This  is a collection of poems I have written since I was a teenager on various topics, some lighthearted and some sad, and of course inspiring. I have also included additional inspirational quotes, stories etc which have inspired me.

 
Death Becomes Us Abuse
God Is Always There I Know
If You Believe Me
I'll Be There I was an Ant in my dream
In His Eyes Father
Most Special Person In The World No More
The Man We Said
Your Life Can Be Goodbye
Whatever    A Person Too
No Limits He's always there
For You Reflections
Love Has A Way Picture Inspirations
Teenage Pregnancy  
Uncertainty At Motherhood  
Desolation At Motherhood  
Procreation  
Motherhood (Joyous)  
Depression  


Death Becomes Us

I see the sorrow in your eyes

The shadow of sadness you fail to disguise

I feel your hurt in the touch of your hand

The melodramatic way, you try to make me understand

I hear the despair in your trembling voice

As you try and explain why you made that choice

Your psyche screams and waits for an answer

Like the beautiful swan song of a veteran dancer

The tears that fall from your weary eyes

Only serve to mock the imminence of our demise

Your apologies fall on hurt deafened ears

Your reasons are excuses cushioned by your fears

If you knew that the choice you made was wrong

How could that knowledge soldier you on

Onward toward hurting those you claimed to care for

The same ones you told that you would always be there for

The ones who worshipped the very ground you walked on

Who savoured all subject matters that you chose to talk on

We trusted you to trust yourself and spare us all the pain

Yet the rush of what you were doing compelled you to do it again

You have forced us all to endure what we feared

Your choices have stained our cheeks with tears

Have stained our hearts with the mark of sadness

Have stolen the light from our lives once filled with gladness

You’ve had your drugs, your women and AIDS, and with it deep repentence

But we are the ones that are dying, you have given us the one thing we didn’t want,

You’ve given us your death sentence… 
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God is always there

You see the sadness with tears in your eyes

You hear the heartfelt children's cries

You feel the loss a million miles away

Why did things have to happen this way

You all may cry, You all may grieve

And wonder why they had to leave

Leave in such an awful way

And leave You here to mourn this way

But know that God is always there

To give you comfort, to give you care

To hold you tight as your soul cries out

With hurt and anger as you scream and shout

God is there, he'll see You through

All You have to do is ask him to...

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If you believe
So many things impossible

All our goals, wishes and dreams

But most of the time, we all find

That it’s not as hard as it first seems

To achieve all those goals and wishes

And see our dreams come true

For most of the time, we all find

That the sky is mostly grey before blue

So no matter what you want in life

Be sure you will achieve

For everything you really want

You’ll get if you believe

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I’ll be there

The clouds might seem darker

Than the darkest night can be

But know that by your side

Is where I’ll always be

For a problem is always halved

When shared with someone who cares

And I am that someone

Who will always be right there

To share whatever is hurting you

Whenever you’re feeling blue

To ease, comfort and listen

Because love can see us through

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In his eyes

When I look into my dear child’s eyes

And see the happiness there

I know that problems will never be as perplexing

As I sometimes imagined they were

In his eyes I see what life holds within 

Unselfish love, ungiving

A love so sweet, so pure so right

That look is what makes life worth living

Free of pain, void of hate

A look with no misgiving

That is the look, I’d bottle and keep

And sell as a reason for living

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Most special person in the world 

She has no special talent

No special beauty mark

No invention with a patent

No voice of a comely lark

No hourglass physique

No sunbeam likened smile

No lingering mystique

No manicured nails to file

But what she had she flaunted

With the style of a fur-lined stole 

With the chic of a runway model

She flashed her beautiful soul

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Your life can be what you want it to be

Your life can be what you want it to be

If you just set your heart on your dream

Feel it , breath it, think it, feel it

It’s not as difficult as at first it may seem

Picture yourself living your dream

The actions, the words , the emotions

Feel it, breath it, think it, feel it

Go after it with sheer devotion

Your life can truly be what you want it to be

If you only believe it to be true

For no matter what you want in life

Can happen if you believe in you !
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Whatever

You’ll make it through whatever comes along

Don’t worry about the no’s, nays and nevers

Shrug your shoulders, flash a smile

And say "Ah well, whatever !"

Just do the best that you can do

Until you’re at the end of your tether

Once you’ve done all you can do

Just say "Ah well, whatever !"

For know that God never gives you a burden

That’s too heavy for you to weather

He’ll help you through, no matter how arduous

Be it heavy, be it difficult, 

Whatever !
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No limits

Do not put limits on yourself

For you never really know

Just how much you can achieve

How far you can really go

The cant’s and the excuses

Are really just self-inflicted

Forget the pessimism 

And be limitless afflicted

Forget the negativity

And glass half-empty roles

Take all those limitations

And turn them into goals

Don’t put limits on yourself

For you never really know

Just how much you can achieve

How far you can really go

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For you

Nothing could ever replace

The joy I feel for you

All this love that you have showed me

Nothing else could ever do

For you are such a special part

Of my wanting trivial life

You are mine and I love you

Through happiness or strife

Each day I raise my eyes

And thank the Lord above

For sending someone like you

Especially for me to love

He chose me out of all the rest

Because he knew…

I’d love you best

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Love has a way

It hurts to know you’re hurting

Because you’re so special in my heart

The pain that you are feeling

Is tearing me apart

But know that love has a way

Of easing all that’s wrong

Together we can make it

If we hold on and just be strong

Know that you’re not alone

In all your adversity

For by your side through and through

Is where I’ll always be

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Teenage Pregnancy

All these burning sensations, feelings, emotions

Alone in my room, I silently wonder, 

What and who I am

Is this really me ? This lost,

Forlorn child, bearing a child.

