How Long? - Visitor's Poem

by Chris Mokgehle
(Midrand, South Africa)

How long have you been crying, complaining and whining?
Does it reward you, or make you feel better?
You just can’t stop blaming situations and people, can you?
You are trying to persuade yourself that
you are bewitched and cursed.
Do you honestly think everything will just come running to you
Because you don’t have parents?
Because you are not tall enough?
Because you are not thin enough?
Because your family is financially poor?
Because you live with disability?
Because you are from an isolated village with
no adequate services and resources?
So what?
How long do you have to suffer?
Don’t you think it’s about time you stop feeling sorry for yourself?
If your life is such a mess, as you believe,
what are you doing to change it?
Have you looked out there and see how kids spend countless nights and days without having something to eat?
Some people don’t even have the opportunity
to go to primary educational instituition.
How long are you going to feed your brain with negative thoughts?
Of course nobody said it will be easy, but it is not impossible.
Today is not the right time to change your life,
the time to change is now.
Remember, alcohol and drugs are not
and will never be the solution.
Get that beautiful head of yours as much
knowledge and information as possible.
Take it one step at a time, and soon
you will be looking down smiling.
Most of all, never forget to include our creator, god.