God Where Are You? ~ Shweta Singh

God where are You? O God tell me, where are you!

O God,
It’s you who governs the whole world I hear
Do listen to my plea
My home beckons me
God where are You? O God tell me, where are you!

You guide back to sanity
Those who’ve lost their way
I too am completely lost
Guide me too, I Pray

Shall I worship you in Temples?
In Mosques do my faith I show
Or to a ‘Gurudwara’
Would you like me to go?

Temples and Churches,
I’ve looked everywhere

My hope now has turned to despair!

Not a single ritual did I ever flout
Like millions around the world
I submit without a doubt
God where are You? O God tell me, where are you!

You have many names and faces too
I’ve walked each of the myriad
Paths which lead to You
What else should I do
To find you give a clue

I blindly follow and
With reverence and treasure
Your every whim and fancy
In more than ample measure
God where are You? O God tell me, where are you!

How do I call out to you ?
Shall I talk to you
With hands clasped ?
Or on bent knees, head to the ground?
Do I wake you with temple bells?
Or call out on a loud speaker?
God where are You? O God tell me, where are you!

Understand my plight,
I am at breaking point,
I thought, you’d never abandon me
During this fight

As I walked along the shore
A single set of footprints I only saw.

The search for you all around
Had then come to end
Just as I realized,
Those single prints were
None other than Yours

Because through these weak times
You carry me, every single step
In your Perfect, Mighty Arms.
God here you are. O God, Here you’ll always be!


©  Shweta Singh


***
Grade 11
***

Empty ~ Nishka Ramkhelawan

Source Unknown

I am empty without you .

I am a vacuum

that will always generate

an overpowering feeling

of purposelessness.



I am still

the silence is like a predator

preying on every last

bit of my existence.



I reach out for your help

yet I soon realize that

I am screaming into

shattered eardrums.



I am drowning in slow motion

only to be resurrected

to drown yet again.


©  Nishka Ramkhelawan


***
Grade 11
***

Who Is She? ~ Neha Singh

Who is she?
Why is she here?
What is her purpose?
Is she happy?

So many questions come to mind,
Just after one quick glance.
Then the judging begins...
You didn't care to wait for the answer to any of your questions.

Then you hurt her,
Slowly picking at her imperfections.
Did you forget that she has feelings?
Did you forget that she is human to?

We all do this,
Sometimes without even noticing.
What if you were her?
What if she was you?

So many questions,
So little time.
I just want you to understand,
She is like a porcelain doll.

Fragile.
Beautiful.
Easy to look at.
But also easily broken.

And that's exactly what you did.
You broke her.
Tormented her.
Made her feel insecure.

Then the cycle starts all over again.
No one bothered to know her,
Talk to her.

But the day she was gone,
The day when everyone found out what you had done
You turned around,
Confused,
Unaware
And asked
Who is she?


©  Neha Singh



***
Grade 8
***

Faded ~ Nishka Ramkhelawan

You just rest there,

calmly sewing your soul

 to your sins.



Have you no conscience?



Your misdeeds are

a compass

steering you in

the wrong direction.



The last remaining

pieces of you ,

the only remembrance

I have left

slowly disappear and

progressively float away,

out of my reach.



As I try to

recollect what

is left you

I soon realize that

you have vanished.


©  Nishka Ramkhelawan


***
Grade 11
***

The Doctor's Waiting Room / Ambition ~ Minenhle Hadebe

The Doctor's Waiting Room.

The doctor's waiting room.
The room full of mystery
And the fear of diagnosis

I hate the doctor's waiting room
No, I have a fear of the doctor's waiting room
It's been a driving force in my life,
As long as I can remember
Yet when you look closely,
You'll find that it is just a room
Meant for waiting


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Ambition

My ambition in life is not wealth,
power or high social status
my ambition is simple enough
I shall not run after riches


©  Minenhle Hadebe


***
Grade 8
***

I'm Sorry ~ Momelezi Mdingi

I'm sorry that I'm human
I'm sorry that I have a heart,
which I have no control over
when it comes to you

I'm sorry that you're always on my mind,
that I'm always wishing you could be mine
I'm sorry I can't resist your beauty,
that when you talk I listen,
because the sound of your voice
doesn't leave me much of a choice

I'm sorry I believe dreams come true,
but that was proven to me the day I finally met you

I'm sorry that I want you so bad
that if death was the only way to be with you
I would dig my own grave

You might hate me for the things I do
You might hate me for the things I say

But every beat of my heart
pumps blood filled with my love for you,
blood filled with the determination to get you

So all I can say is
I'm sorry.


