From My Mind's Eye (Daniel Felix Ayibontey)

BORN TO DIE What is the essence of birth? When it ends in death What’s the essence of breadth? After you leave earth What is the royalty of a maggot? In the beak of a wild parrot The most beautiful dance of a chick Never pleases a hungry hawk. I seek to know Where do we Go? When we lay down This blood and this bone I seek to know Where do we go? Who takes our soul? When we die and go Some say: We reincarnate. Some say: When we die, we wait. Some say: When we die, we’re gone. Some say: We still live for long. What a world we live in. What is worth believing? When the good keep leaving, And the bad keep living. In a day a man is born In a day a man is gone. A once joy of the morning; Turned a cause for mourning All men become equal When death makes its call All hopes, pride and swiftness Mold salutes to meekness. For heaven and earth bare witness That Hades knows no weakness. It is fearful ...

THE ADDICT'S CONFESSION ------------------------------- It started as an interest; I deemed it worthier than the rest. It then became a hobby; A hobby turned a habit. It seemed to be an addiction; Frequency increased by addition. What I did once or two times, I now do a hundred times. I felt good, I must say. I was good, so they say. I kept my grasp on the gullible And lorded over the vulnerable. They loved me and adored me, Though a few of them abhorred me. There may be tough days to endure But until then, I enjoyed. My enjoyments turned sour When I first saw An interest-like addiction Leading me to destruction. I was in self-made shackles; Afflicting myself without struggles. Menacing as if under a yoke Even though I took no oath. I cried and waited for help, Yet closed all doors to help. I fantasized in madness Without self-pity or kindness For myself; at least for me. For both victim and villain was me. I could have sought after cure But I chose to endure. I now lie beneath ...