

The streets were filled with people;
Hustling, jostling, synchronised
scooting like a school of fish
humming excitedly, civilised.

A sudden surge of noise,
cacophonous shouts
Water Of Life springs forth
amidst the fractious routs.

I see the crown of his head;
He is loveliness and light,
and though I try to get to him,
I stumble and fall amidst the fight.

And I, a grain on the threshing floor
am trampled under foot
these years of pain and suffering
have not made me splinter-proof, but

I know that He can save me,
heal my body, mind and soul
I reach to touch the hem of His garment
and instantly I am whole.

He stops and asks “who touched my clothing?”
My entire being begins to shake,
with empty legs I kneel before Him,
I confess that my thirst, He slake.

His eyes burned into mine,
filled with love I have never known before
and with one breath He blew the chaf
and gathered me from the threshing floor.

I bear joy rooted in trust
In the trustworthy.

I draw strength from depths
That never run dry.

Again, you showed me the way
And ensured I kept my insecurities at bay
I was feeling dull
My pain, did you ****
I was feeling anxious
You helped me fight my demons
I was feeling stressed
My mind, you calmed
All in all, I was down
And you turned my bane into a boon!

Again, you showed me the way
In fact, YOU were THE WAY
The path to happiness
And inner peace
Yes, you may be an author
But for me, a motivator
You may be a poet
But for me, you represent faith
You may be a translator
But for me, a teacher
You may be an academic
But you provide the kick
Which I so desperately need
To do many a deed
And finally, you may be an activist
But for me, my inner beast
Ensuring I do my best
Come what may
Thus, you again showed me the way!!

The waves are closing in
As I swim towards the finish line
I feel my claustrophobia settling in
My body swaying left and right

My eyes fixated on being first
Tunnel vision now my guide
I ignore everyone around me
If it means reaching solid ground

Medication's slowing down my thoughts
But I'm running out of time
How many times can I fall down
Before I cannot rise?

Before the water gives from under me
And my lungs let out a desperate cry
Screaming, "Save me Jesus!"
"These waves drag me down to die!"

"Why do you test My mighty power
When I have saved you every time?"
"Oh you of little faith
Rise up, leave your fears behind"

"Your sins have been forgiven
For I became a living sacrifice"
"Your soul has been made anew"
Jesus spoke, as He calmed the piercing tides

Now He carries my anxious burdens
When I'm losing all my might
Every day I get to know Him more
In the morning and the night

He guides me towards the narrow path
When I'm wandering from His design
He quiets my inner demons
Before I lose my mind

He reminds me of my identity
When the enemy whispers lies
He reveals His awesome power
When my doubt begins to rise

Only He can offer resolution
For these problems I face in life
He is my sole provider
Of my needs which come with time

So I urge my brothers and sisters
To call upon our mighty God!
For He will calm the stormy waters
And prove that He is Christ

I feel betrayed.
You wanted me back
and used faith to lure me in.

And I,
searching for answers in God,
fell for it—
like a fool.

So I came back to you.

I was wronged yet once more
So my faith is getting sore
I pray to believe there is still time
But there is no god on the sky of mine

My mum braids my hair like she used to do
The storm in my mind is about to break through
There's so little time, yet so much to gain
I would do anything to undo the pain

The years flew by like a shooting star
And through the life I've got so far
Now I feel broken, filthy and used
A lonely child the world has cursed

You tell me now it was all my fault
For not shouting out when being assault
You swore to help me yet now you detain
I'm begging you to undo my pain

Now I lay broken, gaze fixed on ceiling
Trying to drown out the failure of feeling
I am not heartless, I get hurt again
Much more to loose than there is to gain

I'm mad at you for leaving me here
I begged you to save me from drowning in fear
The voices inside me drive me insane
I only wanted to undo my pain

Rise and fall.
Every word is like a thorn,
wounding and tearing me apart.
Like a knife scraping against skin.
The past, left in memory,
leaves my wounds bleeding.

I was lost in dreams of the future.
Now, everything is mixed up with the past,
and the colours of nostalgia warm my heart.
The regrets that come with them
feel almost justified,
because I had moved forward
in search of a brighter future.

I am neither Sartre nor Proust,
but I carry a part of Camus within me -
a strength that gets me through the tough times.
It gives me the will to change my fate.
And if we must give up hope,
For me, hope goes hand in hand with faith.

I am
deliberately
destroying our family.

They say a wise woman
builds her home—
I am removing every brick
we so carefully
stacked.

But do not blame
my wisdom,
or the lack of it.

If only I could show you
all the possible endings
of our story—
the ones I’ve built and rebuilt
in my mind and heart—
and still
it would not be enough
for you to forgive me,
for me to forgive myself,
for the shame
of becoming
a beggar
pleading for life.

Jesus, son of David—
have mercy on me.