They Call You Cigarette Poem by Thabani Khumalo

Filter of hope.
Shield in my pain:
Fusion of god,
From heaven of ghosts.
Comfort of shame -
Heaven of lambs -
Heaven of lames,
Giver of throbs

Filter of hope.
Field in my gain -
Rest is my gain.
God is of foes;
Never a ford
To heavens ahead.
Nothing is there.

How do you go
Into my vein?
Yours is the pain,
After - I'm wrung.
Cause me this pain -
Cancer my lung.

Filter of hope;
Pecker of smoke,
Healer of strain
Flower of hell.
They call you smoke.
They call you cigarette.