Who Have You Touched? Poem by Angela Bontle Ditumiso

Lord, my hands like Pinocchio's
Turn to wood
But only sometimes
Only when I'm to unravel myself
Only when I'm to talk of you
Only when I'm to write a poem
For your people

It's not the lies that lead to this
It's the fear
Of what people may think
Of those who'll take what's mine
Then go on to claim it as theirs

Father give life to my hands again
May they breathe down pages
Scribbling words you dropped into my heart

Lead me to be a stream
Running on these streets
Rushing into these people
Touching whoever will let me