My brother

I wrote this in memory of the 2008 Xenaphobic attack victims and their families

My brother

 

You stepped into my world, my brother

gently, unobtrusively

Your only intention

to add colour to your

forsaken existence

But I would not let you.

You looked no different than me

The same living blood

through your being

The same breath danced in your dwelling

The same Creator

dreamt us up one night.

All you wanted was

to live and to

live fully

But I would not let you.

I looked past our resemblance

I looked past

the shared concept of our creation

My hate, my ignorance

blinded me

made me forget that

you are my brother.

I felt ill-treated, betrayed

Believed that you

were causing me one less breath

So my hands took away

your children’s father;

cowardly, I took it upon myself

to end your blameless existence

Forgetting

that you are my brother.