I made this for you
I stole all the stars from Heaven
All the flowers below
I stole the smile
From past lover’s eyes
I chanted and sacrificed
I went away a little while
To cook myself into a worthy meal that won’t get stuck between your teeth
I traveled to the depth of the ocean
And into the void of space
I started in the first dimension
When all was but a dot
I conversed with celestial beings
Broke bread with beans
I smoked weed
With the wisest elders from Elim
I became complete
Hurt, because knowledge is nothing but pain
I had kola nut conversations with kings and elders
I consulted with both light and darkness
Good and evil
Yin and Yang
I crossed rivers of blood and water
Wells of tar
And mud
I knew everything until I became all of it
And still… It’s not enough
For a man raised without a father
Ntaoleng Patience Labane is a writer, visual artist, podcast host and poet from the Free State. She has worked with numerous artists and organizations within the art industry. She is part of the Radioactive poetry collective. Her first work was showcased in Italy at the Castello Duepolis museum. She was awarded with the most improved poet award for 2019 by the Radioactive blog. She is still marking her stand in the art industry.