Life Is a Book

Life is a book with many chapters.

Some tell of tragedy,
others of triumph.
Some chapters are dull and ordinary,
others are intense and exciting.

The key to success in life is
to never stop on difficult pages,
to never quit on tough chapters.

Champions have the courage to
keep on turning the pages,
because they know
a better chapter lies ahead.

Keep turning the pages.

-Bongeka Bobo

Who Am I?

I thought I was cool, without even seeing I was a fool. I used to have a lot of friends, girlfriends, and enemies, and that brought troubles in my life as a young kid.

But it still goes on for my present life. Nothing seems to have changed in the past few years, because I keep listening to my cool friends when they say, "We are enjoying the teenage life so we won't regret anything about it when we are old."

In all of this, I am just trying to figure out who I am.

-Tebogo Old John

Life Experiences

To be successful, I have to earn everything I have. My true greatness will come from experience: I cannot be great in every single thing that I do without experience, though some people achieve great things without experience, when they follow their dreams.

Life must be lived wisely, because you never know when you will die. People must interact with one another for the good. Looking down on each other, and holding hatred and anger for no good reason, will rob us of our dignity.

-Elethu Nkala

One Nation

My favourite childhood memory is quite a special, noisy, and entertaining one. Life goes quite fast, which means we must enjoy every moment - and one Saturday morning, that is what I decided to do.

It was a day of celebration, knowing that the FIFA World Cup was coming here to Mzantsi! On that day, everyone in Africa felt like one big family, which was a part of my dream for Africa, to become one nation!

-Chris Lambert

Terrifying News

It was a sunny summer day
with birds singing and
smiles everywhere
People rejoicing, chanting,
and mumbling

Came this person with
a sad expression,
like someone took her ice cream ...
disappointment written
all over her face

I made the mistake of
asking what was wrong
I took the cloud on her head
and shared it with her
She gave me the most
terrifing news

My day was turned
into a dark midnight,
full of hurt and sorrow
My jewel didn't shine
no more

-Asanda Mini

Difference

Why are we different?
I ask myself.
Why are you beautiful and I am not?
Why do you smile and I cry?
Why do you rise while I fall?
Why?

Why do you get everything for free
that I have to work hard for?
I sweat to death,
but still mine is not as much as yours.
Why?

Why are you trusted instantly,
but I have to earn such respect?
Why are you loved, while I'm hated?

WHY, WHY, WHY, ARE WE DIFFERENT?

-Shelly Zinyama

Money, Money, Money

Money is the devil.
Those who have it want more of it
and would do anything to get it.

Who in the world invented this devil
and did they want it to cause us so much misery
that some would even take others' freedom for it?
That is total madness!

I wish we could return to a time
when there was no money
Maybe then, there wouldn't be so much
pain and suffering,
no judgment and blame.

I HATE MONEY, BUT I ALSO LOVE IT!

-Tito Walaza

Mid-Level Emotion

I have a friend
He never judges me before seeing my ability
He never groups according to my colour
He never favours me, nor others

To most friends, I recommend him
(although sometimes he stabs me with such pain
in the chamber of my emotions)
He brings most people together
but separates others

He is believed to be blind
and no glasses have ever worked in his eyes
He is called love
But he is not my friend anymore

-Banele Matyeba

My Rap

I got this feeling ...
Feelin' of being cold when it's hot
The feeling of being hot whether it's cold or not
The thing of being useless 'cause I don't play any sport
I don't like gangsters 'cause I don't wanna' get shot
(and be famous when my body's gone)

People gettin' ice cream 'cause they got a cone
Nigga!
You're sweating, even if you're playin' a zone
Don't dunk; you'll break your bone
Oh!

I don't wanna' hit you with this chain
'cause I don't wan' ya' sitting with pain
'cause I'm tired of an exercise called "aim"
I don't even know your name
Bring this game
'cause yesterday I came with my friends
in Mitchell's plain -
where girls are krump killers
and boys are drug dealers
Oh!

Can I have your attention?
Attention, please!
I have somethin' to mention
about a mission
in a vision
I'm reading city vision
in a station

I would like to eat a chicken
It's like I'm eatin' and sleepin'
and ready for a "hello" in the morning

-Lloyd Hanjana

Why?

