A WOMAN’S JOURNEY | A LITTLE BIT of WISDOM | A MOTHER’S TOUCH | DADDY’S GOT THE BLUES | DEAR SIR (BELOVED STRANGER | HOW DO YOU STILL | KINDRED SPIRITS | LOVELY POETTA | NEVER ENDING POEM… | NUISANCES TO SOCIETY | PINNACLE of MY YOUTH | SPEECHLESS MOMENTS | THE HOLE I DIG FOR MYSELF | THERE IS A GEM IN CAPE TOWN | TIL WE MEET AGAIN | TIME (MINISTRY DRIVE HOME) | YOU ARE MY SISTER
MY LYRICAL SASS
Why does is take a smack
for you to change your tune
about my SASS, my brother
Why do “Come-hither” rhythms echo
from its cylindrically curvaceous surface,
like a vibrated Africa drum to its ancestors?
Why does it howl whistles of lust,
towards your four-legged mind,
with its imagination, meandering through the back door?
Am I to ululate to its perverted composition?
Is my SASS to dance
to its ill-inspired melodies
I think not, my brother
But I do think it takes a smack,
to change your tune, to my
Lyrical SASS
Author: Bulelwa Basse
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A WOMAN’S JOURNEY
(Priceless is Her Worth: She is Woman)The universe itches
at the soles of her resilient feet,
with its persistent requests
Step-by-step she treads tactfully
towards the accomplishment of each,
without a sigh in sound
Even when her shoulders emulate
the shape of her burdens,
the corners of her eyes
crease with a smile,
whenever she is greeted
by the innocence of her kind
Her arms, welcoming
Her intellect, provocative
Her tongue, gentles enraged hearts
And her beauty, silencing
Grown men break into infant tongues
in her presence,
clumsy over her supremacy
Many have competed
and all have self-ridiculed,
in a quest for her opulence,
yet priceless is her worth
Her love is nothing short of God:
She seeks connection
with every soul she meets
Found love, first,
before knowing who she was
In random tragedy
she learns hard lessons
Through loss of many sentimentals,
gains internal sharpening
Her eyes widen with awe
per universal orbit
And with life’s surprising schooling,
steps the world
with a little bit of wisdom
Her word speaks comprehension
And her exchange rives consciousness
Like stitches in assembly on a quilt,
every encounter is history recorded,
as she journeys with all the living’s aspirations
Dreams, their success
Mourns their loss
Cries their tears
And fights, for the feeble-minded one’s sanityIt is this essence of woman
that propels the world
to dreams fulfilled
Gives birth to characters of excellence,
cultured minds,
conquering attitudes,
and celebrated spirits
Because hers, has always been blessed
with the power of building
not only a home but also a nation
She is the perfect poem
Poetry lover’s seek
She is woman – a victor, not a victim
Intsika yesizwe!
