Life Trajectory Poem by Niki Nicholas Nkuna

Afraid to be run over by the jeep
I ran for dear life
Fearing the monster on the wheel and the beast itself
The joy of the beast under the wheel growing with my lament
Kept chasing and I kept running, going nowhere,
The cry and hapless run,
The joy of the monster
Letting the futile outstrip the deliberate slow run
Trousers wet, the extend of fear for real

So many cries, so many fears, so many chasings
So many runs, so many falls and so many indifferent laughs
Missing danger known and unknown
Joy rides turned sour got closer to danger
With God’s hand the dividing shield!

Growing in the mess of puerility and naivety
I lost reputation umpteenth times
Crying through the mock of friends
All mishaps forgotten in the pass of fear
Only to go through the mess of cry and loss of respect
Never minded the loss of pride, wish for mercy
Which never came in physical defence but comforting words

Big eyes, big mind, endless chase beyond the puzzle
Equal to the jeep chase, never caught up with me
Notwithstanding the desperate cry
Headless chicken direction, attempting to survive the slim chance
Amidst the lament, the blow of the wind, the tree grew
Greeting each day on the day of arrival with equal respect and height
The light of day grew my ears, eyes and mind

Once I grew one day prior
Began to prepare before the dawn of hurt, cry and miss
See the value of wisdom picked up
Wishing to outstrip the present day of light
The benefits enjoyed as they land
No bother to look up lest I look a gift horse in the mouth
God’s right hand tireless for giving
Ingratitude, ingratitude!

The pull by the left hand was abrupt
Compelled me to see the sight of the wind blow
For the course of push and pull
The loss of joy reminiscent to the season of dry
No rain, no food
I looked up to the heavens for clemency
But the knock could only be answered by the end of church
When the silence of song and pray got sucked in by the desert sand
Knees bruised by the gravel surface
Closer to the gift of the fountain water

Give and take, the measure of appreciation and blessings
The bucket half full and seems to remain so,
With the magnitude of thanks and pray
All manoeuvres happen under the stars
What gets dispensed by the heavens hit the nail on the head
You got what you deserve, good or bad under the stars!

Now I see diamond and gold through the fence
The gates are seldom open
I long for the days when pick and choose was aplenty
Big size, pair of trousers and shirt would suit the ambitious
Special times, though rare will come,
And should raise the standard out of equality for all
Living along the Ambitious road over the Dreamland drive
That caters for the few
I believe I belong to those anointed ones,
Who believe they would get to touch diamond and gold,
Once the magic has opened the gates, not the flood gates

Manna from heaven may come or may not come
The arduous road being trudged on should lead to the oasis at least
The donkey is not slow
The wish is harsh to the present status of man and woman
Whose dwelling gates are closed to the old stink
And open to the new stink