POETRY

Moipolayi ga a llelwe, sello sa gagwe ke moropa goba mokgolokwane.

On Monday I woke up to the sad news that Zombo, the musician I wrote HIV/AIDS joins Club 27 about has passed away. It is always a sad development when people who were given a mandate to put paint on the canvas that is the country's artistic landscape pass away without having even attempted to be Van Goghs but just came, saw and never conquered. Zombo will be remembered for many things. I'm a published poet so like I do with all people who pass away I am dedicating the poem below to him, which I should confess was not written for him. south afrika 2008 (the biography)

weekends are now exclusively reserved for goodbyes & lullabies
no longer do we watch soccer we watch caskets going down
we count blessings every step we take from the womb to the tomb
HIV/AIDS on the rampage communities perish like flies
sisters is shedding sweet tears finally paroled from brothels
go to confession mami make the church your haven

friendships replaced by conspiracies judas is reincarnated
hugs conceal real motives & the backstabber's Okapi
welcome to my township - mi casa su casa
why did we nip love @ the bud when they showed us the dollar
how can we all scream aluta when some are rested in Benzes
marijuana's now our messiah guarantees redemption

it's a cold-cold world father i'm down on my knees
rescue me from temptation i see the bait of lucifer
bullets still lick asses of brothers who forgot how to act
we misled now believe black sheep should die in the dark
instal doors on caves & disappear from your glory

my township is contradictions prays to god but praises satan
we wonder why he's your son but lacks your light
we gave our faith to mighty dollars that never bought us life
brett kebble caught hollows left us wondering why
tens of millions couldn't bail him from the angel of death

last night i humbled myself & dialled mary the virgin
to save me from my fears of dying before turning 40
give me a reason to live while everyone is dying
take me to heaven if it's there i'm converted sans faith
i'm blind can't close my eyes i pray with them open
for everybody i love to have eternal life
everybody that left to be forgiven they sins
everybody on they deathbeds to get well before christmas
for south afrika to be bold enough to bury its offspring

May He Rest in Peace