Why? Why is life so unfair?
Why can't we choose which families
we want to be born in?

The world can be so cruel to those
who live in hunger and fear ... but WHY?

My question still remains. WHY?

WHY IS THE WORLD IN SUCH A MESS?

-Tito Walaza

Understandable Emotionality

Bleeding soul in the chamber of emotions
Blood red and stronger than its colour
Voices rising and fading away in times

Mistaken but set well in time (chronological)
Never thought before made
Not done after being made to creation

Red wine pouring like counted integers
Deep wound in the soul of the earnest
"Look into my eyes"

Whatever you see
may not be finished,
but it is CREATED.

-Banele Matyeba

Why Do We Want to Kill Our Half Brothers and Half Sisters?

South Africans: Why you are cruel to others?
Have you thought clearly about this xenophobia thing?
Do you know that were celebrating together this World Cup thing?
Do you know that we are all Africans?

Why don't you want other Africans?
Do you know that we all have one colour?
Do you know that we are all on one planet?
Do you know that we share one God?

These people are good to us
Losing them is like losing hope
We must show humanity
Let us welcome them with our warm hands

Some of them are good to us
They make business opportunities for us
Sometimes they help us
We share the same skin colour

-Noluyolo Zanendaba

Man Drunk

You go to work every day,
come back and eat,
then go back to sleep

You do that every day
except Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays
because you're drinking alcohol,
getting drunk,
coming home late,
sometimes not coming back ...
lying to your wife,
saying you slept at your friend's house

You beat your wife
You beat your wife and kids to death
while you're drunk,
As if you're fighting
with another guy

Why, why, why, why
do you abuse women?
Where is your responsibility as a man?

-Mbikazi Godlo

Midnight Detective

Loud screams woke me up. I was dripping with sweat. I glanced at the digital clock beside my bed. It was past midnight.

A breeze broke in through the window just opposite my bed, and that made me quiver. I pulled the blanket up to my chin. I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. More screams, this time accompanied by bumps and bangs.

BANG! Startled, I kicked the covers and leapt to my feet. I tiptoed to the window and closed it, trying to block out the annoying sounds. As I made my way to bed, I heard an angry man's voice, followed by a loud sound: CRASH! I climbed into bed and buried my head under the pillow. I was drifting off to sleep when I heard someone crying.

Furious and curious, I jumped out of bed, to find out what was going on. Barefoot, I hoisted myself up to the window and climbed out into the dead of night. It was cold outside, and the moon cast a grey light on the grass.

I glanced around. My eyes fixed on the Anderson's house. I saw a rectangle of light on their lawn. I walked toward their garden, adjacent to their swimming pool. As I approached their driveway, I discovered where the sounds had come from.

Cautiously, I moved toward their window, certain that in seconds I would find out what was happening. Another cry from inside their house stopped me. That's it! Someone is being murdered!

Forcing the thought out of my mind, I took a few more steps toward the window. I peeked through, and breathed a sigh of relief. A smile grew on my sweaty face, and I realised I was wrong. Something beautiful had happened in there.

Mrs. Anderson had just given birth. Everything started to make sense: The cries were from the newborn baby. The bumps and bangs were Mrs. Anderson's furniture being knocked around, in Mrs. Anderson's childbirth struggle. What I'd thought was an angry man's voice had been Mr. Anderson, encouraging his wife to push, at the top of his lungs.

The following night, I lay on my back, staring at the roof. Thinking about what had happened the previous night, I smiled. I pulled the covers up and closed my eyes. This night will be peaceful and quiet.

I was drifting off to sleep when the baby next door started to cry.

-Randall Basson

The World Cup

Feel it: It is here and gone.

The pitch was ready for action, but now it has received the action. We blew our vuvuzelas in mother city, wearing our Bafana Bafana jerseys, and supported our team.

We enjoyed every step of the World Cup. We thank you, Mr. Sepp Blatter, for this opportunity you gave us. We hope you can also bring The Olympics to our beautiful country in 2020. Thank you, Siphiwe Tshabalala, for being the first player to write the history and future. We hope you will deliver more goals.

