The Old Man's Talk

 The old man spoke slowly, 

and deliberately, 

a penetrating gazed fixed one me, 

He said "you are not depressed, 

it is a white man's word, 

an excuse of sorts, 

to create psychiatrists, and counsellors

perhaps sell drugs for Big Pharma

You are sad that you are meeting that objective, 

You are not depressed, 

You are just broke

and with a huge void of discontent inside you

you wish you could be somewhere else, 

living another life."  

you've watched too much TV, 

you've consciously let yourself to your ruin, 

you've realized your ruins 

and it is unsightly - you want a quick fix, 

a lottery - 

young man, you do not need a lottery, 

even if you get one, it won't rescue you"

Of Heaven and Earthly Bills

Once heaven looked like a good destination, 

one that you would only see when you permanently 

close your eyes, 

and a heap of soil stacked over you - of course if you are 

lucky

We believed, because we needed to believe in something, 

We needed to believe something that assures as a shred of immortality 

Who wouldn't to live forever? 

 

On Sundays, when going to church was part of the school routine 

Just like eating, we trooped to church and sung 

Our little hearts incredibly joyous 

For it was the only time you would be singled out for a beating,

at least no then, 

 Heaven was within our grasp 

Years later, we realize that no one tells you 

that you have to pay bills as you wait to go to heaven, 

and the wait is pretty darn long 

The Guy In Uniform

 He smelled of a cocktail of frustrations 

and bad decisions, 

He mulled for hours, 

He wanted to give up once and for all 

Yet he couldn't, 

because breathing is an involuntary act

and he had all his guts drained out of him. 

He rolls over in his bed, 

and waits for another day, 

to make bad decisions

The Dancer

 she's an agile dancer, 

gyrating on the edge of the world, 

she has nothing to lose, 

except leave many men with loose change, 

and with broken dreams

she carries graves inside her belly 

she's lived it all 

she's seen it all, 

and she's not reluctant to tell 

because, of many things, 

she lost her ability to care or show 

remorse.