In the years of my youth,
I dreamt and I dreamt big
But I had no idea just how high God planned to take me
Sometimes the hard times seemed to last too long
But then again I was born with a joyous heart
So laughter never left my heart
And Hope will always be my walking stick
“Even when the cock does not crow, Dawn will break” my people rightfully say
The values I was brought up with
Have shaped and guided me through life
As a young person I did not know that
My parents were arming me for success
Now I know that hard work and respect, open doors
Where you did not know they even existed
Where the best education cannot take you
I have learnt that for as long as you are willing to be taught
The universe will teach you
For as long as you are willing to receive
Life’s gifts will find you
By: Gcina Mhlophe
It is truly marvellous, wonderful and comforting
To know that I have eyes to read
Hands that can write
And an enormous love for words
I am lucky to be speaking a few extremely beautiful languages
For I love words – language’s ancestor
When I’m happy, words define my happiness
When I’m sad and confused
Words turn into clay and allow me
To mound and remould my muddled up thoughts
Till I find inner peace in my soul
Had I to choose, between weeping and reading
I’d most definitely choose reading,
A good book
For I have proof, for aches and tensions
It works!
Countless times I’ve turned my back on pain
And found friends in characters from far off lands
Countless times I’ve defied anger
And caressed my nerves with an old comic book
Countless nights I’ve triumphed over insomnia
And had a heart to heart talk with my pen and paper
I come to my desk in the dead of night
I sit, without a clue as to how I wish to start
But then, before I know it, words of all types and sizes
Come rushing unto my finger tips
As I feel my whole body smile
I welcome them every single one of them
Like the good old friends that they are
When they start dancing in large circles around me
Throwing teasing wordy circles on my walls
I am convinced that I was not born to be bored
For how indeed can boredom even begin to penetrate
My timeless word circle
Now you see, why I’m so content
In the company of words
By: Gcina Mhlophe, 2001