Broken Bones by Mlamli Tyulu

Mlamli Tyulu | November 22nd, 2016 | a poem a day challenge, poetry | 2 Comments

Poet Bio

Bones Break and with the break comes the prompt that life is but a prickly pear laden pregnant with juice

Little moths gather around fires and flies around corpses draped in stale blood, smelling of metal and mortar

Nausea rising out of lips discoloured and teeth decayed

Yet the heavens echo still and the earth in unison shouts with the agony of widows draped in weeds of mourning: WE ARE HUMAN

The lady standing in front of me laughs as the man in blue and red and green clothes falls

Married to alcohol, engaged to destruction

As she laughs her stomach shakes in perfect routine, like the unstable insides of a raw egg

And like a sword penetrating my torn heart, blood rushing up and down, and down and up, I am reminded, rudely so

THAT I AM HUMAN

The Churchman walks, crossing the road closest to me chewing gum

Bible in hand as if it were his very life, he kneels and prays and weeps

The boy he prayed for yesterday, has passed like waves do the shore

His robe and stole are kissed by dust that makes him sneeze and reddens his nose

I stand with pity at this sight and see with eagle clarity the truth to life,

You are Human and so am I

The stranger woman who passes by smiles at me with her blue eyes, her white skin glistens in the sun,

I smile and wave in a regal way, my black skin accentuating my hazel eyes

I see her hair, smooth and lofty, sans hair as I may be,

I drop my smile and become emerald with longing, till I look down and see her wrinkled hands,

Ripe as a banana, browning at the edges, almost looking burnt, like toast that is tossed in bins of grey and cream

I look at me and look at her and see the longing in her eyes, and suddenly like a bell to a silent clique I remember

Sharp as the sword that parted the mango tree behind my house from its roots,

That I am because you ARE and You are because I am

WE ARE HUMAN!!!

Poet Bio

Mlamli is a poet and writer based in Cape Town. He loves reading and writing and engaging in intellectual conversation. He is a firm believer in the voice of the writer and poet being able to influence both political and religious spheres. He is currently writing his debut novel.

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2 thoughts on “Broken Bones by Mlamli Tyulu”

  1. Great work there.. Loved it,a real reminder not condemn ourselves after all we as are human and are bound to fall…big ups!!!!!

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