Thursday 29 October 2026Music, style, culture and power from Southern Africa
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Poetry

Silent goodbye

Maverick Kabelo18 Dec 20221 min read
A dark airport concourse with a curved ceiling and a lit blue sign reading Check-in B with an arrow
Kushal Rajkarnikar (Unsplash)

A boy and lady, good friends they be
He told her all his innermost thoughts, so confidingly
She comforted and advised, with a heart full of care
But one day, out of the blue, she was no longer there

He reached out to her, but she didn’t respond
Her silence like a blow, his heart was fond
Of the bond they’d formed, the trust they’d built
But now it seemed, that all of it was guilt

He couldn’t understand, what had caused this rift
Had he done something wrong, or had it been a misstep
He tried to move on, but the hurt lingered still
A ghost of their friendship, an ache to fill

But as the years went by, he not learned to let it go
The lady was a memory, a chapter in the show
Of his life’s story, a lesson learned
He moved on, his heart again to burn

For new friendships, and new tales to tell
But the lady, she remained a memory, a tale to dwell
On the power of connection, and the fragility of trust
But also the resilience, of love and friendship, a must.

Written byMaverick KabeloFounder, Digital Thread

Speaker, founder and civic organiser working across Botswana and South Africa on digital strategy, AI, data protection and youth leadership. Founder of Digital Thread and The Civic Chapter; founded Africa’s Very Own in 2018.

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