Complex Poem by Thabani Khumalo

HAVING SPOKEN ALL KINDS OF DIALECT,
MY VOCABULARY HAS BECOME AN INTER TRIBAL DICTION;
VASTLY EXPANDED AND PROFOUND,
CHARACTERISTICALLY ENTERPRISING AND
MARVELOUS TO LISTEN TO
AND MY DECEITFUL PERSONALTY ENGENDERS
THE MISCONSTRUCTION OF MY HUMBLE BACK GROUND
AND MY SPEECH CONTRADICTS MY APPEARANCE.

HAVING BEEN THROUGH SPENDING A DAY
ON A PLATE OF LEMONADE PORRIDGE AND RETIRING
ON AN EMPTY BELLY, WEARING RUBBER SHOES AND
RUNNING ON BARE FEET TO A RURAL SCHOOL,
I AM CONFUSED BY THE FACT THAT I PRAYED
AND FASTED FOR DEATH AND IT DID NOT COME.
DEATH SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY WAY OUT
BUT THE HIGHER POWER THINKS OTHERWISE.
THIS PROCRASTINATION KILLS THE ZEAL OF MY PRAYER.

HISTORY OF THE PAST EVENTS IS LIKE AN
INEXTINGUISHABLE ARSON THAT GUTTERS
A MAN’S ASSETS ONLY ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
IT IS LIKE A TERRIBLE SONG THAT KEEPS RECURRING
IN THE MIND, LONG AFTER IT HAS BEEN SWITCHED OFF.
EVEN THOUGH I MIGHT SAY THAT THE EVENTS
OF THE PAST DO NOT MATTER NOW,
IN MY HEART THEY GROW STRONGER
BY THE PASSING OF A GENERATION.

LIFE UNUSED IS A LIFE UNVEILED.
LIFE OT REMAINS NEW FOREVER;
THE DESIRES OF CHILDHOOD GROW WITH ME INTO ADULT HOOD.
THE REASON WHY YOU WOULD FIND AN ADULT
WITH A COMPLEX AND CHILDISH CHARACTER
IS BECAUSE OF THE SAME ISSUE.