An ancient, desiccated
pharaoh awakened within
the subterranean labyrinth
of his limestone sepulcher,
Tattered, resin- soaked
bandages unfurled like
skeletal fingers from his
withered, emaciated frame.
A hollow, sarcophagus- born
shriek echoed through the
claustrophobic, dust- choked
corridors of the tomb.
Intruders trembled as the
reanimated monarch
exhaled a foul, millennial
breath of decay.
The curse of the scarab-
engraved scarification
manifested, binding the
tomb- raiders in paralyzed
terror.
His empty, shadowed
sockets burned with a
malevolent, incandescent
hunger for vengeance.
Grizzled, mummified hands
reached out to drag the
trespassers into the stygian
darkness.
The heavy stone sarcophagus
lid slammed shut, sealing their
horrific, suffocating fate.
Now, fresh blood seeped
through the ancient linen,
feeding the eternal, undead
king.
The labyrinth reclaimed its
silence, guarding the pharaoh's
newly fortified, immortal slumber.
Why is this happening to me?
What is this suffocation?
What is this feeling inside me?
Why can't I just be myself?
Why can't I be happy?
Why can't I enjoy myself?
Why do I always have to find reasons?
Why am I searching for them?
Why am I trying to satisfy myself with them?
Why do the things I enjoy become the sins of my life?
Why am I trying so hard to find reasons?
Why am I trying to become someone else?
Why do I feel like I am a sin?
Why do my deeds become sins?
Why do my thoughts become sins?
Why can't I be happy?
O existence, please tell me.
Please help me become myself.
A world without them- BB Baloyi
How happy could we be,
Free from the suffocating grip of patriarchal might.
Living in harmony, with hearts full of light,
Full of life- sure we won't lose
In the hands of our "protectors".
Living in a world we call home,
Where we are not objects but humans,
Where justice rolls like thunder, shaking the ground,
Where we're free, confident, and unafraid.
How happy could we be, as women,
To live for our dreams, not just to survive?
To live in the present, not fantasize about tomorrow-
A future we may not see but only imagine.
To live in a world where oppressors are held accountable.
Where speaking isn't ridiculed
And our voices aren't just loud and clear but HEARD.
How happy could we be to exist,
Not as enemies of men, but friends of life?
In a world where our happiness matters,
Regardless of the ovaries we're born with.
How happy could we be?
Not in imagination, but in this nation.
How happy could we be?...
Yet, we'll keep living, hoping
For a better world for us.
Breath becomes a fight,
World's weight presses on the chest,
Longing to break free.
©bfa051725
Anxiety.
A feeling that overwhelms your senses.
Blood pressure rising. Breathing becoming uncontrolled. You feel it in your chest, a pressure so heavy you can’t help but give in. A pressure that consumes your mind, thoughts,your body. A feeling that takes over your senses. You feel in within yourself. Tasting the bitterness on your tongue. Choking on the acid before you can speak. You see it when looking at others. Hear their whispers as you walk the halls. Can’t help feeling judged, outcasted, different. You try to ignore it but your eyes wander. Seeing their smirks, hearing their chuckles. You beg it to stop but it won’t; it can’t. Because Anxiety is a fatigue within one’s mind. A fatigue that won’t go away with a snap of one’s fingers. Anxiety consumes. Obtains everything in its path. And there’s no stopping it until you face it.
a river raging
suffocating sunflowers
ripping up the roots
Suffocating
By my own hands.
Falling apart,
I’m my own demise.
When last did I breathe?
Why can’t I now?
Falling off
The edge of the cliff,
Failure to grasp
Onto something;
anything.
Beneath the water
I plunge,
Sinking down.
Should have learned
How to swim
When I had the chance.
Lungs filling up
With water,
Air stolen from me
By the thieves
Of the sea.
Shackles weigh me down,
To the bottom
Of the ocean.
Not a breath
Of air
To be found.
Body trembling
In the ties
Around me,
Muscles spasm,
Tensing
With fear.
The need to
Get free,
To find an escape.
But I’m drowning
And shackled
With no one
To save me.
There's this little fragile
Betwixt the escort.
Trying to understand
Their psyche,
Their interest.
Are they really the armours
Or the aviary?
And will the dust devil arrive,
Rising from our own silhouette,
Compressing the cage of ribs
With the bludgeon?
Illusion of something erroneous,
Or may be some nave.
Perfect guard,
Guarding the heart,
The cascade of truth
For the so called panoply,
Squeezing the heart out.
Every piece of the jigsaw heart,
Turning out into butterflies
Dancing the dance of freedom.
Breath breath breath,
Screamed the chambers,
Shouts the guard.
Rushing the red ink
To the fragile little heart,
Pumps & paint the canvas,
Red with pure air.
They said it
to be the cage of protection,
And still the heart suffocated
Bearing all the badger in love.
So the kernel continued singing
The song of strom..
(12th April, 2023)
free at last, a sigh escaped the lonely void of space that engulfed them
for the Power of Silence Poetry Contest
sponsored by JBC Brul
written on 10/5/22
I wish I could think
I wish I could cry
Not knowing if this is goodbye
The thoughts are racing
Dont know what I'm
I thank the stars for bringing me wishes. I say good morning to you in my evening.
I think about bad and you don't even think about leaving. I thank you for being beside me. Your Showing affection never neglecting my message. I'm holding your wishes so highly. Your essence your lessons established connections between us I think of the reasons I won you I'm reading the meaning I'm needing to trust you I'm seeing it eat us away and push us apart I know it won't beat us but see us attaching our hearts together forever in letters for better in person for better or worse in the end
Detecting the feelings I'm kneeling preparing those words nearing the surface emerging and working our way to the top for basic amazement creating a basis to change the way that we think about FACES
I turned slowly to capture a glimpse of you
but you disappeared and started to fade
Where are you?
My betrothed
My one and only
I long for your touch
I am suffocating without you
I can't breathe...no air...no air
My lungs are collapsing
Only you can save me and become
what I need to survive this torment
Your love in turn will be my miracle
10-1-18
Alexis Y.
My mind feels so confused by all these thoughts needing all of them to end
I never thought I could get this far
But even my own life didn't throw me a curve ball
At this moment I need to get up and maybe go for a drive to get help sadly no car
Moods don't know how to handle, don't want to either
I hate these high and lows don't know witch is better
Wish I could just shallow a pill, truly I just need to take a breather
Next thing I know I was writing my letter
As I write my throat is getting tighter ,seem i can't catch my breath
Eyes filling up with tears as I grab my pillow and squeeze tight
I can feel I'm only a hour away from my own death
Maybe there a chance in the moment towards the end I will put up a great fight
Being in love with you,
Took all of my energy,
And I felt trapped.
Trying to be perfect for you,
Always putting all my effort,
In our relationship,
And you never gave enough.
But for me,
It took everything out of me.
And drained my strength.
Now, I’m tired,
Of trying to love you,
And making you happy!
I’m not fighting for our love,
When you won’t put anything into it.
This was never real love,
This wouldn’t last forever.
There’s no point in trying,
Because this fantasy,
Was wasting my life away,
Your lies were killing me.
You were suffocating me…
The lack of breath
Struggling
The touch of fingers
Choking
My bones are cold
Heart breaking
Where do we find the strength
To be strong
And to fight
Scars
Traumas
Fears
Living but not alive
How do we live
To ensure making the best of life?
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