I sought
To write poetry
Until I was improperly
Reminded by the
First stanza I wrote
That, I am
A Poetry virgin,
Un-initiated,
Uncultured.
Unsophisticated
With words
With no proper
Abstraction
Observation
Nor expression
In earnest
I persisted
Until
I was gracelessly reminded
By the second stanza I wrote
That, a Poetry virgin,
I am.
And that my right of passage
Into poetry writing
Is not a fait accompli
But, what will become of me?
I do not have a fee
And I cannot afford
Bra Don Mattera
Nor Bra Dan Brutus
To Initiate me
Into poetry writing,
And to aid me
Redeem myself
From the poetry peccadilloes
I have committed
Alas,
I cannot afford
Mme Antjie Krog
And Mme Ingrid Jonker,
Bra Willie Kgositsile
Bra Wally Serote and Bra
Lefifi Tladi
To initiate me to
Monometers, dimeters
Trimeters, tetrameters,
Pentameters, hexameters
Or heptameters
Of poetry
As such, it seems
I will, alas
continue to produce
“ersatz poetry”
As long as,
A poetry virgin
I remain.
Thembani Mbadlanyana works as a researcher at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. He is a published researcher and enjoys reading and writing. He is an apsiring Poet and finds inspiration in the body of works of many South African poets