Poem of the day brings you some of the best pieces of writing South Africa has to offer. Photo: Pexels

Poem of the day: Spring again

A poem a day keeps the soul awake! For the most soulful, authentically African poetry on the internet, check out Poem of the day.

by Arnold Charles

16-02-2023 07:13

in Art and Artists

Poem of the day brings you some of the best pieces of writing South Africa has to offer. Photo: Pexels

Spring again

spring came /
the same way winter left
& summer will come
& summer will leave;        slowly
          / when no one's expecting it
             when people are tired of waiting

like waiting for welfare checks /
          a long wait/             a slow wait

the windows are open
but butterflies don't fly in
to display a sense of love

           / only housefly enter
              to sit on food       & eat crumbs

& dreams escape /
& become stolen      & lost      & used
& wasted        & thrown away
& dreamed anew

the junkies sit on the stoop
& nod themselves into dreams
            / maybe into the ones which escaped
& stickball is played
& on warm nights        the ghetto musicians play
our ghetto song
on garbage can tops         & bang on empty coke bottles
& sound real chévere

:tomorrow
the junkies will sit on the stoop
& nod themselves into dreams /
stickball will be played /
                                             the streets will become chalked
                                             with 1st and 2nd & 3rd bases

hop scotch will become a game
& tops will spin on sidewalks /

& everyone will anticipate summer.

By  JESÚS PAPOLETO MELÉNDEZ