Up From Poverty Poem by Tshepo Malekutu

In a shack room with no windows, a poet was born-
And place with no light and darkness of life-
A father was never there, a mother was there-
The days passed on with one direction-
I had my moment when a lion eat a grass-
My stomach was fighting with my sleep-
I went to bed with no great shift of energy-
My dinners were water of sugar with pap-
In the darkness of rains; a long walk to school-
Up from poverty robed my childhood-
I left home for the greatest freedom of life-
I longed for help from the idol of life-
I dwelled in miracles and never shined-
The years passed by with one direction-
The darkness of the night darkened my life-
I fear no darkness; I was born in the dark-
Molded and shaped by the trees of shadows-
Life taught me its own way of things-
The sun was my light to see the brightness of life-
The shadow never overcame my strength-
But a fighter has a secret within his soul-
My journey faded away, dissolved peaceful-
The night of hope come to life again-
I endured much pleasure in school-
Indulging my mind with the enlightenment of literature-
The greatest pleasure of reading Macbeth.
Books are my traveling companion in darkness-
Books, my greatest comforter of life-
In my perplexed Bible never failed me-
My unusual hunger of mental food-
Verve by verse life moved on-
I behest myself to rise above my occasion-
To be a creature of progression-
I remember all the beauty in my struggle-
And I was born to stand up.