Author: Bulelwa Basse
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A LITTLE BIT OF WISDOM
She seeks connection
with every soul she meets
Found love, first,
before knowing who she was
In random tragedy,
she learns hard lessons
Through loss of many sentimentals,
gains internal sharpening
Her eyes widen with awe
per universal orbit
And with life’s surprising schooling,
steps the world
with a little bit of wisdom
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 53
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A MOTHER’S TOUCH
There are those things
that cannot simply happen without
A mother’s touch
Hers is blessed with the beauty of love,
the joy of giving life,
the wisdom of experience,
the gift of maternal bonding,
the heart to understand,
the strength to sacrifice for her “own,”
the courage to protect
Even when her shoulders emulate
the shape of her burdens
The corners of her eyes
crease with a smile
whenever she is greeted
by the innocence of her kind
Her arms, welcoming
Her intellect, provocative
Her tongue, gentles enraged hearts
And her beauty, like that of a diamond, silencing
Her love is nothing short of God:
Her footprints unravel mystery
Her word speaks comprehension
And her exchange revives consciousness
Like stitches in assembly on a quilt,
every encounter is history recorded
As she journey’s with all the living’s aspirations
Dreams, their successes
Mourns, their losses
Cries, their tears
And fights for the feeble-minded one’s sanity
It is this touch, the essence of a woman,
That propels the universe towards dreams fulfilled,
Gives birth to characters of excellence,
Cultured minds,
Conquering attitudes,
And celebrated spirits
Because hers, has always been blessed
with the power of building
not only a home, but also a nation
By: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 203
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DADDY’S GOT THE BLUES
I am the song…
That lives within the voice
of a trouble soul,
that hides its face from the world
I am the string…
That broke from his guitar,
which now plays melodies
like the violin
My, Daddy… Daddy’s got the blues…
And I am the child, of a fallen star
My, Daddy… Daddy’s got the blues
And I am the child, of a fallen star
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 66
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DEAR SIR (BELOVED STRANGER)
I have been told
you are my co-creator
And I, an unquestionably borrowed image
of YOU
Yet I wouldn’t double-take
if I passed you in the street,
for a foreigner you are to ME
Unaccomplished, whispered promises
of heaven on earth
to my mother’s womb
are all I know of you
And an injustice to the title
“FATHER”, you epitomise
as surely as your rejection
of my existence
A DAD you will always hold prize to –
Only in Biology books
And a provider, in Never-Ever-Land
So dear Sir, please accept my earnest
declaration of a deserving title for you –
Since the one Mother Nature intended,
proved beyond you – “Beloved Stranger”
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 113
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HOW DO YOU STILL?..
How do you still love me so long,
in a world governed by superficiality?
An ordinary girl I am,
yet rare beauty you sense in me
Though in poverty you grew,
in wealth you live, in loving me
How do you still adore me so true,
in a time defined by youthful lust,
with authenticity eroded by fantasy?
Anchoring whispers from your honest lips
escort me through years of growing pains,
yet you tire not, for the sake of my happiness
How do you still,
in the madness of my upheavals
find patience to sane me to Godly harmony,
when haste and irregularity have become
second-nature to our nation?
With consistent unselfishness
you dedicate to me your life,
with hopeful anticipation
of an even more colourful future – together,
one that dreamlettes of our youth conceived
In loving you,
I live my purpose
In being with you,
I do Mother-nature justice
In choosing you as my reason for breathing,
I do honour our forefathers
And celebrate longevity
If there was a school for love,
YOU would be teacher
And I’d still be the student,
who continues to ask:
How do you still?.. How do you still?..
Author Bulelwa Basse
Word count: 195
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KINDRED SPIRITS
…And so the Journey
of two kindred spirits
continues…
With each step taken,
mystery unravels
Every spoken word,
intertwines comprehension
And all exchange,
revives consciousness
Like stitches
in assembly,
on a quilt:
Every encounter
is history recorded
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 37
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LOVELY POETTA (MY SYMBOL OF UTTER BLISS)
Lovely Poetta
An unwritten composition in verse,
you are
Yet, already you move
Poetry Lover’s instruments
Pronounced poesy you inspire,
epitome of uncommon beauty –
you shall enviably exude
And my lyrical genius,
you are foreseenly acclaimed
Milestones of stanzas
will tell of your majestic tale
From a time you shall be breastfed
on a Poet’s nipple,
to another, when you will be able
to embrace the praise:
Lovely Poetta, my lyrical genius
Lovely Poetta, my symbol of utter bliss
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word count: 79
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NEVER ENDING POEM: Remembering Mlamli…
She still smiles like a teenager at the mention of your name:
That’s how I’ve come to understand the definition of a good husband