We knew there were some bad comments, like those about our beautiful Jabulani ball. We don't mind, because we knew bad comments would accompany this great event. Even at school, we debated about the World Cup. God bless this thing.

We hosted the best World Cup. South Africans thank the world. Congratulations, Spain, for winning the golden boot.

-Noluyolo Zanendaba

Your Choice

You run away
because you are scared
You are scared of your father,
your mother, your aunt, your family

You are scared because you think
they will beat you to death,
you and your unborn baby

You choose to sleep on the steet
You choose to sleep without eating
You choose to become a prostitute
because you want money
for you and the unborn baby

You don't care about
the three-and-four-letter words: HIV/AIDS
You don't care about anything
because you want money
(you are desperate for the money) ...
and you are not thinking well

Running from your problems
won't solve anything

Rather, stay behind and move ...

-Mbikazi Godlo

There Was Nobody Like Him

It was when I had a conflict with my friends. They were so much more powerful than I was, but I thought I could stand up for what I what I believed in. The conflict was about one of us who spoke about our group secret. Everyone was angry at me, although I didn't do it.

I was so frustrated that I turned around and walked away. For the next couple of days, everyone seemed to hate me, but I knew one thing: There was nobody like him.

In times like that, you need someone who can make you feel the way you are feeling, who can make you feel stronger and show love to you. He was able to do all of this because we had something in common, which is ...

We could understand each other.

-Asanda Mini

How Much Do You Love Me?

How much do you love me
when you cheat and betray me?

How much do you love me
when you spend days and weeks
without hearing my voice,
without seeing my face?
How much do you love me?

How much do you love me
when you can't even say it ...
when you can't even express it?

I wonder how much you love me
if you can spend a whole month
without knowing where I am.

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME?

-Shelly Zinyama

Tree

Tree is a supplier
Tree is a provider
It helps people to live
and to breathe

It provides with goods
It is a home for animals
It protects some insects
and gives animals shadow when it's hot

It supplies wood to people
for them to make tables
It supplies paper
for us to write on

Some coals come from it
for us to have electricity
It supplies Xhosa people with medicine
for us to live

TREE, YOU ARE HELPFUL!

-Lloyd Hanjana

Should I Go or Should I Stay?

Should I go or should I stay?
That's the million dollar question
I have asked for as long as I remember.

Everything has changed.
They treat me differently, and they don't care.
Everything has changed.
They hurt me with their opinions and expressions.

What hurts the most is that they do not realise
what they are putting me through
It's like they are doing it on purpose,
like they want me to feel this way,
like they want me to just vanish into thin air.

They love me,
but sometimes I feel they hate the sight of me,
like they can't even breathe when I'm around.

Should I go or should I stay,
because of everything that has changed?
Everything has changed in a very bad manner.
The only thing that has changed in a good manner is
MY LOVE FOR THEM.

During all these obstacles,
I got to love them more and more.
I don't know why, but I did.
Everything has changed, but not all of it in a bad way, so
WHY SHOULD I GO?

But then again,
WHY SHOULD I STAY?

-Tito Walaza

The Abuser

She is trusting you
in every move you make
in every step you take

She does not know about the bad things
you are doing to me

When she's out
you want me to touch you
you want to sleep with me
you are forcing me to do what I don't do

You threaten to kill me
If I tell my mother
You threaten to kill us
My mother and me

You pretend to care about her,
about us
You tell her
promises and lies,
and more lies

One lie after another ...
WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY
do you keep on doing this to me?

WHY?

-Mbikazi Godlo

Trust

I don't understand
the meaning of trust anymore
You say that you trust me
and that I should trust you
because you want to know my secrets

And you disappear
and after a while
everyone knows my secrets
and you say that is trust
Now I am confused

Has the meaning of trust changed?
Does trust mean that you
should tell all my secrets
when I asked you not to tell?

Or you do not know
what trust means?