I cry bitterly. So many hopes,

And dreams, and cries and screams

All the insecurity and fear 

Hopelessness and bitterness.

Alone in my room. All the welt up ire

And mad desire,

And all the hurt in the world.

All the tears unshed and thoughts unread…

And silence in the speakers of the heart,

And dry, cold, harsh feeling

And heart beats and temperatures 

Soaring and reeling.

All the pain inside.

But.

Cushioned and protected in a membrane of hope

My baby knows not what lingers outside

His haven of serenity and peace and strength

Today leads tomorrow

Joy leads…

Sorrow


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Uncertainty of Motherhood

No feeling, no nothing

No knowing there’s something

Not something, someone

A daughter or son

They say it’s there

Should I care?

Mine for me

We’ll wait and see

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Desolation at motherhood

I face the future

Already planned for me

No nothing for me to expect

There’s nothing to wait and see

For my destiny has been mapped out

I shall have no more youthful days

I shall never feel the thrill again

Of raucous, rebellious ways

I shall rear a child for eighteen years

Maybe even longer

For although I’m still a child myself

I’m going to be a mother

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Procreation

Slowly it grows

Within the depths of my soul

Manifesting itself in my body

Disrupting the equilibrium of my physicality

Each movement a silent conveyance that its presence be felt

Its sheer pressure of such magnitude , such minute magnitude

Furtively washing me with a melange of enigmatic emotions

Soon it will bare its face and embroider that first stitch on its life’s quilt

Soon we will know the reasoning behind its existence

For verily, life is not life without reason

Slowly, ‘it’, becomes a person…

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Motherhood

At first I was not aware

That you were a part of me

Then slowly you began to grow

Your movements made me see

That you were always right there

A perfect little soul

Growing to perfection

As soon you will be whole

Whole enough to push me

To say you’re on your way

To make your presence known

So I can prepare for your birth day

With open arms I’ll be right there

To welcome you with a smile

For you’re such a special part of me

You’re my beautiful, perfect child

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Depression

Like the last leaf on a windy Autumn day

I hang on, fragile but courageously

Waiting for the day to come

When the wind will stop blowing

So that I can be at peace

At peace with myself and everything around me

At peace with the world and all that it bears

Hanging onto a hope that is based on dreams

Hoping that my dream of surviving all adversity

Will finally be realised

But alas the wind is too strong

And like all other leaves before me

I begin to sing , so long

Sad and lost filled with despair

No one to comfort me

No one to care

No one to say, hang in there, be strong

So I’ll whisper my goodbyes, and sing

My swans song
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Abuse

I see the teardrops staining her cheeks

Her voice rustling as she speaks

The noticeable tremor when she mentions his name

The fear in her eyes disclosing the game

The practised make-up masking the welt

The pain and anguish dissipated, unfelt

The headlong demeanour searching the floor

For an answer a whisper, some miracle lore

Slowly I apply the make-up again

Looking in the mirror , reflecting my pain

Tomorrow will be better, of this I’m secure

Yet my reflection still seems so unsure

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Reflections on the Littleton murders

I saw the news on CNN today

23 children killed in a brutal way

Killed by children just like them

Could have been a neighbour, could have been a friend….
 
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He’s always there

You look to Him in times of grief 

And times of unbearable pain

You blame Him when things go wrong

When there’s no sun shining through the rain

You pour your sorrows into a cup

For Him to sip and savour

You place upon a platter

All your worries with bitter flavours

You cry out to Him in dismal spans

And hope that he will hear you

You look around for a sign

That shows that he is near you

How sad it is in times of glee

Not a word of thanks you offer

No acknowledgement or hymn

No adulation or, appreciation you proffer

For the Lord is not only there

In times of bitter strife

His there with every step you take

Of your sententious, restricted life
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I forgive you Mother

I heard the screaming through my pillow covered ears

I saw the hatred through eyes filled with tears

I felt the pain through blankets as thick as snow

I knew this time… she had to go

She looked at me and I think she knew

That I would understand what she was about to do

She held me close to her and said a soft goodbye

This would be the last time I would see her cry

Goodbye dear mother,

Fare well, so long

Go out into a better life

I know you will be strong

One day when I am grown up

I’ll come out and look for you

As long as you are happy

With all my heart, I forgive you.