I wear your favourite maroon socks from time to time,
whenever my footsteps become heavy
I’m reminded of the kind of father I had in you,
when I am greeted by old friends, who sing me praises
of your stature
I’ve often questioned the “step” in step-father
And began to realise the noble step you took
towards being part of my life
The true measure of a man
is indeed not determined by the number of children he has,
but by how well he takes care of them
And so, to you, Dear Sir…
…I take my hat off to you,
and light a candle in honour of the Spirit of Rhadebe,
the one which God inscribed into my life,
before my very own existence
And the one I now write, as my never ending poem…
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Date: 15/06/08
Time: 01:20 – 10:30
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NUISANCES TO SOCIETY
In the midst of harsh realities of the world,
they maintain their innocence…
Uninhibited in thought,
uncalculating in action,
they travel unblinkered paths,
while we bastardize their future,
stupefy their perceptive intellect
with so-called political correctness – psychological deception
Far removed from our own selves,
true to our own fakeness,
we are consumed by our fickleness,
yet sell our souls for pitiful cash
They reap our mistakes, while we forget about them
Never forget to curse the day they were born,
when harbouring of hate becomes innate
Eyes unblinkered, blink to every tragedy,
streaming from each corner of the universe
They are treated like NUISANCES to society,
Yet NONE asked to see
the light of day
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word count: 115
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PINNACLE OF MY YOUTH
At the pinnacle of my youth
life stands still,
yet days pass me by
The more my heart walks towards its vision,
the more distorted this vision becomes,
distancing itself from its primal instinct – to long…
Faded ambition, manifests through dreams untold
Hope evaporated, knows no miracles
Shackled by fear, talent collects dust…
At the pinnacle of my youth
days pass me by,
yet life stands -
still.
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word count: 67
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Speechless Moments
I try to fill
these pages with praises
that capture the essence
of the friend we have found
within you
I plead with words
to meet me at a juncture,
where metaphors paint me pictures
of our time together…
Instead, I am met by memories…
… memories of endearment,
resonating voices of laughter
immersed in the union of companionship
It dawns upon me:
That it is friends of your calibre,
who bring eloquent Poets
to speechless moments…
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Date: 24/06/08
Time: 11:50
Word Count: 76
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“THE HOLE I DIG FOR MYSELF”
I’m having a silent nervous
b-r-e-a-k-d-o-w-n
Consumed by the troubles of the world,
as well as my own
I dig myself a grave to lie in,
where I take all the living’s aspirations with me
Dream their successes
Mourn their losses
Cry their tears
Fight for the feeble-minded one’s sanity
while I slowly lose mine
I’m having a silent nervous
b-r-e-a-k-d-o-w-n
Is there anyone out there
to SAVE ME?
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 70
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THERE IS A GEM IN CAPE TOWN
There is a gem in Cape Town,
the finest of its kind,
with flaws as invisible as air
Many have competed
And all have self-ridiculed
in the name of its opulence,
yet priceless is its worth
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word Count: 37
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‘Til We Meet Again…
I will carry the tunes of life’s lessons and lullabies of your memory
in the belly of my heart.
I will sing praises of your purpose to your future-grandchildren
for generations to come.
Their tongues will ululate in your name,
to celebrate the life that shaped my values and the fabric of my character.
I will continue your journey on earth with pride,
as a living example, blessed enough to be an extension of your undying beauty,
until it is time for us to meet again…
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Date Written: 23/02/08
Time: 00:23
Word Count: 87
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TIME… (MISTY DRIVE HOME)
Remember when we got lost
in a misty drive home?
Wish we could have been lost forever…
I miss those days,
lost in oblivion
But Time, can unravel dark mysteries
which deceive emotions of affection
And feed them with anguish,
stain all crystal memories
with a tint of bitterness
Remember when we got lost
in a misty drive home?
Wish we could have been lost forever…
I miss those days,
Lost in oblivion
But Time, being the mother of conclusion,
determiner of central peace,
decider of fate,
dictator of happiness,
has cost us our togetherness
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word count: 95
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YOU ARE MY SISTER
I loved you before I met you
I preconceived you in my mother’s womb,
with my daily prayers
Your heart-beat,
I wished to life
Your whining cry,
I heard in a distance of my imaginative mind
And your first baby-steps,
I envisaged in the corner of my hopeful and dreamy eye
Today, I am proud
to boast the most creative of wishful thinking,
for it is the reason I can now say
“You are my sister”
Author: Bulelwa Basse
Word count: 77
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