Tuesday 10 October 2017

Poem The Valley of Division

The Valley of Division 

Taken in the Cradle of Mankind, Gauteng, South Africa


I’m tired of mustering up the courage
to be myself
So far
its proved to be
                                                an elusive beast
I’m not sure
it even exists

I thought there were treasures
shimmering
 in the cave of my soul
nothing tepid
brutally pristine

But every time I stooped to pick one up
dust
flew through
my fingers

My soul facing its earthly life looks out
through vitreous eyes 
filtering

layers of shoulds and oughts and musts have occluded my moon

Seventy seven times have I skinned myself
looking for me

Each skinning leaves me raw and stinging

Every time I look into the mirrors of eyes I see a different me
so which one am I?
There is one man who…
one man whom I can call a liberator…

when I look into his eyes and he into mine
I see nothing
but light
no edges to myself
So why
can’t I stay
in that vision?


What is it that draws me back
from staying there in the light?

Yet
I return to
the valley of division.

Tenderness wells up and tells me

to listen

Be – not your self –


just be.