The lioness pants as it completes its kill
While the gazelle mourns its kid.
The panther slumbers as it awaits its next meal
While the antelope fears for its kin.
And yet all is at peace for who worries about me still?
If the moon didn’t have the sun
And the land didn’t have the sea,
If the day didn’t have the night
And the mountains didn’t have the valleys
Then I wouldn’t cry for my long-lost rib.
Volcanoes erupt in their anger,
Clouds weep in their sorrow,
Rivers flood in their might,
And oceans storm in their vengeance.
Yet, what do I have to do for my heart to stay away still?
The sun asked the moon why the night was dark
And yet shone so bright, smiling up in the clouds.
The moon said, “Thy light through me chases the darkest shadows away, thy love shines and lights the dark.”
And yet my journey lacks both sun and moon; eternal darkness covers me still
Even the Earth has nothing to worry about–
When the ground is dry, clouds melt for it
When the forests are parched, rivers quench their thirst.
When the herds are hungry, the flora feeds them–
But where am I to look when all I see are deserts and barren fields?
Yet I encounter a soft reminder from the creator
That even the blackest night has a breaking dawn
And the bleakest winter gives way to spring.
So too will I one day live my dream.
About the Contributor
Habinshuti Franklin is a Rwandan-born poet. Growing up, he developed a love for fiction, finding lifelong companions in books such as Harry Potter. His passion for both fiction and non-fiction nurtured his creative thinking and inspired him to begin his writing journey.
