Pain, Love and Poetry

I bleed from my heart.. Now that we're apart...

When I had you I thought it's forever.. Now it's clear it was never...

Loving you was all I could try.. But each time you looked me in the eye you fed me more lies...

Your embrace and tender kiss.. Just the things am sure gonna miss...

Thinking about you my thoughts run few.. You know I loved you, you know it's true...

These eyes were never ment to cry.. I won't waste a single tear saying bye...

I know love is blind.. Coz I have you on my mind...

Though the pain's so deep.. Wounds heal but the scars we keep...

Pain, Love and Poetry... 

He Lived Among Us - Tribute to Nelson Mandela, by Wayne Visser

HE LIVED AMONG US

By Wayne Visser

Tribute to Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

He lived among us –

This child named Rolihlahla

This boy called Nelson

This man we knew as Mandela –

And now he is gone

He shared our days –

This son of Africa, our Madiba

This father of a nation, our Tata

This guardian of humanity, our Elder –

And now he is gone

He was one of us –

This shepherd of the people

This harbinger of hope and joy

This legend of our time and place –

And now he is gone

He was our leader

Our defender, our nation’s spear

And he showed us how to fight

He was our enemy

Our nemesis, our conscience

And he showed us how to be free

He was our light

Our sun, our inspiration

And he showed us how to forgive

Yet did we ever really know him?

This lawyer who became an outlaw

This soldier who became a peacemaker

This prisoner who became a liberator

How can we fathom his depths?

This father who lost a son and wife

This comrade who lost so many friends

This martyr who lost twenty-seven years

How can we see into his heart?

This intellectual who became an activist

This statesman who became a gardener

This icon who became the world’s beloved

We remember him

For his skilful manoeuvring

Through the political maze

And even more for his love of dancing

We remember him

For his human touch

Among the powerful and powerless

And even more for his love of children

We remember him

For his human foibles

That made him fallible like us

And even more for his love of justice

He lived among us –

And now it is for us to carry his torch onward

It is for us to follow his shining example

It is for us to fight for his unshakeable ideals –

Now that he is gone

He shared our days –

And now we must make the rest of our days count

We must work as he did to set others free

We must show that the spirit can triumph in the end –

Now that he is gone

He was one of us –

And now we are challenged to become one of him

We are inspired to be the best we can be

We are reminded that ‘I am because we are’ –

Now that he is gone

Nkosi Sikelel’iMandela!

We will honour his memory

By never losing faith in times of adversity

We will celebrate his life

By always daring to hope for a miracle

We will keep his legacy alive

By choosing to walk daily in his footsteps

On the path of love

Amandla! Awethu!

---

Image credits: Painting by Alfred Hilton (c) 2013

African Dream - London Concert

Join us for a concert celebration of AFRICA!

Words ★ Images ★ Music

Poetry by Wayne Visser ★ Photography by Bob Webzel

Paul Cheneour on Flutes ★ Lennie Charles on Percussion

Saturday 16 November 2013, 7.00 pm

St Marks Church, Myddelton Square, London EC1R 1XX

Admission £10.00. Books and CDs available for sale

I Am Art

Picasso of my own life
I have mastered the art of painting a smile on my face
Convincing my brain that my heart is fine...
While its not, even though its just a phase
Sometimes it feels like it will never pass
And I'm living a lie
But wait? Who can say its a lie if its happening outward?
Who can see the broken paint brushes I use
While they are caught in awe by the beauty of the canvas?
I've become an artist of my own life
With broken brushes and dark colours
I still manage to paint a bright picture
Even though its hard for me atleast it brings joy to the one who's looking at it
My masterpiece, a smile from a frown
A laugh from a cry!
-Hlogi

Free Us To Be Free, by Wayne Visser

Free us to be free –

Because so much progress

Has been blind to our beauty

Because so much advice

Has been deaf to our song

And we will only be free

When we take responsibility

For ourselves

Free us to be free –

Because so many leaders

Have been corrupted by power

Because so many followers

Have been weakened by need

And we will only be free

When we write the history

Of our people

Free us to be free –

Because we are out of sync

With the beat of the world

Because we are out of step

With the march of civilization

And we will only be free

When we dance the melody

Of our land

Free us to be free –

Because too many problems

Began as gifts from others

Because too many solutions

Have not been home grown

And we will only be free

When we follow the decree

Of our hearts

So if you really care

As much as you say

Pray, let us go

To find our own way

Free us to be free –

Free to fly the nest of ideology

Free to fight for the dreams

Of our children

Copyright (c) 2013

Oración por África por Wayne Visser

Querido Dios,

por el amor de África,

escucha mis plegarias.

