The Exchange is the Weekly’s poetry corner, where a poem or piece of writing is presented with a prompt. Readers are welcome to respond to the prompt with original poems, and pieces may be featured in the next issue of the Weekly.
Sunny with a chance of love in the 21st century by Samuel Amegatse
Perhaps you don’t have to hold the world for her today.
Nor possess the most silver and gold.
Perhaps there is no dragon to slay.
No coat to throw over a puddle.
Perhaps you have a name.
Which she only desires to share
Perhaps her heart was always with you.
You just never imagined it could be there.
Precisely Speaking,
Attaining true love may be up to you
Peeling away your past pain
To embrace appreciation in front of you,
Not to cast it away.
Diamonds and determination by Samuel Amegatse
I mined for a renewed mind deep within the dirt.
The goal is to find gold
I chose to ignore my bloody blistered hands first.
Securing, relentless drive to dig deep
When tasks harder than diamonds arise
I dream about my future peace of mind
Finding a heart of gold within myself
The precipice of reaching the top
The pinnacle of who I am.
Lies in the process of pain.
Persistence under the sun peels away inhibitions.
Igniting your flame within the night to light the way.
Prompt:
“Write about a moment when you realized that something you were searching for, like love, peace, or purpose, was already within reach.”
This could be a poem, journal entry, or a stream-of-consciousness piece. Submissions could be new or formerly written pieces.
Submissions can be sent to bit.ly/ssw-exchange or via email to chima.ikoro@southsideweekly.com