©  Momelezi Mdingi


***
Grade 8
***

Snake! ~ Nosipho Mtshali

In places far and near
All over the entire world
Lives the most dreaded creature
Snake!
Passionate to find his food
Green with envy
of that sly beast
that got to his delicious feast first
But when you take a closer look at this interesting figure
You'll realise you shouldn't fear.


©  Nosipho Mtshali


***
Grade 8
***

Abandoned ~ Grade 8 Group Poem

You were the one chosen to carry me
You were the one capable of loving me
You were the one to raise me
You were the one to enlighten me,
Brighten my days,
Show me right from wrong

But then
You let me go
When people said
"This is your child'
All you said was "So"

I always wonder
Who are you?
Where are you?
The woman who's blood
is pumping through my veins
The woman with the
love that has limits

I don't know you
Will I ever?
Only you can answer that
Because you left me

Abandoned!


Nosipho Mtshali 
Samke Mvelase 
Momelezi Mdingi
Muhammad Bux


***
Grade 8
***

Strangers Again ~ Chichi Kamushi

We were inseparable
We were like brother and sister
Until we drifted apart,
We became a definition of loneliness.

Our bond was broken
And not a word was spoken
No communication whatsoever
Memories started to fade away forever,

You knew everything about me
My fears, favourite things and what I wanted to be
But we went from strangers to friends,
And back to strangers again.


©  Chichi Kamushi


***
Grade 8
***

Humanity ~ Nishka Ramkhelawan

And in the end

we are all just human,

each one of us

is like a single grain of sand

laying on the beach.



Humanity is multi-faceted

Sometimes it’s exquisite,

sometimes it is unpleasant,

and sometimes it is just low.



We extend and inhabit

 until there are no more

 lingering resources,

and then extend  yet again.


©  Nishka Ramkhelawan


***
Grade 11
***

A Farewell to My Classmates ~ Samke Mvelase

As I sit here in class

I observe my dearest friends

and look forward to the year coming to an end

we had so many moments together

most good and some bad.

Those blonde moments we had

Mostly, just all the memories

I will always remember the good times

and erase the bad and all the hate

with happiness and sadness

we all go out the door.

With great hope and expectations

for the future .

I will never forget my crazy classmates

and the quiet ones.

©  Samke Mvelase


***
Grade 8
***

'Til We Meet Again ~ Neha Singh

You told me not to cry when you were gone,
But this feeling's overwhelming
Its much too strong.

I'm missing you like crazy.
I now feel this emptiness,
Like something's missing.
Then I remembered,
It's because I lost you.

Grief has taken over me.
I didn't want to lose you...
And what about goodbye?
Did you forget all about that?

Now I'm left with discomfort.
You were my confidant.
You were my other half.
But most of all,
You were my best friend.

Our friendship was forever,
But it pains me that we aren't together.
I need my best friend.
I need you.

Not one day passes that I don't miss you,
That I don't miss your presence.

But the day will come,
When I will meet you again
In the afterlife I guess.

I'll be waiting for that day,
When we are finally reunited.
I'll have my best friend again,
And then maybe I'll be complete once more.


©  Neha Singh


***
Grade 8
***

Heartbreak, Heartache ~ Grade 8 Group Poem

Heartache...
Heartbreak...
That's what it felt like,
To be discriminated against.
And for what exactly?
For just being me.
So what I like the same sex.
So what I was attracted to you

Isn't happiness all that counts?
So why take my happiness away?
Take me away from you.
Why make me unhappy?
Discrimination shouldn't,
Taking you away from me.

Same sex.
Same love.
This should be okay to.
It's nothing new.
Think of the future,
In with new.
Out with discrimination,l
Take your opinions to.

I understand now,
Equality is key.
You are you,
And I am me.
I shouldn't think this way,
I guess it should be okay.
I'm done with discrimination,
I want equality to.

So why be reluctant to accept us?
If you can be,
Why can't we?



