The darkness is rising, Our hopes are fading, But can you imagine, How our minds are still working, Like heavenly bodies
Charles Lipanda Matenga, a young poet and writer, who was born in DR Congo, raised orphan and spent life in a refugee camp, shares his poetry.
Charles Lipanda Matenga, was born and raised orphan at Rwenena Village, Uvira, Sud-Kivu, DR Congo in 2005. Charles Lipanda Mahigwe is President of African Youth Artistic Poetry-AYAP.
THE DARKNESS RISES
Who shall remain
When the darkness is rising?
Day and night struggling
Healing uncured diseases and pandemics
Shall we bring salvation through our unspoken words via mics?
The darkness is rising
Our hopes are fading
But can you imagine
How our minds are still working
Like heavenly bodies
Waiting for the new born to bring light
We believe in him
As children spending a day without being fed
And yet they don’t lose hope
Expecting their father will only bring something to eat
Welcome Jesus in our lives
For he shall move freely in our souls
Let him reign the eternal kingdom
For he will bring happiness where sorrow is established
Let him walk into out paths
For there will no more differences
Between right and left
This is Emanuel
God with us
The day which no more darkness shall rise
But only descend between oceanic crust and continental plate
Merry Christmas
***
THE GLOWING GOLD
As a fourth grade student
I knew nothing about love
But I could feel something in my heart
As she came inside
Thinking that that feeling was just temporarily
She was the glowing gold
With a fine and soft skin
The one which no boy would dare to touch and hold
Her beauty was incomparable
For her eyes shined more than sun
Her fingers tapping a six stringed guitar
Producing angelic voice
Her smile could hide her pain
Even when she was hurt
Looking at her was all I could do
She was my copybook
The one I’d easily memorize
And not even forget a single page
When asked to describe her
She was the ink of my pen
For I’d not even write a test when she’s not around
If I were a singer
I’d write her a lyrics
Composed of frozen words
That would melt down like waxy
When she said that she was taken
If I were an artist
I’d sculpture her with bronze
Standing millions of feet more than that of Babel
But it would fall down in a second
When she rejected me
***
IF WORDS WERE KEYS
If writings and words were keys
I’d have opened thousands of dreams
And bring them alive
Like air swirling in the space, my life would be
If my thoughts were answers from God
I’d have filled my inner doubts with hopes
And shut them down
Like shining bronze, my life would be
If worries were flash floods
Fear, bad spirits and demons would have been washed away
And our bodies would remain temples of heaven angels
Like devout Christian, my life would be.
If heaven had had a door
I’d have visited my parents thrice an hour
And they never recognized me unless I told them
Like bipolar, my life would be
If school was a girl
I’d have married her before other people knew
That she can breathe,, speak and show the path of success and I’d apologize for being selfish more than millions of days
Like teaching, my life would be
If my mom and dad died when I was 17
I’d not have been struggling to death
I’d not have been going to school with an empty stomach
I’d not have been walking barefoot
I’d not have been wearing worn and torn clothes
And I’d know where there were engraved
Like worse misfortune, my life would be
If I die today, many unfulfilled dreams at my deathbed will tell that if I were alive, they would’ve been brought alive
And my soul would be complaining above the Lake Tanganyika
Like malleable, my life would be
Also read: Home is everywhere – Charles Lipanda Matenga
_______________
Prepared by 
