Wearing dark fingerprints of a previous night
You wrap up the self you have to hide in the light.
Now the knot in your tie is a sword in its sheath
And your schoolbag a shield engraved with your belief
That the day is a campaign to wage should you choose –
In your skin courage rises, blossoms like a bruise.

So you step out the door though you keep to the shade
But still you are thrown glances like secret grenades.
The noon sun makes them squint but its glare cannot hide
Your defiant existence, your forbidden pride.
Though they know what you are they don't know what you think;
They kick sand and they spit at your back – you just blink

Your flag-bearing eyes like open hands on your face.
But your lungs pound a militant tune as you pace.
You are standing ground their ammunition can't find –
Your crusade's for the holy land inside your mind.
They close distance between you – fingers ball to fist
You march on though blood dies in the graves in your wrists.

But a glint like a tooth alerts you to its bite
And your throat catches fire – Armour cracks – You're no knight –
Soon you're running so fast you can't hear your feet
'Cus the war drum has skipped to an erratic beat –

You don't know how you fled- you're unravelled like tape –
Divine intervention? A too-lucky escape?

In the trench of resistance against what you choose
Keeping peace is a war you must pray not to lose.