Life Poem by Mbalenhle madonsela

In this life I have learned the simplest things the hard way,

If you let things go, you are considered selfish and unappreciative,

If you fight for your rights, you are unthoughtful and defensive,

If you are quiet, you either have problems or you are stupid,

If you have something to say, you are said to be talkative and loud,

If you are good to people, they will not be good to you.


So I told myself, to heck with people, their well is never full.

It should not surprise me; it should not surprise you either.

That in this life you live once but die many times,

For many have lived dead lives until their actual death.

So I convinced myself that out of a few you are hated by many.


To breath the same air and bask in the same sun,

To be showered by the same rain and to be lit by the moon,

To cry without reason and love like there is no tomorrow,

To smile when it hurts the most and laugh in sorrow,

The needles of agony piercing through the corners of your soul,

And every heart beat, beats out of rhythm and your life looses tune,

You dance to the still chimes because no one knows you are there.

Please don’t put your life in their hands don’t let them know you are here.


When it rains it thunders and you can’t sail without the storm.

So they dress up in sheep clothe this cunning animals to deceive.

They spit venom in their tongues be careful how you receive,

Them whose hearts are as dark as their souls ready to demolish,

All that is left of your pity self don’t degrade your life by begging to live,


If you play their game you become one with them,

If you quit the game you sign up to enemy’s camp,

For they can never be divided in their own kingdom,

So they wink and pretend to be friends this strangers,


Though they call you serenity, they don’t mean what they say,

For unlike your eyes, things are not as they seem.

They prey on your thoughts just to lead you astray.

My child ‘Don’t believe everything they say’

Pray like your life depended on prayer,

For they are everywhere ready to devour