Jessica Gibbons 
Neha Singh 
Rachel Sinclair 
Sajna Ramdin
Jadida Kalim 
Abdur Asmal 
Nirvay Parthab


***
Grade 8
***

Time ~ Palisa Molefe

 My mother once asked, what is the time
 I stood there young and innocent
 not even knowing how to rhyme
   
 I thought to myself
 what is the time?
 is it time for laughter
 is it time for tears
   
 I thought and thought
 and then I realised
 it was time to think
 about time
   
 was it ever a crime
 just to sit
 and think about time?


©  Palisa Molefe


***
Grade 8
***

Afraid ~ Aphelele Nxumalo

I am afraid of what might become of me

I am afraid of what I will gain and what I might lose

Afraid of the good and bad

That will, and have happened

What will become of me?

I have been so many places in my life and time

I have wished that this tomorrow 

Will be different than the one's I've experienced

Can't it be a better tomorrow?

What lies in my tomorrow ....

Must be a long-term keeping so I won't have to borrow

Peace and war that runs in my mind

Thinking that, will I ever be kind ....

What will become of me?

I lay in your arms to feel insecure

I am the one who sees deep in your soul 

Yo find the missing and make it whole

For I love thee till depth, breath and height

For my soul can reach for you when feeling out of sight

What will become of me?

You play my heart to a beautiful beat

I still stay in your heart with my special seat

The darkness and I always fight

Will I ever get to see the light

What will become of me?

Life plays a game

That has no-name

Nothings different its all the same

I ask myself, who can I blame?

For a lot is running in my mind, but in the end it all came ...

©  Aphelele Nxumalo


***
Grade 8
***

Thoughts of Life ~ Natasha de Jong

GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT,
NO, ACTUALLY GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WORK HARD
AND NEVER GIVE UP
HONESTLY
LIFE IS HARD
LIFE HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS
BUT WE ONLY SEEM TO NOTICE THE DOWNS

ONCE AGAIN LIFE IS HARD
BEING ABUSED SOCIALLY
BY FRIENDS
THEY ARE ONLY WITH YOU
IN YOUR SHINING HOUR
BUT SEEM TO DISAPPEAR
IN YOUR DARKEST HOUR
BUT WORST OF ALL THEY LEAVE SCARS
SCARS THAT NEVER HEAL
WHY
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE IT'S DAMAGE
DONE TO THE MIND AND SPIRIT
NOT THE BODY

AGAIN LIFE IS HARD
BUT IN LIFE
I TOOK ALL MY BRUISES
I TOOK ALL MY LUMPS
I FELL DOWN
AND STILL GOT RIGHT BACK UP
IN LIFE
WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE THE BEST
WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE POPULAR ONE
BE THE PRETTIEST
OR SEEM TO BE THE RICHEST
JUST SO WE CAN BE LOVED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE
WE CHANGE OUR SELF IMAGE
WE WEAR MAKE-UP
BY DESIGNER CLOTHES
AND GET THE LATEST PHONE

BUT SOMETIMES
YOU JUST HAVE TO FOCUS ON YOUR OWN LIFE
AND IGNORE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY
BECAUSE IT'S YOUR LIFE
HATERS WILL ALWAYS HATE
SO KILL THEM WITH SUCCESS
AND BURY THEM WITH A SMILE


©  Natasha de Jong


***
Grade 8
***

I am me, I love being me ~ Sphelele Majola

I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God
I was not made for you to be the judge of me

I was not created to please people
neither was I created to tease people

I am me
I will change for no one
and I will let no one rule my life

I am a wonderful individual
and not your personal slave

I may have flaws
but so do you
Nobody is perfect

No one is given the right to judge others
Or to force them to do something that they don't want to do

All those artificial stuff may make you feel beautiful
But beauty is only skin deep
It's what's inside of you that matters

I love being me...
Imperfect as I am!


©  Sphelele Majola


***
Grade 8
***

Stranger's Corner ~ Mika Datadin

There, in the dark corner,
There's a stranger
He seems familiar, he seems calm,
He doesn't seem to be a danger
I'm sure his name starts with a "C"
I'm not sure where I know him from
It's quite worrying
To add to it,
He's getting up
Coming towards me,
Shoulders slumped,
Head bowed
I don't feel frightened though
I have faced more threatening people
And those people, were not even my foes
"That wasn't right," he said
I asked him; "How would you know?"
He simply smiled and whispered
"I learnt good from bad long, long ago,"
It suddenly came to me
I know his kind
This is no gloomy room
This is my mind
And he is no stranger to me
This is not nonsense
I know his name
He is conscience.