-Shelly Zinyama

School

School is hell
We are sad
We cry, but
We learn

School is horror
We sream, we shout, but
We get into adventures

School is heaven
We smile, we laugh
We undergo
Journeys

School is life
We're hot and we're cold
We're in and we're out ...
although we all succeed

-Asanda Mini

Lost Inside Imagination

Listen ...
Deep but not underground
The buried soul rose up
My heart pounded like counting numbers
I was killed and murdered here, in my own imagination

Doubting myself time after time
Scared to tell status because of judgment
Last but not least,
"left outside the house again"
This time not in mine, but in someone else's soul

Never loving before admiring
I loved someone like a newborn baby
If you hear me well, please
"tell me what to do"

Guide him before his failure ...
God knows why.

-Banele Matyeba

Youth Day

I saw them running in the streets of Soweto
Crying for the freedom -
freedom of speech, good education, good services
which they were taught in Afrikaans that they don't want

They wanted to be taught in their mother language,
but the apartheid people refused.
The blood was all over Soweto
(that was the day Hector Peterson disappeared)

Their hero Nelson Mandela heard them cry,
and he said, "Don't worry; everything will be all right."
He spent 27 years in jail, just for us
He is the man among men

We are free today because of him
Every language is equal now, by law
We can sing and dance now,
show the world triumph over the humanity

He wrote the future
and we must not jeopardise it

-Noluyolo Zanendaba

My Desire Destructed by Your So-Called Happiness

I was lonely when
you came and completed
My heart with happiness
So fooled by your sweet talk
Your smart clothes
And your charming face

Not knowing you inside
I turned out to be
A laughing stock to your friends,
An idiot to my friends ...
but you showed me my inside,
My inner beauty.
You lost out on a lot...

Not being patient, you
Crawled like a baby
Instead of moving forward.
You moved backwards
Taking away your dignity
AND
My desire was destructed by
Your so-called happiness

-Asanda Mini

Confused

I'm so confused
I don't know what to do

I'm so confused
I can't think
I can spend days thinking
but remember nothing

I can spend days loving
but it soon turns to hate

Why, why, why? I ask
but nobody answers

-Shelly Zinyama

Ball

My name is B
and my surname is all
I don't like to be kicked, but I can't help it
'cause my birth certificate tells me
that my name is BALL

They don't have sympathy
'cause I can't cry, but I'm angry
I must be steady
to make others happy
and I keep friends for myself
for not being lonely

I decide for teams in the field
I do so emotionally
I know that I can't speak
They blame me
(they say I'm too weak)

I'm too famous ...
even the president kicks me

-Lloyd Hanjana

Stranger Following

You see me every day
You walk sideways
You have that hatred inside you

Everywhere you go, you see the same stranger
greeting at you as if she knows you.
Who are you?
(well ... that's what you think)

But Yena, she knows who you are
and where you are from
who your parents are
because you are related to her
but you don't know that

They didn't tell you
that you have an older sister
You pass her by every day
Look at her as a stranger.
She greets you often
wondering what she wants from you.

Why does she follow you?
Does she know me?
Do I know her?
Those are the questions you ask yourself.

-Mbikazi Godlo

Life in My Mind

Every day's new
Everything's true
Life without impossibilities
Done within incredibilities

I'm grateful at this point
The white colour of the skin is good
but sometimes judgmental,
Not bad than better - confrontational

Wise man, "I call for your help"
Your hand will stretch wider and wider
With a little, you provide
Comes a big life dream out of it

Love life, because life will love you, too ...
Wise words come out of a mouth
that doesn't have a say
Work toward change, 'til you are bright
(more than the sun is)

Good luck in your journey.

-Banele Matyeba

Africa, Be Wise

Why do African people do this way?
Is it poverty
that brought hatred amongst African people:
same colour, same continent, same blood?

Why, my great fellow Africans?
Fighting against our brothers and sisters ...
These where people who protected us
at the time of exile.
Yes, what we call exile
is their countries.

They did not call them makwerekwere,
though we can't speak their languages.
When our fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers
worked in their areas.

Why should you black fellow South Africans do this?
What makes you think we are better than they?
Why do we not stand up against violence?
Get up and and let education empower you.
Seek humanity.

Before 1994, you blamed whites.
Now, you are blaming refugees.
Who are you going to blame after killing them?
Africa, I just want to make it clean and clear:
"Wake up" and take over,
or else violence will take over.

