Was I created by the same God
That created this beautiful creature?

I asked myself.

If she is a living being,
What does that make me?

I asked myself.

Her angelic features, substituted all
The perfect and precious pictures in my mind.
For a brief moment I thought
I was healed from being blind.

Touching her hips,
felt like kissing
Her juicy lips…
Her figures makes a
dumb person to
Shout “Jesus”
And I call them
“the figures of speech”

I call her buhle…

Her glittering eyes simulates the
Reflection of the sun in the
Skies and seas.
She is the most precious stone
In the entire galaxy.

And i call her buhle…

Yena muhle shame
Maaka a dirang
Her nose so sharp like it could
Scratch my brown skin when
We kiss and leave a lovely scar
Right next to my chin.

I could tell by just a sniff
She is heading my way when
She is still afar…

Her teeth so white as snow…
She makes me rush when I am slow…
Steering at her,
Feels like watching my favourite show…
For a matter of fact,
She is my favourite show…

I do not call her like they do
They call her…
Sweet lom’khuhlane
Some call her…
Seponono sa dikoti marameng
Mmago ditshaba, moferehla moikutlo.
Ke ra yena mma kgosi wa bokone
Bophirima legaeng la maswi le mamapo
A dinosi
The mother of all heavens on earth

But I call her Buhle

What have they done to you?
What have they done to your hair? 
What have they done to your skin?
What have they done to you?

Beautiful little girl
With soft and natural hair, 
But then you saw them 
And ended up with hair made up of plastic. 
Hair made up of sacrifice .
Hair that labels your expenses .
Hair that has changed you!!

Lovely smile you used to rock 
But then you saw them 
And ended up with mud on your face,
Blush on your cheeks,
Paint on your lips
And crayons on your eyes.
Your face has become a work of clowns.

Miraculously your skin turned into light
Because you wanted to be seen as light as them in pictures. 
Your weight dropped 
Because you wanted to be thin as them in poses. 
Your name changed from Buhle to Beauty 
Because it was easier for them to pronounce. 
What have they done to your identity ??

You visit malls to search for the perfect dress
But why not shop for a bag full of
Personal identity
Joy
Self-esteem
Inner beauty
Self-love 
Confidence??

You chose to look like them 
Than to be you!
You chose pretty 
Instead of BEAUTIFUL...
You chose to be trapped 
Than to be liberated. 
You chose to be them 
Instead of being you!!!
 
BEAUTIFUL is to lift your chin up
With love, joy and uniqueness. 
Pretty is to be THEM.
If I were you I would choose to be beautifully smart 
Beautifully lovely 
Beautifully confident
Beautifully unique. 
I would choose to be BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

What have they done to you?
What have they done to your hair?
What have they done to your skin?
What have they done to you?

Beautiful little girl
With soft and natural hair,
But then you saw them
And ended up with hair made up of plastic.
Hair made up of sacrifice .
Hair that labels your expenses .
Hair that has changed you!!

Lovely smile you used to rock
But then you saw them
And ended up with mud on your face,
Blush on your cheeks,
Paint on your lips
And crayons on your eyes.
Your face has become a work of clowns.

Miraculously your skin turned into light
Because you wanted to be seen as light as them in pictures.
Your weight dropped
Because you wanted to be thin as them in poses.
Your name changed from Buhle to Beauty
Because it was easier for them to pronounce.
What have they done to your identity ??

You visit malls to search for the perfect dress
But why not shop for a bag full of
Personal identity
Joy
Self-esteem
Inner beauty
Self-love
Confidence??

You chose to look like them
Than to be you!
You chose pretty
Instead of BEAUTIFUL...
You chose to be trapped
Than to be liberated.
You chose to be them
Instead of being you!!!

BEAUTIFUL is to lift your chin up
With love, joy and uniqueness.
Pretty is to be THEM.
If I were you I would choose to be beautifully smart
Beautifully lovely
Beautifully confident
Beautifully unique.
I would choose to be BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

Mukela inhliziyo yami
nhliziyo buhlungu
iphathise okweqanda
uyishushuzele njengo sana
uyimbhathise okwe nkosi
ibhekise elangeni
okwa
bheki ilanga
ilanga lase hlobo

jabula ngoba isiphuzi
phuzi bo buhle

The local news
keeps me
feeling imbued
not subdued,
having no feeling of being lewd
or too new
or in lost cool
or for lack of mind fuel,
or for excuses about
being physical gruel
or in being Dartmouth bound as in being one of the chosen few
or famous like Pete Newell
or someone like Bruce Newell
or Paul Buhle