Marijke van Staden Poems

A smile on my face
That’s all you can see
What of the tears I keep from you?
Countless nights I’ve fallen asleep crying
...

Why smile when it’s easier to cry?
Resonating silence in reply
Why laugh when I feel like screaming?
Impossible to douse this yearning
...

Slow breathing
Heartbeat tame
Blood trickling
From my arm
...

Lend me wings
Lend me life
Let me sing
as I die
...