Don't do bad things
which will lead you
to the dark side of life.

AFRICA, BE WISE.

-Vika Nikelo

Why Was I Born?

Was I born to be good,
or was I born to be bad?

Is there any purpose
for me to be here?
Was I born for a purpose,
or for no purpose at all?

If there is a purpose for my life,
what is that purpose?
What am I living for?

How many difficulties does my life
still need to go through?
When will I reach my dream?
How will I get there?
Where does my future lie?
Will I ever get there?

WHY WAS I BORN?

-Ciza Sylvane

South Africa Is the Destination of Choice

South Africa, my beginnings,
South Africa, my ending
South Africa, my destiny
Africa, my home

I am proudly African
because of Africa's humanity and unity

South Africa is the home
to those who need a home
South Africa is the love
to those who need love
South Africa is the mother land to all
South Africa is the house of exile

Africa is the home of unity,
the home of humanity
If you are in Africa, forget all your problems
and feel at home
Africa is the home to
those who live in it

If you are in Africa, just possess
everything that is in Africa ...
Just be an African

We maybe diverse in culture, skin colour
and home languages ...
but we are all Africans
and we will always be united

Africa my continent, South Africa my country
Madiba my hero, Zuma my president
Bafana Bafana my team of hope
That's why we say
possess everything that is in Africa
and feel wanted and needed

Just be an African.

-Esethu Mngxunyeni

Who Are You, Alcohol?

Who are you
that people can't forget about you?
Ruining people's lives,
destroying children's futures ...
Dreams have gone away
Vision that we had before
All gone away because of you
Who are you?

Every day and every night
Families are breaking down
just because of you
And they divorce
just to get you
Whenever there's money
the first thing to think about is you

Can't you just stop it
and think about us?
Think about our future
The dreams and vision we had before

Can't you see
that things go wrong
because people are controlled by you?

People kill each other
because they don't even knew
what they are doing

Who are you for doing that?
Can't you see that we suffer
because of you?
Can't you just stand
and look around
and see what is happening ...
then ask yourself,

WHO REALLY ARE YOU?

-Zintle Sibeko

Who Am I to Judge

As I walk around my township
I see so many wrong things
People stealing and hurting each other
People controlled by greed and cruelty
BUT who am I to judge

People wasting their opportunities
Throwing their lives away
BUT who am I to judge

People take dangerous risks
Make the wrong choices
Not thinking about tomorrow
Not thinking about who is affected by this
whose heart it's going to break
BUT who am I to judge
Who are YOU to judge
When every day you do one of these things

-Shelly Zinyama

A Terrifying Dream

I am between the devil
and the deep blue sea.
My mind is busy,
My heart is racing
Sweat from my forehead creeps
down to my eyebrows.

I glance around,
and exchange glances with the tide ...
Dread settles at the pit of my stomach.
I shift my weight and catch evil eyes fixing
and burning into mine, red with fury!

Backing up,
each timid step accompanied by a heartbeat,
I realise that I'm now walking towards shore

Driven by the fear of the devil's wrath,
I go further into the ocean, quivering and shivering,
not certain whether its the fear or the cold

I close my eyes
and listen to the voices shrieking
inside my head
One calls out my name: "RANDALL!"
and before I know it,
I'm wide awake and drenched in sweat ... or should I say
sea water?

I'll never know ...
and that's what terrifies me!

-Randall Basson

AIDS, Go Away

AIDS, who are you?
Why are you so evil?
Do you know you took my mother,
my father, my aunt, my uncle?
Now I'm alone.

Do you know how it feels
to be alone in a big, huge world -
to have no one care for you?

AIDS, who are you?
You break my heart each day.
You snatch away my happiness each day.
Piece by piece, you take, take, take.
You never give, do you?

You take thousands of people each day.
You go around infecting people.
Mothers and fathers, you take.
And what about their children?
Do you ever think of them?

AIDS, you make me cry.
You take away my strength.
You break my heart.
AIDS, go away.

You are not wanted.
You bring sorrow to people's lives.
You bring death to our homes.

GO AWAY!

-Shelly Zinyama