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A person too

I know that you saw me

Standing over there

I know that you noticed

My blank, vacant stare

I wish you could know

What’s going through my mind

As I watch you walk on by

Leaving me behind

I see the disgust

On your twisted , revolted face

Thinking I am nothing

To this world, a big disgrace

I wish that I could show you

How my mother kicked me out

How all the words I heard as a child

Was an odious, abhorrent shout

How I begged on the streets

From the first break of dawn

How I tried to clean myself up

But still they turned away in scorn

I wish that you could see

With your heart and not your eyes

I don’t expect you to feel responsible

But only to realize

That I ask not for much

Even a gentle smile will do

Acknowledge that I exist

For I am a person too…

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Goodbye

My mind seemed to skip a thought

My soul felt ripped apart

I could not place the feeling

That echoed through my heart

And soon the phone call came

"I’ m sorry", she said, "his dead".

Dead? This cannot be

I denied what she had said

I saw him just this morning

He kissed me a gentle goodbye

He said he would see me later

He’d never tell a lie

But later never came

Nor all the days there after

No longer did I hear again

The sound of his pure laughter

No longer could I feel his hands

Pressed against my face

Soft as a silky sheet

Adorned with beautiful lace

So say goodbye carefully

For you never really know

If that will be the last goodbye

Before they have to go…

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The man

I saw a man today

A funny simple man

Lying on the pavement

Next to a rubbish can

His face was covered with grime

His clothes a rag melange

But I did not find him dirty

I did not find him strange

For upon his face was a smile

That I had never seen

Never from any person

From any place I’ve been

That smile, I thought is probably

The best I’d ever seen

For that smile asked for nothing

Not a single thing.


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We said

A woman called me today

And this is what she said

Was I Mrs So and so

If so, were we still wed

I said we were , thinking that

This was all in error

But what she told me filled my heart

With sheer, unbridled terror

She said that you said you loved her

And I meant nothing to you

I tried to convince her with all I had

That this was all untrue

Yet the more I tried to convince her

The more I realized

That all that I was saying

Was optimistic lies

I should have seen the signs before

But chose to look away

I should have known the truth by now

But chose to run away

But finally I see things clearly now

I shall say adieu and part

For you broke my fragile gift to you

You broke my love-filled heart
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No More

You lied

I tried

I could’nt

How could you

Did you mean to 

Why

Why me

Why now

After all these years

A million tears

Doubtful fears

I’m sorry

You’re sorry

I can’t go on

Too many lies

Too many promises

To many broken promises

God says forgive

I’m sorry

I can’t

Goodbye forver.
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Father

When I was younger he used to pick me up

And hold me in his arms

And tickle me until I was blue

And mesmerise me with his charms

Each day after work before he came home

I'd stand and watch at the gate

To run into his loving arms

I could hardly wait

But as I grew up I realised

That those days were all long gone

No longer did I hear again

My father's throaty songs

He became a distant parent

Strict and forever unforgiving

Screaming, shouting, lecturing

A life that was not worth living

Only now that I'm a parent myself

Do I see what I didn't see then

If I could choose a different father

I'd choose mine all over again

Through all the lectures and shouting

Some of it stayed in my mind

What came across as strictness

Was his way of being "cruel" to be kind

I thank him for where I am today

His guidance has helped me to no end

His everything in a father, I would ever want

His my dad, my angel, my friend
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I was an Ant in my dream

I had a dream last night

A vivid colourful dream

As dream-like as it was

How all too real it seemed

I dreamt I was an ant

Walking in the fields

Looking for some food

To feed my colony

The further that I walked

The longer the road ahead 

But I knew that somehow

I’d find that piece of bread

A storm began to brew

Then the rain came pouring down

I hid beneath a rock

Terrified that I would drown

But soon the storm had passed

And the sun came shining through

And what I saw before me

Was far too good to be true

The rain had brought a gift for me

A covered uneaten roll

Enough to feed the tummies

Of my colony as a whole

This dream I had has taught me

To focus on what I want to gain

For no matter how dark the skies may be

The sun always shines through the rain

So no matter what you want in life

Or what you want to achieve

Never lose sight of your goal

You’ll get it if you believe
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Me

We always take for granted

How special we really are

We often underestimate

The brightness of our stars

For every time you get a call

A letter, a card, a salutation 

That someone was thinking only of you

At that moment you were special

So never doubt your worth

Or think that you’re a no-one

For someone, somewhere thinks that you’re

That significant, special someone
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I know

I know that you are sad

And feeling no-one cares

Your sorrows lining your dear sweet face

Your demeanour filled with despair

But look around you

And you will see

That life is really worth living

It’s amazing what a change you will see

If you take the time to be forgiving

Forgive the one who hurt you

The situation you cannot control

The money that seems so scarce

That half that never seems whole

Forgive the misdemeanours

Of others you cannot alter

Forgive the troubled souls

Of those who unknowingly falter

Let go of those pent up feelings

Of melancholy , lonely sadness

Forgive with all your heart

And you’ll see it fill with gladness

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Home

 

Please email me for permission to use any of my poems.

Thanks.

(c) 2000 RVD