Picture Perfect Poem by Sandile mngadi.

Picture Perfect

I had visions of having a home with you
I had a mission to make you my wife
I collected all feelings I could find in my body
Combined them into something called love
Directed my attention into making you happy
Folded any thought of harm away
Vision, picture, timeframe selected
Voice, words, trust commanded
Looked you in your eyes and expressed my desire
Shared my vision, motions
Painted to you a perfect act of us
Married you before going to an aisle
Pictured perfect kids
Me, you holding hands in our garden
Blowing kisses in the morning
Writing you letters “I will see you later, your lunch box is in the fridge” I love you have a blessed day

Vision crashed
Mission abounded due to differences
That picture portrait teared into pieces
Note written says “I am tired of complains and mistrust”
Picture frame with one photo of me alone
Voice, words expressed stating negative comment
Garden, all flowers dead
Water dry, no love but complication
The wedding ring cracked and unfixable
The church members decided to hold prayer for split
God closed his ears for prayer “it was just too much”
Dream tried and never came true
Picture painted but never made it to the shops to be sold
Love felt but hated for what it brought
I loved her truth be told
I hated myself for having picture perfect before taking it
That beauty felt but not seen
I now write to myself and say “God has my partner somewhere, he is still preparing her”


Umhlaziyi Ozimele
Sandile Mngadi