©  Mika Datadin


***
Grade 8
***

Midnight Walk ~ Yusra Asmal

It was midnight dark

And me alone in a park

Along came a gruesome creature

With fiery eyes and a frightful feature

He stopped in front of me

I looked at him, nothing but a flea

I ran along

He followed singing a song

“You’ll come with me

As should be

You will make my dinner,

Which’ll leave me no thinner”

Along came a sudden blow,

And that’s all I know


©  Yusra Asmal


***
Grade 8
***

Life of a Springbok ~ Keshlin Naidoo

There runs he...
Hungrily through the precarious bush-veld.
Growling for prey
but none to be seen.

Cubs run and play,
but lion and lionesses are not seen.

What a summers day
as elephants quench their thirst thoroughly
at the wide wavy lake.


Bang, he falls,
then mourns out loud.
Oh, what a surprise!

Hunters are seen.

There is he,
dragged by them to their huts
and hanged,

He dries up,
they cheer up.

"Delicious dry meat," says them.


©  Keshlin Naidoo


***
Grade 11
***

Dancing Angels ~ Sarah Tandy

There is a lightness to them,
The way they sway as if nothing will break their unknown path.
Barely captured, an eyelash of white
Souring through the open freedom…
So light.
Many a face they pass
But not a whisper is heard.
A flash of a life
Purely for the joy of a dance.


©  Sarah Tandy


***
Matriculant 2013
***

Time Will Tell ~ Nishka Ramkhelawan

Perhaps in time

I will learn

to forgive you,

And one day I will

accept you with all

your pride and arrogance.



I was blinded

by your words

and refused to listen

about what others

had to say.



Perhaps it wasn’t my place

To try and change you

into something

you are not.



I tried to bring out

the best in you

but maybe there was none.



Because even in a world

full of good

there is bad,

even in the most darkest

circumstances there is light

and even in the rhythm

of my heart that

no longer pounds...

there is you.


©  Nishka Ramkhelawan


***
Grade 8
***

Passion of Four ~ Grade 8 Group Poem

My passion is to dance

I started at four when I first got the chance

Now I don't give anything else a second glance,

this is the passion in which I`m trying to advance.

My passion is not something simple,

My passion gives me a thrill.

Behind my passion lies a lot of history,

But for now, my passion will remain a beautiful mystery.

My passion is food,

we all know its real good.

Different foods for different moods,

touch my food and trust me, I`ll become rude.

My passion is drawing and painting,

drawings show my emotions and feelings,

I do enjoy doing it in my extra time.

Everybody has a different passion,

For some it could be fashion,

For some it could be action,

But what makes a passion a passion,

Is that person`s devotion and reaction.

Mehnaz Jamil
Mika Datadin
Hannah Narrandes
Kudisha Singh


***
Grade 8
*** 

Do You Think We Are Still Human? ~ Jadida Kalim

Do you think we are still human?
I ask after what we have all done
And what we are still doing
We are taking away things
That we shouldn't have been taking
We are taking away lives
That we shouldn't have been taking
Do you think it's right?
We are putting a price tag on people
And selling them as slaves
Abusing each other for no reason
Stealing and kidnapping our friends and families
Killing our own brothers and sisters
For our own greed
Exchanging diamonds for more shattering of blood
Abusing alcohol and drugs
Destroying each other just because of our differences
Do you think god still happy with us?
So if you do any of these, I'm asking you
Do YOU think YOU are still human ?


©  Jadida Kalim


***
Grade 8
***

Pushed Down ~ Nombulelo Jili

(Dedication to my past)

I've been hurt,pushed down
and even treated like dirt.
It's been rough
It's been tough
people called me names
some even said I was playing games.

When I was pushed down
and finally got up,
someone wanted me to drown.
Sometimes I'd cry, but
they all just passed by.
People were mean to me,
some even tried to use me!

I've been there, done that
Been called fat and even a brat.
Don't mind what they say
all you should do each day,
is to pray!
I've been Pushed Down.


©  Nombulelo Jili


***
Grade 8
***

Life ~ Ayanda Sithole

One chance, nothing more
Either enjoy it or be hard core
Appreciate it or take it for granted
Make most of it count
Or sit back in doubt

One chance, nothing more
Either enjoy it or be hard core
Live it for you, not anybody else
Don't fight
But choose right

Party or study
Lead or mislead
Win or lose
Which do you choose?

