Page 26 - LockDown Poetry 2020

-------- lockdown poetry --------

Pain and focus

Bongiwe N Zulu

We woke up one day and the world was on pause.

Around the clock, news reports keep coming.

They say I should be praying,

Reading or doing something to build myself.

What’s to build in the absence of distraction?
Bring me my distractions, sobriety is painful.

Tell the faithful to mention my name in prayer.

Tell the hopeful to share some of their light.

Please ask the placid to show me the way to keep calm.

I can’t.
My mind is racing.

Flashbacks, fears and the cries of my flesh.

I am pining.

Craving, dying for distraction.

Bring me my dose of distraction...

Let me out so I can hide behind my schedule.

I want to be buried in meetings.
Instead of being forced to reckon with all these feelings.

They say I should be praying.

I started a prayer but the words got stuck in my throat.

Sorry God, I guess we’re not that close.

Church is closed.
Tell the pious to save me some of the cool-aid

Let’s all get high on panic.

Give me something...

Wake, sleep, eat, FEEL then SLEEP again.

Wake, eat, read, FEEL then SLEEP again.

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