By Colette Mbariko
On the desolate nights I lie awake drowning within my solitude.
The loneliness creeps in through the back door,
Yet despite the endless tears and ugly whispers hidden beneath the dark,
The starry night beams humbly amongst the infinite.
It is my sole companion, the light at the end of my tunnel,
So I push on.
When the blue sky hides behind grey,
and the rain holds no mercy,
I picture yellow in the back of my mind.
Mother always said: 'after the rain, the sun will shine,'
and on my nearest horizon the bright warmth awaits
me with a tender embrace after the storm.
So I push on.
The times are trying,
The days grow colder,
and life spits in the face of those who seek to triumph.
But amidst this heartache and pain I harbour in my soul,
A resilient flame resides.
So I push on.
I push on.
About Colette Mbariko:
Since the age of twelve, nineteen year-old, Colette Mbariko (pen name: C.J.M), has always loved poetry. She often finds herself writing about anything her mind can think of, but more recently she has found interest in writing about existential topics and her experiences as a black woman. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, but currently resides in Toronto, Ontario, where she is a second-year Psychology student.