Time waits for no man
Use it wisely
Before its too late
And its all over...


©  Ayanda Sithole


***
Grade 8
***

Life's Biggest Gift ~ Viyanka Moodley

Indulging in life's precious gifts we

find existence in love

Bestowed selflessly

upon us with intent

In amazement we act yet missing

its very purpose

To love and share and embrace all

in good and bad

To be thankful for the priceless moments

showered by life itself

A reason to exist

A reason to celebrate

Enjoy, love, live and be happy!

© Viyanka Moodley


***
Grade 8
***

Teased ~ Jessica Gibbons

Teased,
Laughed at,
Told she was stupid.
And for what? Because of her hair colour?
Hurt,
Cried,
Cut.
A little thing she was born with, made her
Suicidal,
Depressed,
Unhappy.
They didn't even know,
That inside she was falling apart.
This was them. They did this.
They never knew what could come of this all,
But then again they never do.
A few simple words, ended it all.
And only once she was gone,
Did they realize what they had done.


©  Jessica Gibbons


***
Grade 8
***

Mother ~ Muhammad Bux

When my days were dark, you were the rescuing lamp
When my days were bright, you were the reason
When my health was deteriorating, you were my aid
For better, for worse
My success, was your success
My despair, led to your despair
You never gave up on me,
And today, I proudly stand beside you
Like new have a bond that has chained our hearts together
Till death do us apart
Only to meet again


©  Muhammad Bux


***
Grade 8
***

Slithering Snake ~ Abdur Rahmaan Asmal

In the tall wavy green grass
the slithering reptile slithers through
the frightening mammal slithers in fear
hisssss

Proudly the slithering reptile coils up and relaxes in the sun
the bright yellow sun shines over the grassland
the snake moves sadly slowly
as the sun sets
the slithering reptile finds a spot on one of the rocks and coils
the slithering snake goes off to hunt....


©  Abdur Rahmaan Asmal


***
Grade 8
***

Childhood Memories ~ Kudisha Singh

Late at night when all is quiet,
I sit alone and think,
of days gone by, with such a quick blink.

My first day of school.
What an experience that was.

As I held my mother's hand,
And gazed up with a quick pause.

There were kids laughing, and playing all around,
I now longer felt the need to feel bound,
So I let go of my mother's hand,
and entered an amazing land.

So many years have gone by.
I've met new friends, and said goodbye to some,
with a sigh.

So many pressures of school,
So many voices demanding to be cool

I've said goodbye to Mr Gollywog,
The Tooth fairy and the Easter bunny
Thank you for your shoulder and laughing,
at my jokes even though they weren't funny.

I must pack you away now,
Maybe I will see you again,
With a heavy heart I give you away.
I hope to see you someday.

I will always be that little girl,
that had to have her say,
That threw you across the room when you wouldn't play,

That bandaged your foot,
When you fell off your seat.

That force fed you,
even when you didn't want to eat.

To me Mr Gollywog, you were my friend,
that never said a word, never
wanted me to be anything I am not.

You just smiled whenever I entered the room,
Even when all I did was gloom.

I may have changed in many ways,
I will always be your friend,
throughout my days.


©  Kudisha Singh


***
Grade 8
***

Lies ~ Grade 8 Group Poem

Why lie?
Is it worth it?
Do you benefit?
Yes No Maybe?
Do you really have to?

Lies, they backfire
Do you admire the intention of your desire
To be a liar
It stings like a bee
Do I let it go or leave it be?
               
What do you win?
Because this is a sin
It's a drug
And you're addicted

What about the people around you?
Do you care about their emotions
Slow down before you cause a commotion

You are not going anywhere with lies
The truth will come out
Come,Come back
The doors of conscience are calling
Why lie?



