A Man's Got To Have a Code (Poem)

𝗔 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲

(𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧-𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚)

𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐!

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝙸 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗

𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚎 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐?

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝙸 𝚋𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗

𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐?

𝙼𝚛 𝚖𝚊𝚗, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍

𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔,

𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚙𝚞𝚝

𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚔𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚎!

𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐’𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔

- 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗'𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚍𝚎!

𝚄𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚍𝚎

𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎,

𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚊𝚠 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝,

𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚒𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝

𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚋𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜

- 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗'𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚍𝚎!

𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚘𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚎,

𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚙 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎

𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝’𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎!

𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚍,

𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞!

𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜

𝚍𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗

- 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗'𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚍𝚎!

© 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝘄𝘆𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄

Taxi Queen (Poetry)

𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗶 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻

𝗃𝗒 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗄𝗅𝖾𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀

𝗆𝖺𝖺𝗋 𝗇𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗑𝗂 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀

𝗃𝗒’𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗈𝗂𝗍 𝗅𝖺𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗋 ‘𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝖾𝖾-𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾

𝖾𝗇 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗄 𝗇á 𝗌𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗅 𝗄𝗈𝗆 𝗁𝖺𝖺𝗅

𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗃𝗒’𝗌 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾 𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾

𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝖺𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗌𝗂𝖺𝖺𝗅

𝗆𝖺𝖺𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗀𝖾𝖾𝗍

𝗈𝗆 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀-𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝖾 𝗏𝖺𝗍

𝗇𝗈𝗎’𝗌 𝗃𝗒 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗀𝗀𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗄𝗐𝖺𝖺𝖽

𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝗁𝗎𝗅 𝗏𝖺𝗅𝗎𝖾 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝖾𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽

𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝗇 𝗀𝗎𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗃𝗂𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗉 𝗃𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝗈𝗆𝖽𝖺𝗍 𝗃𝗒 𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗂𝗀 𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗍

“𝗀𝗈𝗎, 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖾, 𝗃𝗎𝗆𝗉 𝗎𝗂𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗑𝗂

𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗄𝖺𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝗍 𝗇𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉 𝗇𝗂𝖾

𝗃𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇 𝗇𝗂𝖾 𝗁𝗂𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗒𝗌 𝗇𝗂𝖾”

© 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝘄𝘆𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄

This Much I Know: About Racism (R.I.P. George Floyd)

This much I know about racism:

I was a teenager during the apartheid uprisings. I’ve witnessed my people being pushed to the edge. Now, I don’t pretend to be perfect, or say everything perfectly. However, if seeing people looting shops and burning buildings upset you more than a white cop killing a black man, then you’re not part of the solution; you're part of the problem. Protesting doesn’t damage the cause because I was part of the school boycotts in the 1980s, and we beat the monster called apartheid. Listen, institutional racism is very much alive in the workplace, sport, entertainment and politics. I do however agree with Barack Obama that “if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both.” First, let’s raise awareness, then vote with our conscience. Like Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living”.

knee to the neck – Bevan Boggenpoel

(in memory of George Floyd) 

he used his knee to his neck

holding George down

while his lacklustre colleagues

stood dutifully by

watching a black man 

pleading to be released

but they couldn't care less 

he’s now deceased

they killed a man 

as if he’s a slave 

sending him 

to an early grave 

he begged and pleaded 

“I can’t breathe”

but the racist persisted 

while he only saw their feet

when they're supposed to

serve and protect

they'd rather kill

with utter neglect

black lives matter 

that's a fact

but police brutality

is the violent act

justice for George

must be served 

a life behind bars

is what they deserve 

cities in unity

gather around

as another black man 

goes underground 

for too long 

this has been going on

no longer must black civilians

be trampled upon

by careless officers 

and just get away

thinking they can just

shoot and slay

thunder roars

as voices demand 

justice for George 

a man unarmed! 

©️ 05/06/2020 Bevan Boggenpoel

Lockdown Journal - Day 28

My Lockdown Journal 2020 – Thursday, Day 28:

I love songs and poetry about the moon. Unfortunately, the novel coronavirus took centre stage when a supermoon beamed beautifully at us a few weeks ago. The moon has been at the centre of controversy when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong set foot on it in 1969. Many people thought that moon landing was fake. One thing that I know for sure is that the moon is made of cheese. There are thousands of conspiracy theories about it on the internet. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a conspiracy theory is, “a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators.”

Over the past couple weeks, the strangeness of this lockdown life has seeped into every nook and cranny of our daily lives, exposing, among other things, the conspiracy theories. Social media has made it possible for people to say whatever they like and think. It’s a conspiracy theorist’s heaven. There are countless conspiracy theories flying around about the novel coronavirus. One popular conspiracy theory is that COVID-19 is a bioweapon created in a lab in China. I guess people begin to believe these theories, especially when professionals in the field make those claims.

