Selena: My Love Poem by Thabani Khumalo

SELENA YOU WERE RIGHT - YOU THOUGHT I WAS SLOW.
I HAD MY HOPES SO HIGH, I FORGOT ABOUT LOB.
YOU FLUNG INTO MY LIFE LIKE A SHOOTING STAR;
ALL GLOWY AND SHINNY:
FIRST LOVE OF MINE AT FIRST SIGHT,
YOU MADE ME SMILE – YOU MADE ME SMILE!

ONLY HARDSHIP WAS OPTIONAL BECAUSE
I LIVED IN A FLOWER GARDEN
NURSING SEEDLINGS AND THE FLOWERS WERE BLOOMED,
WELLS WERE FILLED TO THE BRIM
AND THE STREAMS FLOWED WITH LIVING WATERS,
THE CLOUDS ROLLED AFAR AND THE MIST SUBSIDED,
AND THE SKIES BECAME MIDDAY BLUE.
THE SUN CAME THROUGH AND THE BIRDS BEGAN TO SING;
TINY, BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL BIRDS,
THE POETS RECITED AND THE OLD MEN BLESSED,
WISHES WERE GRANTED AT THE SPOTTING
OF THE SHOOTERS IN SKIES DURING THE MIDNIGHT HOUR.
TO YOU ALONE I PLEDGED MY UNDYING LOVE
IN THE POST AS I HAD IN THE PRE.

YOU TURNED ME ON BEFORE YOU TURNED ME DOWN,
YOU TURNED AROUND AND YOU STRUCK LIKE A SNAKE –
ALL VENOMOUS AND DEADLY.
SO, BEFORE I JUMP OFF THIS TREE WITH A NOOSE AROUND MY NECK
I WANT TO KNOW,
WHY DID YOU SHUT ME OUT?