A Poem By Tintswalo Tina Mphahlani

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  It kills them...
  
  I heard of this girl once, she drowned in her sorrow
  
  It is said that she could not bear to see another tomorrow
  
  She cried and cried, not a river nor a sea
  
  She cried an ocean that could swallow you and me
  
  
  
  Some say she was depressed and rocked herself insane
  
  Others say that she could not stand the rain
  
  They all say she spoke to trees and danced with the breeze
  
  No matter their ridicule and mockery, she remained at ease
  
  
  
  She would listen to the grass and whisper to its roots
  
  She replied back to all the owls’ hoots
  
  No one was really sure what was with this dame
  
  But none wanted their children near her; they called her a chaotic flame
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   The thing they said; that scared them all
  
  She never put her head down, she walked proud and tall
  
  They tried all that they could but she never did budge
  
  They made her look like a fool, but the girl held no grudge
  
  
  
  They all say the same thing, ‘she drowned in her sorrow’
  
  They all agreed it’s because she could not bear to see tomorrow
  
  But I ask them why, a girl seemingly so happy would cry?
  
  No one could answer me; no one even dared to try
  
  
  
  I heard of this girl once, but she did not drown in her sorrow
  
  The truth is she was really keen on meeting tomorrow
  
  They say she drowned, I say it was murder first degree
  
  Why? Because she was everything they could never be.