Perceptions
AFRICAN SILENCE
I see a colour stone
Salt placed on an open wound
Reject, I always feel
Stale bread on rusty steel
I’ve seen a lot that’s changed
Point Blank, it’s an African Silence
Deep inside I remain the same, hoping,
Still it’s an African Silence
Stranger joins the TV scene
His crew films our typical violence
In the need to capture a film or two
He will always be involved in African Silence
Talk to my people,
We’re in the need for something new
We were placed in an order
And the list from which we may choose
Is in the corner of our mind
I notice there’s a swelling
And I hope it’s never mine
Drums without an echo
Bring the stranger to my ears
Will he give a production
Forgive him if he’s filming
The artist on a bench
Hidden to expose
There’s a painting of a tree
I see a colour stone
Salt placed on an open wound
Reject, I always feel
Stale bread on rusty steel
HALF FULL
Standing in the rain as the sun shines on me
Face towards the stars while my spirit soars free
Music in my soul playing continuously
She’s wrapped in my arms smiling so peacefully.
All the world has pain that just won’t go away
“Trouble everywhere,” is all that people say
Is there any point to living one more day?
Seems all the world has forgotten how to pray.
Focus on the good that is living in you
Cast aside deceit and hold onto what’s true
Your life is built on what you think, say and do
Even when it rains the sun is shining too.
PINNACLE
We will wash our hands
We will talk
We will thank ourselves
For how far we’ve gone
We have climbed
We have bled
We have dreamed up new things
To come
We will taste
We have arrived
We’ll postpone good things
For another day
We have sung
We have cried
We will wait here patiently
Until we die
What do we know?
I see where you’re coming from
It’s a mess, I know
Will they question you?
TRAFFIC LIGHT BLUES
Are you wrapped up in your pain
Feel your whole life is in vain
Quench your thirst with Coke and Cane
Or maybe a little Acid rain
Now taste this Herbal cuisine
And meet our white Heroine
She’ll turn your life into a dream
Right before she makes you scream
I want to hold you and comfort you, Traffic Light
You are only trying to do what’s Fair and Right
(It’s only right)
I’m in Ecstasy, ‘cos Ecstasy is in me
I feel so happy, wish this was reality
All about me the whole world is rushing about
Sights and sounds engulf me, I think I’m freaking out
I want to hold you and comfort you, Traffic Light
You are only trying to do what’s Fair and Right
Everyone wants to go, from the Left and the Right
Mad at you for keeping them waiting, poor Traffic Light
So I want to hold you and comfort you, Traffic Light
You are saving thousands of lives every day and night
(It’s only right)
Feel you’re in a movie scene
With filtered lights of pink and green
Nothing’s real, not what it seems
Come speak with Alice’s queens
Broken thoughts from sizzled brain
Losing yourself once again
If you’re trying to ease your pain
It doesn’t help to go insane.
BLACK PLAGUE
Black plague you make me lonely
Burn my village, then disown me
Dissolving faith, rat infested street
They eat rubbish and human feet
Black Death, you smile above me
Those bony hands, I understand
Waiting, waiting, first your lungs betray you
Too many deaths, you do demand
A burning constitution
With a diseased revolution
Nowhere to go, but I can’t leave home
A burning constitution
With a diseased revolution
Nowhere to go, but I can’t leave home
Black Plague you’ve poisoned the water
Dare not drink it, please leave my daughter
So young, has no redeeming
Above me I see Death is scheming
Black Plague you make me lonely
Burn my village, then disown me
Dissolving faith, rat infested street
They eat rubbish and human feet
Is this revelation
Or nature’s frustration
and it is spreading
This world is ending
I’m not superstitious
Nor is this fictitious
Rooted upon a feeling
This gruesome killing
SHELL HOUSE INCIDENT ’94
Shot down, Heads down
Everybody’s dead while they’re walking in the street now
You don’t know the reason why
Blades in, chest in
You see the blood just running out your skin now
Do you feel the curse to die?
Zulu’s on his feet, starts melting in the heat
As the picture swells, oh God can we call a line?
Do you have a number we can dial?
I tried to help you
I cannot go that way
I tried to free you
I tried to stop you
I couldn’t stand
There’s no reason why
Hot lead, he’s dead
See young bodies piling up the street now
Does the media have the right to lie?
“Pull out!” boys shout
Blistered feet carrying sin, “Evacuate”
In the end, could we explain?
AK in hand, oh this terrorised land
Not to fit the grip, the realms of reality
Subject’s ignored, for goodness sake.
I tried to help you
I cannot go that way
I tried to free you
I tried to stop you
I couldn’t stand
There’s no reason why
I tried to help you
I cannot go that way
I tried to free you
I cannot go that way
There’s no reason why.
CAPTIVE
When I close my eyes and dream, you’re there
I drown in the whirlpool of your stare
When I see your face I feel alone
Knowing that your heart is made of stone
When I think I’m by myself, you’re there
Keeping my thoughts captive with your stare
When I see your face I feel alone
And my heart slowly transforms to stone
Please leave me
Release me
Leave today
Please go away
Go away, don’t stay, just leave today.
MY FRIEND
Here I sit alone
Crying on my own, again
Then you suddenly
Are here to comfort me, my friend
And in you I find friendship so pure and true
All the world and more could never replace you
When my times are bad
When I’m feeling sad, again
You reach out to me
Touch me healingly, my friend
Deep concern is in all that you say and do
All the universe could never replace you.
WHY
Why did I even try?
Why did I ever cry?
Got to close, exposed myself
Burnt my thumb, now there’s no-one else
Why did I feel the pain?
Why did I let her stain?
Skin is cold, her reptile eyes
Emotionless, my demise
Your hollow promises, why?
Your wracking painful words, why?
If there stood my grave, would you ask why
Lies the painfilled child with shallow eyes.
SAIL THE SUN
Sail the sun across the ocean
They made it with seal wax
And Griffin flight feathers
Stepped towards the ancient cliff
And said, “My, it’s fine Greek weather.”
Sail the sun across the ocean
They lifted like gods of flight
Spread their arms like eagle wings
Father said to son, “Don’t fly too high.”
But above him the sun still sings
Sail the sun across the ocean
Soaring pride, below ocean’s tide
Icarus touched the sweet heavens
Scorching Sun holds the youthful one
Melts his wings and begins the dreaded glide.
Below the sun, under the ocean.