COVID-19 has created a perfect storm for conspiracy theorists. I've observed on social media platforms just how much South Africans love conspiracy theories. Okay, some of it is humour, but the rest are serious claims. We all feel vulnerable because this pandemic and the effects of it on our daily lives are almost depressing. This could also be a reason why spreading conspiracy theories gives some people more of a feeling of control. It should stop because it’s a false sense of control. It causes more harm than anything during this trying time.

Claims that the government is using the lockdown restrictions to control its citizens is dangerous and laughable. The aim of these allegations is to ultimately force the government to lift the lockdown. Fighting a deadly virus like COVID-19 is not that simple. It is unrealistic to expect a normal life to return after the lockdown has been lifted even partially. Throughout the world, people are coming together to do what they can to fight the pandemic that has changed life as we know it. Let us fight this common enemy together by staying home.

The impact of COVID-19 on our psyche is severe. During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. The number of cases reported since the beginning of the lockdown is scary. The right thing to do is to help someone who needs our help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.

#StayAtHome
#SaferTogether
#SocialDistancing
#LockdownJournal
#LockdownSouthAfrica
#COVID19

Lockdown Journal - Day 27

My Lockdown Journal 2020 – Wednesday, Day 27:

The country’s poorest of the poor are experiencing extreme hardship under the extended lockdown. This is not unique to South Africa because hundreds of third world countries around the world are going through the same hardships if not worse. We are all in this together.

Last night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a massive, R500-billion package aimed at loosening the grip that COVID-19 has on the economy. It is unprecedented, historic and unexpected. He announced that unemployed people, not in receipt of money from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, or a grant, will get R350 per month for 6 months. Grant beneficiaries are to receive an extra R250 a month for the next 3 months. He announced several other aid packages during the live broadcast.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given couch potatoes and keyboard protestors an opportunity to hurl criticism at our president with statements like, “not enough” and “stop the lockdown”. It seems to me that they refuse to take accountability because they expect the government to do its job of protecting its citizens. To lift the lockdown restrictions now would increase the transmission of the coronavirus dramatically.

The impact of COVID-19 on our psyche is severe. During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. The number of cases reported since the beginning of the lockdown is really scary. There is no excuse for abuse during or after lockdown. The bravest thing you and I can do is to help someone who needs help or is asking for help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.

#StayAtHome
#SaferTogether
#SocialDistancing
#LockdownJournal
#LockdownSouthAfrica
#COVID19

Lockdown Journal - Day 21

My Lockdown Journal 2020 – Thursday, Day 21:

More than two million cases of the new coronavirus have been officially registered around the world. The world as we know it has been tipped on its head. It feels as if we are literally caught up in a sci-fi movie. People around the world are “locked” in their homes in order to escape an invisible “monster” namely, COVID-19. Indeed, interesting times.

It would seem from new data that President Ramaphosa has implemented the lockdown in time to curb the spread of the coronavirus. I've heard that information about whether the lockdown has worked, will only be available in a week’s time. Let’s keep on praying for good news. It looks like the Democratic Republic of Conga is not only grappling with the COVID-19 but new cases of the Ebola virus. Let’s keep them in our prayers.

I’ve found some interesting information about the spreading of fake news during COVID-19 on Medium, an internet magazine. The article says, “Just like a virus, misinformation spreads by human contact. Viruses spread through physical contact while information spreads through a different type of contact, one that is immune to social distancing." But while messaging platforms make spreading fake news easier, the internet is but a tool for disseminating a human concoction. This could be why misinformation is so much more contagious than accurate information.

The answer is obvious: “Viruses need hosts so they can replicate and spread. This is also true for information. In this case, we are the growth medium: We feed the sources by reposting or retweeting something we’ve seen or read.” Think before you spread information.

Please ‘spread’ the following information: During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. There is no excuse for abuse during or after lockdown. The bravest thing you and I can do is to help someone who needs help or is asking for help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.

#LockdownJournal
#LockdownSouthAfrica
#CoronaVirus

Lockdown Journal - Day 19

My Lockdown Journal 2020 – Tuesday, Day 19:

Nowadays thousands of South Africans leave their homes to deliver essential services to millions in lockdown. Armed with hand sanitisers, gloves, masks, and wet wipes, they leave their families behind to defend a nation against an invisible enemy.

Unfortunately, there is a visible enemy left behind at home called, abuse. During the lockdown, many South Africans (women, men and children) are stuck at home with their abusers. According to the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre, more than 2 300 gender-based violence complaints were registered in the first five days of lockdown. One can only imagine how high the figures are by now.

I pray that the abusers acknowledge the trauma they are putting their loved ones through. I pray that they learn to detest their own behaviour and come to true repentance. I pray that God keep us all safe in our relationships. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

#LockdownJournal
#COVID19SouthAfrica
#LockdownSA