Poems: The Ghetto Chronicals, Child of Colour, and Belhar High 1985
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| "Entangled" by Shameeg van Schalkwyk |
The
Ghetto Chronicles
Born
into inherited prophecised
spiritual
poverty uncertain longevity
a
soulless society welcomes yet another
unplanned
oddity – ignoring their declining
moral
depravity whilst
wicked
whispers spread by toxic jealous
vipers
spit vicious raucous rumours
of
future man-made tumours able to infect
an
entire species most heinously
ignoring
various opinions deliberately
turning
a blind eye to gangster small-fry
unable
to prevent a freak wave of revolutionary
societal
anarchy – hoping to derail a politically
engineered
gravy train halting historical elitist
gain
going against the grain ensuring relief of
centuries
of generational pain
shameful
scarlet stain preaching deliverance
in
vain – their conscience offering a foretold
solution
in the shape of a celestial confusion
misunderstood
bound by a judgemental
neighbourhood
unable to discern between what is
evil
and good dismissing potential healing soul
food
idly standing by whilst each believer cast their
own
stone eye to the obvious carnage around failing
to
stop the deadly decline of a nation going blind
sudden
realisation mankind not that kind – hoping
to
finally find a chosen saviour sent to miraculously
heal
disintegrating devastating behaviour
not
denying personal faltering failure – the
chokehold
confession of each sinful act bound
by
a crucifying chain reaction born from man's
fleeting
earthly mansion preventing liberating escape
of
a people on their knees hoping to find some spiritual
release
– even willing to listen to a ghetto Mary rapping
of
an unknown future reciting forgotten scripture trying
to
once again nurture against their nature –
a
hope to be able to cope and release
their
self-imprisoned beautiful beast
yearning
to be invited to the
celebratory
promised feast
obtain
the eternal keys
to
at last experience
everlasting
peace
Child of Colour
Earthly existence
universal
persistence
one
species our
own
nemesis
divided
development
colonial
entrapment
human
currency
dented
democracy
north
south east west
land
grab
mankind's
best
authoritarian
test
enslaved
fest
cursed
skin
historical
kin
generations
asking
self
– appointed king
desperately
seeking
foreign
fertile shores
settling
scores
drawing
borders
barking
orders -
divisive
policies
dismissed
heritage
insecure
feelings
shady
dealings -
self-made
apartheid
decades
of racial
heart-wrenching
melting
heartache
cunning
cultural rape
my
beloved Cape
masking
my
child-like
hate -
beneath
the shade
of
Table Mountain
my
life-giving
historical
fountain -
Born
from a mixed
mother
I have no
shame
being branded
child
of colour
Belhar High 1985
My inaugaral secondary education
twenty five years after a horrific mass
demonstration township massacre -
Sharpeville still an unknown childhood
mystery – Nelson Mandela
a household whispered revered enigma,
My childhood world cacooned in media
blackout – Secondary education commencing
under an invisible brewing explosive
revolutionary choking cloud.
Lasting new friendships cemented although
confidence still dented – Strange whispers
of discontent swirl and coil, feeding my
uninformed confused generation causing
a sickening dreading sensation
of an imminent imploding warring nation.
A normal morning playground conversation -
just me Heinrich and Gavin acclimatising to
an educational haven – Becomes a
life-changing teargas assault initiation
sudden realisation of draconian racist military
intimidation at our coloured only institution -
The Casspir visible at the front gate
no escape, a slow motion scene so obviously
obscene – Yet no retreat as we stared frozen
on our feet, the unidentified camouflaged
lily-white soldier positioning his shoulder -
Balancing a weapon of mass destruction
suspended in mid-air just for a fraction,
Explosive pop maybe a real shot
our faces suddenly burning hot – Unknown
nuclear sensation eating our skin causing
instant inflamation lack of information,
Realisation this is no ordinary situation -
Momentarily blinded shocked dumbfounded
surrounded by a battlefield grey cloud – The
piercing shouts our forced revolutionary
freedom shroud – Cape Town city a foreign
unfamiliar beauty reserved for whites
what's it all about ?
Teachers guiding many of us whining others
seperated hastily gated treated with facial
oily treatment – Confusion delusion despair
nothing quite clear, each to their own
increasing military drone – The playfield now
a hazy killing zone
caught up in the aftermath, forced daily
mass meetings preaching current racist
autocratic apartheid teachings – Still
confused our gaze rather obtuse so much
to lose, we really had no clue who is who
what to do ?
The school knell once again announces
the remaining few to return home our
mothers testifying to a choking teargas dome
yet they do not want us home – Daily police
school raiding squads order those present about
unable to return home sprayed with identifying
colour foam – This is no fun fair our racial
incarceration unfair, another shooting victim
laid bare illuminating our cadaver stare.
Generational despair blinding global media
glare – PW Botha in the misguided driving seat
unleashing his minions onto a teenage killing
field – Religious leaders insist we kindly resist
the urge for revengeful abyss, to atempt
ultimately defend our right to an educational
first year end – Torn between generational scorn
a hopeful liberated dawn,
Exams written under ironic military protection
the pen now our liberating weapon – sudden
splintered glass classroom filled with scornful
brick missiles our peers increasing our fears.
Now thirteen our lives warped like a living corpse
devoid from personal emotion angry contortion
split devotion twisted religious notions – Brief
revolutionary relief, subsequent educational
consequence our future of increasing significance,
The news still showing shocking
township necklase murders but not missing
freedom fighting fathers, enemies of the ruling
state cadavers – Mismatched political lovers.
Another decade of revolution
our educational gap
no illusion – An era of frustration
who will save our broken nation ?
References ofr Belhar High 1985
Sharpeville
1960 massacre after 5000 black township residents marched to the local police station to protest against the apartheid regime's 'pass laws' which forced black South Africans to carry at all times a pass book to identify them as 'black' and which was to be their ticket to crossing internal provincial and city borders as well as a document to get employment. 69 people were shot by police.
Coloured
According to South African racial laws, this term was given to those of 'mixed race heritage' and along with black africans and whites, had a unique Identity Document number to identify them as such.
Casspir
A military combat vehicle manufactured and used in the South African army and police originally to detect mines in war zones but increasingly used during the student uprisings between 1976 and 1992 to stop the revolution.
P.W Botha
Leader of South Africa from 1978 - 1989 He ruled under apartheid and fiercely tried to prevent any uprisings against the racist government.
Necklace murders
A 'black' township street justice execution of 'political' enemies within their own communities during daylight executions in townships mostly in the north of the country during the 1980's political uprisings, by burning a petrol douced tyre around the necks of 'accused' traitors to the 'people'. A practice widely abhorred and shunned by the rest of society, no matter which racial group, even by their own political leaders.
~Don Beukes
