Playing The No Fear Game Poem by Niki Nicholas Nkuna

I'm afraid to be afraid,
My behaviour a fashion of bravery,
I shout out the egg white of bravery,
Camouflaging the fear of yoke,
Often feeling secure with my pigmentation, intact and inviting,
Friends and women lovers appreciate my looks,
Thinking that it is what l am inside out,

The test of time connives with my heart and mind,
Shaking one another and bugle my knees at times,
Alas! Somebody came to my rescue,
Shook my hand and steadied my heart from jumping out of my mouth,
And my mind from putting me off kilter,
And render me hapless in the clutch of fear,

In the face of my family I load my gun,
And make everybody aware that I take no prisoners,
I have to let everybody know to clear the roads of threats,
Lest my empty chest gets exposed,
I ask people to prevent me before I beat the hell out of somebody,
As long as I light my torch nobody can take the valour out of me,

Pretension of bravery is often contagious to family members,
Who often exalt in ignorance of my bulging chest,
That often leads to a battle to suppress the overly excited heart,
Facing an audience in some occasion, I feel the tremor of the earth,
Threatening to torpedo me out of the way,
I belong to the people that hold their hearts in their hands,
Singers sing at the top of their voices to suppress shaking voices and hands,
Playing the bravery games hollows my insides,
I walk light as if I would be blown over by wind,


Niki Nkuna, Feb 2012