Africa – Afrique

photo by Africa

Africa – Afrique
Dressed beautifully in bright, natural colours 
Diamonds and gold are your earthly jewellery;
Your people are your wealth.
Pearls and oyster shells of the sea are woven into your colourful dress.

Africa – Afrique
Your body shaped like a gazelle - strength of a lion - endurance of an elephant and speed of an eagle. Your skin shimmers in multiple tans. Your nature unifies serenity and wildness - cat and lioness.

Africa – Afrique
is your most common name but in hundreds of languages they sing your praises and lullabies. Wisdom is your birth name.

Africa – Afrique
When I look into your eyes - tears slide down your bronzed cheeks.
Your body scared – divided – cut in pieces.
Your open mouth a silent scream
Red marks – blood, rape, death all over you.

Africa – Afrique - rise - Africa – Afrique  

(flying over the African continent, inspired by other artists during Africa day – June 2009)

Love poem for Cape Town

Cape Town – you still smiling and looking majestic from top of the mountain. I’m sad and bitter, I’m crying out – I’m the little dot lost in the busy city bowl. You don’t care, life goes on, the sun rises and in the shades of your beautiful sunset I can cry my tears. In the longing to the far away, I can look over the ocean and try to find what I have lost. Your freezing water, will make no difference to my numb heart. Your townships full of misery will not touch my miserable soul. Your glimmer and glamour will not impress my saddened face. Your masses of people and dense crowd will not take the feeling of being lonely away. Your attempt to unite the diverse and bring together what has been divided long ago, seems like the quest for neverland. For me today, my own pain seems bigger than any other scar. Your Jazz, your music, your shows will remind me that only in fiction and fairytale life is enjoyable.Cape Town you city full of contrasts!!

(February 2009)

Just be, just want to be for a while
Be, not do, not create, not make
Be, not argue, not discuss, not plan
Be, yourself, myself
Be who I am.
Be who you are.
Be with me
Be me
Be with you
Be you
Be us

(February 2009)

After the party
The party is over, the laughter is gone, the bottles are empty
Everyone went home.
I’m sitting here alone. Staring at the leftovers, the party hats…
We had fun, we danced on the tables, popped champagne bottles,
we were high, we laughed
Over, alone
The bad smell of alcohol and cigarettes is in the air.
Left behind,
after all,
it’s me alone
A bad taste in the mouth is all that stays.

(March 2009)

What is love?

Love is the light within us. Love is the empathy and care we have for others. Love is the tear of loss. Love is letting go with pain in the heart. Love is a hug. Love is to listen. Love is to let others be. Love is what makes us smile. Love is what breaks us. Love is the warmth we feel for the innocence of a child. Love is music and art. Love is what nurtures and what kills us. Love is nurturing and sowing. Love is being overwhelmed by nature. Love is God.

(March 2009)

I’m standing at the house of my relationship.
I’m looking through the window.
I see this couple loving, living and fighting.
I see the tears and the frustrations
They holding hands, hugs and kisses
Lots of love but little laughter
Smashing of doors, shouting and anger
Romantic moments, lit candles and darkness
Very little laughter, serious talks,
caring for the other but not being heard

I turn around, the sun brightens my face
And
I walk away.

(April 2009)