Sonali Shah

Beeston, Nottingham, England

My name is Sonali Shah. I have recently graduated from Loughborough University with a BSC in Computing & Management and am now undertaking a full time PhD by research at the same establishment. I have been writing poetry since my early teens and have had some published in my local newspaper and by The National Library of Poetry. Poetry helps me express my innermost emotions and thoughts about life at present, past and future. I have Cerebral Palsy. I also compose songs and have recently produced an album called Phantom in My Dreams."

Peace or Poverty

Their skin soaks up the heat
Leaving it as black as the midnight sky,
Their eyes wide, white, pleading
Begging to the passersby.
They litter the street
Half naked bodies,
Red and colouring their feet
Searching for a entrance
A door out of the circle of poverty.

Poverty means destruction
Destruction means fear
Behind locked doors we sit in early evening
Too scared to see a black face
Terrified of black feet crossing the threshold.
But why be fearful of your slaves,
Those you whip and beat
Treating like the dirt from the doormat
Where you wipe your feet.

Role diversity causes poverty
Poverty destroys peace
But peace minus poverty
Means Equality should increase.

The Road to Life

Life is one long road,
Some days a motorway
so straight and smooth,
With a fast lane for those who panic and are eager,
A slow lane for those with no destination, boredom overtakes,
And a middle lane for those who look to the future whilst enjoying the past.

Other days, life's like a crescent,
with bends and turns,
Families laughing with rapture,
All cozy and warm,
Sitting huddled together
Listening to cries of the new born.
But crisis occurs as quick as a flash,
and the laughter fades,
The bend is upon us,
But we search for a new road
Which sets life straight once again.

Quite often life is just a hill,
A tough struggle to the top,
But once up, Success!
Determination pays!
The hard part is over
Now it's down hill all the way!