Never Lie

by Peter Madoda Bungane

 

He fell because of pride,
She fell because of vanity,
They both fell into a crimson tide,
Cat out by lightening,
Cast into the deep ocean waters,
Their curse was their undoing,
Never lie, steal or cheat.

If you must lie, lie in,
The arms of the one you love,
If must cheat, cheat death,
If you must steal, steal the,
Precious moments of your life,
We both know the penalty,
For telling a lie – banishment.

You will banished for eternity,
Never to see the light again,
Surrounded by dark images and fiery furnaces,
Sounds of screams and gnashing,
Grinding of teeth and curses,
More curses, more excruciating pain.

I should have listened, oh my,
I should have listened, oh my,
I was going to have survived,
I wasn’t going to end up here,
Oh my!! Oh golly!! Oh whoosh!!
I should never have told a lie.

 

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Poet  Peter  Madoda  Bungane was  born  in  1977  in  Kitwe,  Zambia, a country  in  south  central  Africa.  He  began  writing  poetry  and  short  stories  whilst  he  was  at  secondary  school  in  the  mid  1990’s.  He  draws  his writing  inspiration  from  everyday  experiences  and  blends  these  with folklore  passed  down  from  his  granfather  a  village  headman  in Lufunsa.

His  work  is  reflective  of  the  African  spirit  longing  for  economic  emancipation and  yearning  for a  chance  to  have  peace. The  voices  in  between  the  lines  are echoing  the cry  of  millions  of  Africans  in  diaspora.

 

Art by Sheila Lanham

 

 

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