Call for calm amidst world’s angst
Echoes of peace where battles bend
A pause in the storm, even though
Some seek to avenge the deep loss
Every soul yearns for peace to unfurl
For grass to grow where debris adorns
In ceasefire’s embrace hope ascends
Rebirth emerges as spring’s gentle sigh
Ever so timely for dreams to amplify.
For Write Right @Thotpurge
Featured Image created using Gencraft.
Words are building blocks
lines lend rhythm and flow
for stanzas not to divide us
as we fight for a just world
Rhyme isn’t always necessary,
for a meter carries the weight
but don’t breathe a word of it;
it’s the irony of weak syllables!
Imagery is vivid and evokes
a range of emotions; each vying
for control as structures crumble
under melancholic suffixion
Can a metaphor fix a harsh tone
and let us explore universal truths
without fear of heavy themes
or abandoning our hearts?
I shared an excerpt of this poem on Instagram, and now I’m sharing the full poem here. It’s a way of priming myself (adjust my thoughts and emotions accordingly) for NaPoWriMo in April, as I’m participating this year.
“There’s so much happening…so much to say…so hard to say…so hard not to…” — Rajani Radhakrishnan
Are you participating in NaPoWriMo? If you haven’t decided or found prompts that speak to you or your world, as it is right now, check out Rajani’s call and prompts on her blog, Thotpurge or Instagram, if you publish your poems there.
While I’ll be sharing some poems here (more frequent than usual), I may be super slow in responding to comments. However, I want to assure you I truly value and read every one of them. 🙂
Otherwise, happy writing and reading & a restful Easter weekend!
PS. Both images were created using Canva AI image generator.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I’m revisiting WoMan. Given the current state of affairs, it’s clear her work is not done. WoMan is a poem I wrote years ago and appears in my chapbook, From the Depths of Darkness. The poem employs magical realism elements to explore the poet’s role as a healer.
Even after publishing WoMan, I knew it’s a character I wanted to learn more about. So, I reached to my fellow poet and artist, Kerry O’Connor, for a visual depiction. She interpreted the healer in the poem in a South African context and as a sangoma. The painting, she titled Study of WoMan, further inspired the poem below. I guess this is the essence of art’s ability to inspire further artistic expression.
I admit my writing tends to be autobiographical. However, the following poem is not an “I Am” poem, a personal poem in which the author describes themselves, even though it slightly adopts the format. It’s a poem that honours and appreciates all women for their roles in our communities and society.
Throughout history, Black South African women have been writing, and expressing themselves through various poetic styles. This includes women in my life, though not writers themselves, who celebrated poetry through oral traditions and also encouraged reading.
I am WoMan
I am both gentle and fierce
A healer with ever-changing abilities
Still, I am a resolute mender of hearts
I am one with the natural world
Rooted in love, goodness blooms
A symphony of compassion
But do not confuse or conflate
Gentleness is not weakness
My spine is a steel beam ready
To support and defend what matters
Even if I risk being misunderstood
But do not call me angry
For I will burn the house down
I am a seeker of justice
I am WoMan
It is clear that very little research has targeted Black women writers as knowledge and content producers, through the medium of books, let alone poets.”
—Makhosazana Xaba; Our Words, Our Worlds
I’m also taking this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Black South African women poets to the world of poetry. Why? Because, and as the quote above suggests, they rarely get the spotlight.
This is not about playing up to the accepted divisions of how we differ from one another: not African enough, not Black enough, not Woman enough and whatever else we are told to believe. It’s a simple fact that when I mention Audre Lorde, most people know who she is. But when I mention Sindiwe Magona, most (non-South African) people reach out for their smartphones to look her up. Why is that? Maybe we are not curious enough to learn about one another. In any case, I hope this provides food for thought.
So, with all that said, Happy Women’s History Month and a belated World Poetry Day to all poetry lovers!
PS. Wikipedia is calling for volunteers to join their efforts in addressing gender knowledge gaps. Read more on their site, if you’re looking for ways to donate your time and efforts!