Lusanda Mhlongo
Aphelele Nxumalo 
Ayanda Sithole
Nombulelo Jili
Palisa Molefe 
Bulelwa Msomi


***
Grade 8
***

A Few Words for a Special Friend ~ Sajna Ramdin

A golden heart stopped beating
Two twinkling eyes at rest
God broke my heart just to prove
He only takes the best

I miss your bark
I miss the sound of your feet shuffling across the tiles
I miss your mischievous ways
And how you never failed to entertain me

It's so hard doing anything without you
Wagging your tail behind me
And following me wherever I go

To some you are forgotten
To others a memory of the past
But for me
Who loved and lost you
The memory will always last


© Sajna Ramdin


***
Grade 8
***

Time ~ Bulelwa Msomi

Time is the wrinkles on your face
Time moving at a fast pace
The memories that fade on
But are not gone
Time is of the essence
And so is your presence


©  Bulelwa Msomi


***
Grade 8
***

Sun ~ Mehnaz jamil

A fiery sphere
Of glowing wonder breathing beams of light
Into the darkness of the cosmos
Providing warmth
And giving life
But it is just
A mere speck,
One of many
Stars making the universe


©  Mehnaz Jamil


***
Grade 8
***

Where is Her Beauty? ~ Yashoda Naidoo

The beauty of a woman,
is part of nature's plan,
so a flower in the garden,
is worth two in the hand.

Beauty isn't flawlessness,
nor is it perfection,
it is not a pretty face,
with a light complexion.

Beauty isn't clothes,
not a size 4,
not the colour of your skin,
or the last makeup you wore.

You seek her beauty,
through her eyes,
because that's the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.

You need to look deeper,
as her beauty is not a facial mole,
but true beauty is a woman,
is reflected by her soul...


© Yashoda Naidoo


***
Grade 8
***

Life ~ Grade 8 Group Poem

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE THAT'S THE MOTTO
LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND TAKE A PHOTO
HAVE THE DESIRE TO INSPIRE
AND INSPIRE BEFORE YOU EXPIRE

IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO THEN DO IT
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY THEN SAY IT
DON'T LIVE YOUR LIFE INSPITE
JUST KEEP YOUR GOALS IN SIGHT

FACT, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE SOME DAY
IT MIGHT NOT BE TODAY
LIFE IS SHORT
SO ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT
AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST TO LIVE IT

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST
BUT DON'T THINK YOU'RE THE COOLEST
YOU MIGHT BE THE NEWEST
AND YOU ALSO MIGHT BE THE DUMBEST

LIFE IS SOMETHING WE ALL SHARE
JUST LIKE OXYGEN IN THE AIR
THE WAY WE LIVE IT IS UP TO US
WITH A NEGATIVE OR WITH A PLUS



Natasha De Jong 
Sphelele Majola 
Chi-Chi Kamushi  
Minenhle Hadebe


***
Grade 8
***

Before You Pull the Trigger ~ Rachel Sinclair

​Before you pull the trigger,
Kick the stool,
Swallow those pills,
Or make the last cut.
Just think, there are so many things more.
Places to see,
People to meet,
Music to take in,
Fields to frolic through,
Books to read,
Games to win,
Art to draw,
And most importantly people to love
So why,
do you wish
to be dead?


©  Rachel Sinclair


***
Grade 8
***

Hand ~ Jadee Mac Donald

In the light of the sun

I see the magnificent creation

And I marvel in its splender

Beauty

I happily sing the creators praise

As I gaze upon the blue heavens

And my heart dance and leap with joy

As the words bubble out of my soul

To be alive and see this wonder for myself

The touch God’s magic hands

©  Jadee Mac Donald


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Grade 8
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Finding Myself ~ Grade 8 Group Poem

Sometimes people's biggest fears,
are not themselves,
it's being judged by others from,
what people have said rather than done.

We are growing younger,
because of your dense behaviour,
you should have been silent,
instead of calling us a failure.

What you gain is satisfaction,
but, in us,
what is lost is compassion,
you are blind, you don't see,
you don't know, what is reality.

You don't speak,
because you are afraid,
sometimes peoples biggest fears,
are not themselves,
it's being judged by others from,
what people have said rather than done.



Yashoda Naidoo 
Siddhi Singh 
Kiara Magan 
Megan Thomas 
Jadee Macdonald 
Viyanka Moodley 
Yusra Asmal


***
Grade 8
***

The Stranger ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

In the mist of the dark
awaits a stranger
face pale as he strolls in moon hour
gazing and thinking of his last life.

He never paid attention to miracles.
As he lifts his eyes staring at this wild world,
he thinks of his last prayer.
He knows not of the feeling that has come over him.

He moves in slow motion
along the delicate fields
and kneels down with his hand held up,
being at peace without motion.

Love never made his life easy;
his dark is dark like the moonlight;
his soul is as pure as a sweet comb of honey-bees.
All along this is what the stranger craved.


