THE BLACK SHIRT

 I am that cloth you used to put on every day.

You dirtied me so much

but you never thought

of ever washing me.

You stained me so bad

but your eyes never at once

noticed the stains that you had placed on me.

Perhaps I was just too black

for your eyes to see

any stain on me.

Or maybe I was just too dark

to deserve your attention.

But even so,

I never at once refused 

to be put on by you.

I am that comforter who used to beef you up

whenever you were feeling really low.

You used to cry your tears to me

but never at once

did your ears hear my cry.

You used to run to me for help

but never at once 

did I come to you for such.

Not because I wanted never to.

But because,

whenever I brought my tears to you,

your eyes never saw me.

They were always busy

with their attention completely drawn to others

and not me.

And whenever I came to you for help,

your mind always had more than enough to think about.

So, I never ever had a place

in your heart.

But even so

I never regretted.

I have a lot of pain

a thousand wounds and bruises

which you put on me.

But I always smiled

and you thought I was fine.

I cried a full lake of tears

but my handkerchief was filled

with only yours.

So you really thought

I was a feelingless machine.

In the end

I got to realize

that I was just a black shirt

in your life.

BY JOSHUA PATRICK MAGEZI