África es la cuna de tu creación.

Por lo tanto dame paciencia.

para fomentar el crecimiento y la bondad

en esta gran tierra.

África es el arco iris de tus cielos.

por lo tanto, concédeme tolerancia,

para celebrar las diferencias y la diversidad,

a lo largo de este ancho continente

África es el tambor de tu corazón.

por lo tanto, concédeme valor

para ofrecer consuelo y compasión

en la cara de los ensayos de su gente

A los prisioneros de la pobreza en África

déjame brindarles la libertad de elección

y al desierto de su sufrimiento

corrientes frías de alivio,

A los túneles de engaño en África,

déjame brindarles lamparas de verdad

y a las selvas de sus conflictos,

banderas de reconciliación.

A las cuevas de desesperación en África

déjame llevarles voces de esperanza

a los pantanos de su miedo

susurridos de confort

Donde sea que África enseña a sus niños

compartir las lecciones de mi pasado desvanecido

y donde estén los sueños del mañana

pon mis pies en la senda del progreso.

Donde sea que África eleve a sus lideres

juzga mi apoyo por las voces democráticas

y donde se respire en comunidad

únete a mi aliento con inspiración.

Donde sea que África aprecie su desierto

marca mi celebración de la generosidad de la naturaleza

y donde ella cuide de su gente

observa mi espíritu hincharse con amor.

Por el amor de África

Escucha mi plegaria

Querido Dios.

Copyright 2008

Traducido del Inglés por Maria Florencia Segura

Africa Proud (Wallpaper Image)

The talented artist, Alfred Hilton, has kindly allowed me to use one of his paintings (inspired by my friend Peace Nganwa) for this wallpaper image of my poem, Africa Proud. Feel free to share, pin, etc.

AFRICA PROUD by Wayne Visser

As always, my visit back to the continent has inspired me to write.

AFRICA PROUD

By Wayne Visser

I stand upright and tall -

No more bowed back

No more bent knees

I look straight ahead -

No more downcast eyes

No more cowering glances

For I am Africa Proud

See me:

My name is Africa

And I am rising to greet you

I am leading the way

And I am Proud

Extend me your hand -

In friendship, not pity

In peace, not trickery

Send me your prayers - In communion, not guilt

In hope, not resignation

For I am Africa Proud

Hear me: My name is Africa

And I am calling to welcome you

I am waiting to embrace you

And I am Proud

I dance wild and free -

No more slave chains

No more puppet strings

I sing loud and strong -

No more lamentation

No more discord

For I am Africa Proud

Feel me:

My name is Africa

And I am drumming to wake you

I am singing to inspire you

And I am Proud

Bring me your gifts -

Of fair trade, not charity

Of respect, not advice

Show me your spirit -

Of community, not greed

Of faith, not fear

For I am Africa Proud

Join me:

My name is Africa

And I am seeding the future

I am shining with beauty

And I am Proud

(2013)

Deep In Her Eyes

So much pain in her eyes

You could swear the sun will never shine

She walks the street flashing a smile like she’s fine

Look at her, there’s so much pain in her eyes

No one can see how she cries inside

They are white as snow

Shiny as glory

Her eyes so beautiful, but look at them

And see what is in them

So much pain in her eyes, but she keeps on fighting the darkness

Because she knows someday the light will again shine

-Hlogi

I Am An African - literacy project

Kids from Upendo Middle Primary School in Usa River Tanzania read Wayne Visser's poem "I am an African." Upendo Middle Primary recently received 60 Kindle E-readers as Worldreader's first e-reader project in Tanzania.

Killer Smile

She looks you in the eyes and flashes a smile

Whispers in your ears, words sound sweet

Friend… Confidant

Holding a knife behind her back

Ready to slip it into yours

Holding you in her hand, up high

Ready to let you down

She looks you in the eyes and flashes a smile

Whispers in your ears, words sound sweet

Friend… Sister

Setting a plan in her mind

Ready to make you stumble

Setting trap in her twisted mind

Ready to make you fall

She looks you in the eyes, full of pretense

Whispers in your ears, full of deceit

You see a friend, but she’s a foe

You see a confidant, but she’s an enemy

She’s ready to stab you in your back once you turn your back

She’s ready to let you down once you put your trust in her

She’s ready to make you stumble

While you’re trying to find your balance

She’s ready to make you fall just so you can remain standing

She whispers sweet nothings in your ears

She looks you in the eyes and flashes a killer smile

-Hlogi