Nomonde Ngcamu
Khethiwe Mlambo
Sinqobile Dlamini
Palesa Mofokeng


***
Grade 8
***

A Lovely Day ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

It is a lovely day, full of love and light,
trees gazing around tiredly,
rocks shining bright like diamonds in the sky,
insects sitting in the hot sun.

Children enjoy life to the fullest on the beach.
Honey-bees buzzing in the breezy, wild winds.
Wow! All these things can be called miracles.

Suddenly it becomes so dark.
The moon is shining but not providing any light.
The world is too dark to be black.


Phumla Ngubo
Mpumelelo Zondo
Sthandiwe Chonco
Siyabusiswa Ngcobo


***
Grade 8
***

Random Nature ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

The moon makes the sky bright.
The trees wave in the cool air.
When you see the clouds fall, you know there is rain.
I see honey-bees buzzing in the clear blue sky.

This is a Miracle that we see all equal under the eyes of God.
We, as people, need to kneel down to our Lord of Grace.
As an hour passes, everything goes in motion.
Love is blind, but don't let it blind you.

Life is a blessing, don't ruin it.
Every hour, minute and second is precious so live it.
The world is a miracle, believe it.
A wild stranger floats away with is sins.


Luyanda
Sinakho
Thando
Nhlakanipho


***
Grade 8
***

Unanswered Prayers ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

Every day starts with a prayer
when I'm done I walk away,
I see the honey bees flying.
Last night was quite surprising,
I saw the moonlight, slowly dying.

Why does life have to be so unfair,
Love so heart-breaking,
Hope so scarce
and Faith so rare?
Although I keep praying,
my prayers seem to vanish into thin air.


Mduduzi
Zinhle
Londiwe
Zonke
Zuzu


***
Grade 8
***

The Life of a Rugby Player ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

If you are a rugby player, you can conquer all!
Nothing can defeat you, even the biggest wall.
A normal human being can be trained,
But a rugby player is untamed.

The main thing you must focus on is defeat
But be careful, you're not the one who'll get beat.
Stand tall and be proud
And make tackles that will impress the crowd!

Walk off the filed a winner!
Don't walk out a mischievous
or misbehaved player!
Be proud, not arrogant.


Malibongwe
Sandile
Linda
Mbuso


***
Grade 8
***

Dark Sky ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

Gazing at the dark sky
with the stars shining brightly
before my eyes,
the insects are out in the fields
with wings moving in motion.

The night is filled with peace
with a swift wind blowing gently in the fields.
The only sound is the owl in the trees, hooting.
These are the types of things
that make you appreciate life.
The full moon makes me feel blessed.


Asanda Nyathi
Bongokuhle Ndaba
Nomonde Nkomonde
Zamaswazi Mhlanga


***
Grade 8
***

Life ~ Grade 8 Chain Poem

Life is a journey which you walk on your own
and sometimes has its ups and downs.
It's a rollercoaster in which you encounter miracles.
Along the way, you meet strangers who either make
your life a living hell or heaven on earth.
Sometimes in life you need to spread your wings and fly.

In life, you need to know yourself and what you want to achieve.
You find that special person whom you love and wish to keep,
the one you wish to take long strolls with on the beach.
In life, you'll have to forget the dark side and look at the bright side.
You have to live your life to the fullest.


Palesa Matshaya
Phiwakahll Khoza
Samkelisiwe Ngcobo
Nombulelo Dlamini


***
Grade 8
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Personality Created by Reality ~ Phiwa Khoza

I remember the time
when I had a purpose in life
when I loved to live and
lived to love.

You might be wondering (and so am I)
where that girl has gone.
She existed only because reality hadn't
kicked in yet
but here she is, four years later,
displaying a personality created by reality
where she is suicidal at night
but wears a mask at dawn.

She was drowning in tears
but nobody saw her struggle.
She made pain look so good
without realising that it wouldn't
be able to wear off.

Today, I look at this girl
and applaud her for carrying
a burden a 14 year old shouldn't have to bear.
She's stronger than ever but held back,
genuinely laughs but still fakes a smile.


©  Phiwa Khoza


***
Grade 8
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Fake ~ Palesa Matshaya

Her smile is fake
Her laugh is fake
She's dying inside
But you don't need to know that
So she fakes her smile
She fakes her laugh
She pretends everything is alright
Even though she's falling apart
Just for you...


©  Palesa Matshaya


*** 
Grade 8
***