Now that I have the giver of life

I can trully say I am alive.

Now that I have the giver of love

I can trully say I am loved.

Now that I have the giver of peace

I can trully say I am peaceful.

Now that I have the one called wonderful

I can trully say I am wonderful.

Now that I have the one called comforter

I can trully say I am comforted.

Now that I have Jesus

I can trully say I have life,

"What is life if I don't live"

(in Eritrea, June 20 has been set and declared national holiday - Martyr Day - for one and the sole purpose of respecting and paying tribute to all those who paid the ultimate price, life, in the great 30-year war. more here - http://www.eritreadaily.net/News0307/article0607191.htm)

"When I Was Young!"

(in South Africa, June the 16th is commemorated as Youth Day. Learn more about this day here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soweto_riots)

Free freedom!

Freedom ain't free.

Free freedom ain't freedom

For freedom there's fee.

Sweat or blood

Sweat and blood.

Spill blood to keep it

Even to retrieve it.

Gallons and gallons of sweat

Just to till it.

Free freedom ain't freedom

For freedom there's fee.

Freedom is an illusion

When freedom is limited

Free freedom is limited

Free freedom ain't free

Free freedom!

Freedom ain't free.

Free freedom ain't freedom

For freedom there's fee.

Freedom is a state of mind,

Free your mind from siege 

The body will suffer

If ...

"What kind of a woman leaves?"

(Lebo Mashile, What Kind of a Woman)

"Caged birds accept each other but fight is what they long for"

(Camino Real, Tennessee Williams)

about the challenge > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge

submit your poems > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

"An old man by the fire will dream of all"

(An Old Man Dreams, Anonymous)

focus on rhyme, alliteration, assonace and consonance. and use it in your own submissions

the full poem is below...

about the challenge > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge

submit your poems > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 23 March

An Old Man Dreams

by Anonymous 

An old man by the fire will dream of all

The little things he did when he was young

He will rem...

Talk the talk,

Walk the walk.

Fleshy suits;

Big speedy vehicles

Like get away cares;

Facade smile

Hiding cranky crooks

Tong tied by their own lies

Eyes run like deceitful spy.

Respectful in public (politics)

Baring bags:

Bags full of empty promises

Dirty roaches greedy for gold

Exploit the weak so they dig it

Then step on the ground proud

No wonder they inhabit holes;

When such depravity is found.

© Bandung Poet Mau Mau

© Brigitte Poirson

Day 4 | March

"No wonder they inhabit holes;
When such depravity is found"

(The Rabbit, Anonymous)

focus on rhyme, alliteration, assonace and consonance. and use it in your own submissions

the full poem is below...

about the challenge > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge

submit your poems > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 22 March

The Rabbit

by Anonymous 

The rabbit has a charming face:

Its private life is a disgrace.

I really dare not name to y...

"Susan Simpson strolled sedately,
Stifling sobs, suppressing sighs."

(Susan Simpson, Anonymous)

focus on rhyme, alliteration, assonace and consonance. and use it in your own submissions

the full poem is below...

about the challenge > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge

submit your poems > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 21 March

Susan Simpson

by Anonymous 

Sudden swallows swiftly skimming,

    Sunset's slowly spreading shade,
Silve...

The heat waves while Sun strokes
Brushed to the ground
Fallin paralyzed before the reciprocity of the wave
Sweatin Oceans while lookin sun in the eye 

...and seein flames
Burning shadow lies above you
Needle rays stab the open hearted
...and then you love the sun
Shadow loves you too "always there for you"Even when it rain

© Zac Zion

Day 2 | March 

"The sun keeps writing, the wind erasing"

(Double Time, Anonymous)

focus on rhyme, alliteration, assonace and consonance. and use it in your own submissions

the full poem is below...

about the challenge > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge

submit your poems > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 19 March

Double Time

by Anonymous 

March is a jade, a fickle thing,

With the winder's wind and the sun of spring.

The sun writes, 'Come!' and t...

"There's one that's broken-hearted for his sins,

And one who, unrepentant, sits and grins"

(Six in a Crowd, Anonymous)

focus on rhyme, alliteration, assonace and consonance. and use it in your own submissions

the full poem is below...

about the challenge > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge

submit your poems > www.poetrypotion.com/a-poem-a-day-challenge-submissions

DEADLINE: 11:59M, 19 March

Six is a Crowd

by Anonymous 

Within my earthly temple there's a crowd:

There's one ...

Soweto Poetry is also known as Post-Sharpeville poetry, township poetry, New Black Poetry of the Seventies, Participatory poetry and People's poetry" so not all the...

