poem beginning in no and ending in yes

for hector peterson, aged 13 first child
killed in soweto riot   1976

Always get the last word.

Updates and special offers straight to your inbox.

Keep up with the latest from ZYZZYVA by subscribing to our newsletter.

By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Notice.


no
light there was no light at first around the head
of the young boy   only the slim stirring of soweto
only the shadow of voices   students and soldiers
practicing their lessons   and one and one cannot be even
two in afrikaans   then before the final hush
in the schoolyard in soweto   there was the burning of his name
into the most amazing science   the most ancient prophecy
let there be light and there was light around the young
boy hector peterson dead in soweto and still among us
yes

2 thoughts on “poem beginning in no and ending in yes

  1. The poem: “poem beginning in no and ending in yes…”
    Touches on a very sad subject, that being the death of Hector Peterson- connoting the harsh realities of death. the poem takes you on a journey from to bad to tragedy, to reason, and concludes with hope.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *