the protea magnifica
or queen protea
as it is also known
is a south african flower
of which until recently
i was shamefully unaware
a sprawling shrub
of varying height
dependent upon
influences of its growth
but a hardy plant
nonetheless
able to survive
and to thrive
under the starkest
of conditions and habitats
its flower is not delicate
like many others
but a symbol of survival
of resilience and growth
its boldest of blooms
an array of brightest hues
sending a message
of strength and power
courage and hope
yet the tightly held
closed cup of its petals
suggests a reluctance
to be noticed
an uncertainty
of it's own true beauty
perhaps in comparison
to its kingly namesake

Ylang-Ylang. Viscaria. Protea. Orchid. Magnolia. Lotus. Hibiscus. Gorse. Gardenia. Englantine Rose. Dandelion. Daisy. Cherry Blossom. Campanula. Chamomile.
Pure. Peaceful. Innocent. Flowers.
Flowers don't hurt. They only do if you want them to.



- LynnAA

My soul roams free over your blistering plateaux
And yet I cannot reach you
I cry for dusty, desolate roads...
Reach back.....I beseech you!

I yearn for your bewildering sea breezes
Your mountains tug my heart
Fascinated as the Protea sneezes
Fynbos, vineyards, donkey cart.

These memories embedded are my torture
I writhe within my pain
Berg winds, sand and sun that'll scorch you
I pray for my obsession to wane.

It's not the people that I miss
Their ****** violence will only defile
Your pulse, your rhythm and oh...your kiss
'Oh Africa!' ..........cries this exile.

Your virus has penetrated veins
My heart and brain conflicted
Your dreaming time remains
Forever, my soul addicted!

What happened to the rainbow people.
Corruption planted itself in government and grew higher than the Real yellowwood
Striking and burning necessities is our new flag
Strangers with the right to be here are Ashes
Strangers with plans are supported for their abundance of drugs
Hospitals are important; said the tavern
Burn it down; said the proud people
The elders should be respected; said our parents
**** and record; said the killers
Let's go viral.
Police will always help you is taught by schools
Only help after 3 hours replied Police academies
School is an endangered topic
Youth falling victims at the hands of the very people who are supposed to care for them
Children hurting teachers
Teachers hurting kids
Welcome to a journey of wonderful education that is years behind on information
You learn to **** or cheer the killers
Depending on moods
We show our competitors that we weak
We can’t stand together when we need
We frown at fleeing springboks
We smile as we step on our Protea
So much has changed
The rap game is to shame others
The new songs can't be related songs
Only hyped up words of courage in ***, an *** is an ***
Country getting touched by a man spinning in front of cops as kids get beaten and murdered right under their nose
Criminals are charged after a year
Murders have learned about bail
Justice is an old topic
Fathers being cheered for young girls
Mothers hunting for fresh boys
Cheer on, cheer on.
Who you are is not accepted unless you funny
Your gender is a disgrace unless is trending
You have no voice unless America says it first
Geniuses lie amongst us
Bullied to not think
Every day someone is shot.
Gun and Camera
A country filled with videographers and darkness. Eskom
How to record in darkness is what we do best. Our Motto
Everything is funny until it happens to us. Our reality

I will never ask you not to have *** for money,
clothes,
cosmetics and cars. Keep f#cking and *******
every D# you see, continue jumping from one
man
to the other.
keep the names of all the hotels you've slept in
your memory, protea hotel, sheraton hotel e.t.c.
When the total number of men you have had ***
with is more than your age,i.e you are 25yrs,and
you have had *** with 30 different men.
you can go ahead doing all those ******* of D#
because you want
to be latest and happening babe in town, you
want to use the latest mobile phones or you
want to wear the lastest clothes in vogue. Its
none of my business and I have no issue with
what you are
doing.
But the only issue I will be having with you is
when you dear open your mouth and say a man
should love you for who you are (probably when
you are moving close to your
expired period).I.e when you have shared all your
body to different men and you have notin let
again
I believe any man who will marry you must have
done something crazy or terrible in the past to
have get hooked with you.
You might even start
warming yourself up by going to church now
bcos you hv lost your womb in the process after
you must
have aborted so many babies, and you are
obviously looking for a miracle to happen...
Until you look into your future, you will never
realize the consequences of your presence
actions..
Am expecting some ladies to hate me now
because the
TRUTH is bitter

I have Forget me nots in my brain, that’s why I forget my assignments
I have roses in my head, they’re beautiful but the thorns sometimes wrap around my skull until I can only feel pain
The daisies in my head wilt a lot, no matter how much I water them
The hydrangeas take up so much space in the garden of my head, filling up my mind
The gardenias growing on my brain are slowly dying but on some days they’re the loveliest thing you’ve ever seen
The peonies grow so big, but are so hard to keep healthy
I’ll cough up it’s dead petals but at least I know that it’s still alive
Sunflowers strain in my skull because they want to grow so tall,
But there’s not enough space in the garden that is my head
Protea’s has grown for awhile but it started to bloom once I turned 13
Adonis keeps growing along side the dandelions
Buttercups that probably should have wilted by now still occupy the space in my head
White camellias grow and even though they are beautiful, I keep straining to see red
Cherry blossoms and their beautiful pink and white petals flow out of ears
Hibiscus fill up the space, pouring out of my nose in an attempt to keep growing
Water lilies grow behind my eyes, and when I cry they pour out of my tear ducts
Marigolds grow and grow in the cracks of my imperfection and insecurities
But despite this crowded mind full of flowers,
asphodel started to grow
The flowers keep growing and wilting,
Growing on top of each other, suffocating each other
But there’s still days when if you’d look into my skull, you’d sigh in awe
Because despite everything, they still look beautiful