SILENT VOICES SPEAK THE LOUDEST

This year De Aar High School launched a brand-new competition called the Eaglet Poetry Competition. The aim of the competition was to empower students to write poetry and express themselves in ways that they are not otherwise able to. One of the prizes of this competition is the publication of the poem in the school newspaper as well as in the Echo. The end goal is to accumulate enough poems to eventually compile an anthology based on DAHS learners’ poems.

These are the top three places after the judging:

1st: Veronica Matekwe, “The Unknowing Child”

2nd: Mac-Kayla Kriel, “Will I ever?”

3rd: Angelina Kahugu, “Stolen by the sky and chased by my eyes”

We thank every learner who participated in the competition, and we hope to have more entries next year.

The Unknowing Child by

The bestial womb unfolds and reveals an infant to the frigid air of its enclosure

Only sounds are absorbed through tiny flaps, now ears

Textures of a tongue settle and lick upon the secretions brought into a new realm

Pupils enclosed in soft lids for the eyes, blind to possible fears

-

Like a sprout erected from soil the beast grows tall

Awaiting it’s soon assigned call

The time passes, almost instant

Capable of survival now, no longer an infant

-

Sent away,

For life dedicated to a small unknowing child

The hands of earth still supporting her, so mild

Sounds of laughter and jolly fill the space as they intertwine

-

The unknowing child now routinely departs their jolly domicile

As the assigned beast awaits every arrival

Upon the start, plenty was expected as she had left for a while

The loyal beast, back to survival

-

Endlessly the clock ticks, hoping for rest

The gentle beast lays in her nest

Like droplets fall a warm liquid, familiarity sweeps through

Enclosed with warmth, a reminder of a mother she once knew

-

The brush-like texture’s felt once more

A Fraile body lies on the floor

Memories that haunt, a spirit that's sore

No longer strong like once before

-

The gentle sound of the clock ceases,

As the knowing child arises

Only now, realized is the yearning for that gentle sound

And in her tears, a sorrow is unwound

By Veronika Matekwe  

Will I ever?

Will I ever be able to see you again?

Be able to see that smile,

to see you brighten up a room.

Even if it’s just for a while.

-

Will I ever be able to see you again?

Be able to see those eyes shine,

brighter than any star in the sky.

To see them twinkle as they meet mine.

-

Will I ever be able to see you again?

Not just in the photo’s still left,

hanging on the walls.

Not leaving me broken in this empty home.

-

Not leaving me to wonder,

“Will I ever be able to see you again?”

By Mac-Kayla Kriel

Stolen by the sky and chased by my eyes

The clouds are the kidnappers of my brain,

-

A window the entrance to their sneaky game.

As they run away in the sky,

My eyes try way behind to follow them and bring back my mind,

But my brain does not complain

And doesn’t put up a fight.

-

My eyes check far and wide,

And when they caught up to the cloud and my brain,

They had to take a few steps back to fetch their breath.

As they did, they also saw the adventures they went through,

Trying to get them, being against them,

But actually joining their crew.

-

My eyes could not believe

The crazy movie scenes they had seen and went through.

My eyes joined the cloud and my mind

In their lack of care and dangerous dares.

But all of a sudden, they hear their name,

Leaving the cloud, the eyes shamed

That wanted to join but missed its chances to participate.

-

They got the questions that never stop coming their way:

"Hey,what were you thinking about?"

Without a doubt, a yawn and a sigh,

I replied, "Nothing."

Ha, what an obvious lie.

by Angelinah Kahugu