The thin glistening needle threads
back and forth,
back and forth.
As the black thread slowly tangles in a knot

It twists and turns through each circle,
creating a lump in the center,
stoping the artist in their track,
forcing them to ponder on the black thread.

Should they continue?
Or should they stop,
cut the string and restart,
unwind new thread,
And strain their eyes again?

He doesn't love me
He pretends to smile
He probably could
It's just been a while

It's bittersweet
The way you don't care
You left so soon
Were you ever even there?

As time passes on
Memories do too
You'll forget about me
I'll forget about you

I'm moving on
You're no longer mine
As much as it hurts
I'll love again...

Just one more time...

A simple solution
To all the world’s problems-
Have you tried turning it
Off and on again?

I reveal to you
The scars I've always tried to conceal from you
I make a deal with you
That if you break me I promise I won't heal from you

I barely showed you the cracks in my heart and you said you'd help me when I fall apart but words are just that they are empty and cold and you left me behind which is just what I told you would happen. Again and again and again.

You found the parts of me that were still tender, caressing my wounds to make me feel better, then dug a knife into my exposed skin proving to me you're exactly like him. Again and again and again.

With the steel blade you carved out my heart, I'm left again hollow like I was at the start, but it's my fault for letting you in, yes it's my bad you showed me you'd win. Again and again and again.

Maybe one day when my body grows numb I'll meet someone who sees everything I've become and loves every part of me, broken pieces and all, someone who'll hold me when I seem to fall. Again and again and again.

I conceal from you
The scars I've always tried to reveal to you
I break a deal with you
That if you love me I promise I won't heal from you

to my sisters and brothers
fighting for our freedom
may your hearts settle
like the leaves past the summit
of a windy day
lay on the floor with your tears and your trauma
deep breaths
your mind needs the moment to emit the karma

your pain will be dealt towards the responsible
you must let it leave at your heaviest
release all the tension from days and
weeks and
months of constant worry
and sorrow
of tomorrow’s you will never ask for

let your mind, body and soul
settle
like we have been
forced to do as a people
for generations
this will work in your favor,
so you’ll be ready to
demand your freedom again
mind you, this is daily
you go through cycles and processes for your life
your sisters and brothers lives
your familial successors lives
so regenerate
nobody’s drained like you
we’re deep in the storm, so
these cycles will be worth it
so we will end up seeing skies of blue

to my sisters and brothers
i’m here fighting
i’m here with you
for you
strongest spirits on this earth,
incomparable
so, as this day ends, i must ask of you:
settle yourself
for tomorrow is brand new
(with the same cycle...
but you know what i’m
trying to tell you)

- negassie

passion and turmoil
circle around me like it’s
ring around the rosie
the former acting as a
tributary to the latter
swellings of emotion are
very scant in positivity
leading to bodies of time where
nothing really matters

cross tucked to my chest
holy reverence past my life
moving to the next
blessed yet cursed
this passion works in ways that
hurt my soul
haunted heart
i’ve seen this from the start
my fire can envelop me whole

the light’s shone in my eyes
my light is salvageable
the rather daunting sky
can be quite malleable
with a heart of steel
and a mind that’s palpable

yet a mind of such strength
can hold tears that
you have yet to cry
demoralization that leads to a sigh
passion and turmoil work
hand-in-hand
so we pray that time flies
so we can hide until we’ve
weathered the strife
make my eulogy brief
please mention my
emblazoned spirit
as well as my fight to feel free
sifting through
heartache and misery
passion and turmoil has
drained all of my energy

- negassie

my soul has achieved *******
against its sacred enemy
trembling in the face of pain
but then i turn towards my world
and appear sane
emotions told plain
rain or shine
i’ll know that God’s time
is my time

impact of the
feeling of hurt
is sublime
at war with “protectors”
being black’s the crime
added torture from the
sorrow of injustice
took a toll on me
“free” and me can’t mix
i’ve known that since time

at a crossroads between
time and the end of it
angels drowned by demons
i know the David in this situation
lose your hope to Goliath?
you’ll see his triumph
God’s warriors never give
no matter how much we may try
i know time works on His accord
my prayer feels
drained and droning
i’m leaning on myself
but all we have is that
ourselves
so what am i to cry for

- negassie