AFRICA day: 25 May 2015

A dedication to the women and the girls of our country...our nation...our continent!

Make AFRICA day count wherever you are!

Excerpt from 'Fathers of the nation'...and poems 'The battle is on' and 'Butterfly' from my anthology...'Healing for Africa poetry"

Fathers of the nation…Where are you?
Mothers are on their knees
Children are smoking marijuana and meth
Exploring with mandrax and sex
You HAVE to take up your God-given task
Mothers are crying and children are dying!

The battle is on

I am born for a reason
For you to see and me to be

You come like a thief
To steal and destroy
You entice me with your lies…
Worldly pleasure you want me to treasure
Go away evil one! Go away!

You predator!
Making me your personal slave
At your command to rock and rave!
A sexual idol to make me suicidal
You rob me of my innocence
Lust and infidelity ignore my plea
For my virginity!
Go away evil one! Go away!

I am born with a destiny
Predestined for me until eternity
I am fearfully and wonderfully made
My birth was not a mistake
You have NO power over me evil one!
I have the tools to declare your work undone

I am born for a reason
For you to see and me to be

Go away….Go away!!

Butterfly

In the darkness of the night
I saw a cocoon-like creature on a leave
I watched
I prayed
From one in-star to the next
Baffled, bewildered and perplexed
It shed its skin

The shapeless worm-like creature
Transforms into a miracle
As it emerges with compound eyes
And blood is pumped into its wings
The sun gives birth to the colours of the rainbow
And sends the newborn into space
Held firmly in the palm of the One who offers grace

Spread your wings and fly... butterfly
Be aware of the evil one
Use the strength of your wings
And declare his work undone
Spread your wings and fly...butterfly

From my anthology: Healing for Africa poetry
Madge du Preez ©

What is holding you back from becoming the best you can be?



Is it your lack of vision?

Afraid to step out?

Too many excuses?

YOU have the helm of change in YOUR hands. You can change the direction any time, any hour, any day!


Excerpt from my book 'The LIGHT in the Dark'

'Vision is the audacity to see the invisible, but vision without action is useless. This is one of the most powerful quotes I have ever come up with. Not being able to make decisions is a time waster. It just sucks my energy and enthusiasm to a point of total frustration."                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Writing is a process...continue with 'Introduction'

Think about posing a question as a hook. This is particularly effective if you are writing a persuasive essay. Draw the reader in with a question that is both relevant and provoking.

Continue explaining the hook, if necessary. Some types of hooks can't just be left there, or they'll wilt and die. Some hooks need explanation. Quotations and questions, especially, require explanation much of the time. How you explain the quote can affect how powerful your thesis is, and how much it makes sense.

Example:

Hook: "'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.'

Explanation: "In his famous Stanford commencement address, Steve Jobs explained how death was an important motivator that kept him focused and helped him fearlessly innovate."

 wiki.how

The writing process: Some visual aids

Writing is a process...continued with 'Introduction'

Think about using an anecdote as a hook. If you are writing a less formal paper, consider beginning with a relevant, humorous, or moving story. This will provide context and allow the reader to get to know you, or the person or thing you're writing about, a little bit better. Note that in many cases it is not appropriate to use the first person in an essay, so double check before you the first person "I" in your hook.

Think about using a quotation as a hook. Finding a good quotation is also an appropriate way attract your reader, as it connects the essay both to a point in history and to something more universal. Be prepared to give an explanation of its relevance, not just fling it out there and hope that it fits. 

wikihow.com

Freedom day

Freedom day…was it worth the cause?

Are we free indeed despite all the flaws?

Let’s start afresh on freedom day

And free ourselves from moral decay

Let’s make a pledge to love one another

And serve our country as sister and brother

Let respect and dignity reside in our hearts

Let us free ourselves from the fiery darts

Let’s do it fellow women and men

And become a free South African gem

Let’s start afresh on freedom day…I PRAY!

By Madge du Preez  ©

Writing is a process

Let's explore the writing process...Are you ready?

Where do I start?? Take it one step at a time...

Writing your introduction

Pull your reader in with a hook. A great hook will make it almost impossible for the reader to put down the paper. Your first sentence should pull the reader in, making him or her want to read the essay because they are fascinated, intrigued, or even outraged.

Think about using an interesting fact or statistic as a hook. This interesting fact or statistic should surprise your reader. While the fact should be relevant to what you're saying, this is not the place to state the facts that you are using for evidence down in the body of your essay.

wikihow.com

More next time...