Don't let it catch up with you,
Or come anywhere near you.
Do everything you can to avoid it:
Go to school.
Go to school while you have a chance.
Equip yourself with a skill
You can later use
To put food on your table,
To put a roof over your head,
Clothes on your back
And cash in your bank.
Gather for yoursef knowledge
No one can take away from you.
When opportunity shouts
Skilled persons,certificate,diploma or degree
Don't find yourself saying
Not there
For not there will tie your hands
Lik...

A ticket to my destiny
From destitute
Allow me
U denied
Boundries of health

My ratio
Concern food ration of tomorrow
I blame you
For selling in the pavement
Of a white man's supermarket
Listening to every movement
Assuming a customer

The regime of your act
Handcuffed me
The night illness feebled my daughter

U confined me for yourself
I,incarcerated in your cage
You should have seen my rage

© Thabang Moabi

Day 5 | 17 November 2011

Scavenging dogs
Roam around,
Fighting fiercely
Over abandoned children.
Abandoned children
By parents hoping someone
Will throw a brick at those dogs.
Parents ignoring to instill
In their chidren morals and values,
Wisdom and knowledge,
Love and laughter.
Parents ignoring to love their children
And allow them to laugh.
Ignoring to teach them what they know
And allow them to ask.
Scavenging dogs
Roam around in the world,
Looking for the type without
The basics for survival;
The type desparate ...

In my daily routine
My way home passage
Is an infernal place
Bad deed don't seem to elapse
Prostitute roam in the midnight

Church street doesn't tally the words of God
A corpse is lying in a red pool
Blood has painted the future

Sangomas throw bones and foretell lies in lieu of money

We have adopted so much to bite our tongues trying to pronounce who we are

You should have told me more about red
I could have known
I might be dead
I could have known
The smiling world isn't friendly

© Thaba...

I fell and knocked my head
I am so clumsy broke my arm
I bumped into the open door
I didn't catch the ball in time
I made him angry
It is all my fault
I shouldn't make him jealous
I know its the last time
I promised I'll leave again
I came back cause he's sorry
He loves me
To death...

© Saurell Boyers

Day 3 | 16 November 2011

Without women rights
Below many woman would be,
And punches would still
Be rolling upon that which is
Delicate and soft,
Fragile and tender,
Meak and physically weak.
Without women rights
Below many woman would be
And sky high many man's confidence
Would be,
Many man's bragging and boasting
Sky high would be.
Many man would still be
Bearing with pride
The image of a beast and monster,
Opposer of Him
Who gave men strength and power
To protect and provide,
To shield and shelter;
Not abuse and ...

Sins of shadows
Let not haunt him
For he washed you away with tears of remorse
He washed from the ninth floor while slipping

Let not provoke the guilt he felt
Agony made him believe he is cursed
Neighbours keep distance
Give him a chance
To sip the taste of change

He vowed to heal
Pains of non madicine
In every heart he has hurt

© Thabang Moabi

Day 3 | 16 November 2011

(Soweto Poets Week)

"He washed from the ninth floor while slipping"

He fell from the ninth floor
He hanged himself
He slipped on a piece of soap while washing
He hanged himself
He slipped on a piece of soap while washing
He fell from the ninth floor
He hanged himself while washing
He slipped from the ninth floor
He hung from the ninth floor
He slipped on the ninth floor while washing
He fell from a piece of soap while slipping
He hung from the ninth floor
H...

Flee from me fear,
For you are not from the father
But from the foe.
Flee from me fear,
For you become a barrier
Where I need to boldly enter.
Giving me cold feet
Where I need to be courageous.
You make me say yes
When I need to say no,
No when I need to say yes.
You show me a bleakness
Where there is brightness,
Weakness where there is strength.
Showing me no way
Where the way is wide and open.
Flee from me fear,
Stop following me around
Like I am your friend,
For a foe of my father
Is no fr...

A romance story like none before
One morning, he broke down her door
He gave her a ring made out of rope
And without a word they both eloped

It took her a while to love him back
A few missed teeth and eyes made black
Her Stockholm love tore her apart
With the fear-filled flutter of her heart.

© Alyssa Campbell

Day 2 | 15 November 2011

short bio: I am a cook who works at the University, loves to read, and express herself through words and art. (Kelowna, Canada)

They come at night
Flaming torches
Angry voices,
"Come out you dog!"
They yell,
"Come out you dog!"
They drag me out

I look back at her
My wife
Clutching her belly
To protect life
As I sense
"the fear-filled flutter of her heart"

They say
"Go home",
Because I don't belong
They say
"You thief",
Because I do what they won't

In a country
Not my own
A country
Part of a continent
Our home

© Saurell Boyers

Day 2 | 15 November 2011

(South Africa)

For Don M. - Banned by Mongane Serote>

it is a dry white season
dark leaves don't last, their brief lives dry out
and with a broken heart they dive down gently headed for the earth,
not even bleeding.
it is a dry white season brother,
only the trees know the pain as they still stand erect
dry like steel, their branches dry like wire,
indeed, it is a dry whit...