During my high school career, poetry was the only topic I admired. I used to pass with flying colours when it came to poetry. My fellow classmates were so curious about my poetry intelligence.

“Fistos, where did you learn poetry?” they asked with curiosity.

“This is my natural talent,” I replied fiddling my chin.

I didn’t imagine myself as a poet in future. After matric my goal was to further my studies and become an electrician. Unfortunately, my mother could not afford my registration fee, as she was unemployed and a single mother.

Life grabbed and pushed me against the wall as I had no option but to be a watch dog at home and wait for a magic to happen. I created a Facebook page where I wrote motivational quotes. I wrote a poem titled, “Womeniser”. As I wrote it I could magically feel the words flowing into my mind as my hand did the magic on the keyboard. The comments I received was mind blowing, I didn’t know that I was on in a magical transformation stage of my life, away from being an electrician. The passion of writing was rooted in my heart since then.

One day I came across a FunDza writing competition on social media. I entered the competition to test my writing skills. Weeks later winners were announced, sadly I was not among the winners and my confidence collapsed like a wall, but I refused to throw in the towel. I created an author profile with FunDza where I kept on sending my poetry until one day I received an email from FunDza, they selected one of my poems to be highlighted on FunDza’s social networks and on the mobile app.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, I felt my blood rushing through my veins with excitement and suddenly tears dropped. It was the tears of glory that says, “aha! I made it.” Am I that good with writing poems? The world is going to read a poem written by me? This question kept on tickling my mind and magically left me giggling like a baby. Since then my whole life changed for the better. I started to see myself as a poet and I wanted to push towards a professional level.

One month later, I was selected to be the Writer of the Week but it wasn’t the end of the railway as the train kept on moving with FunDza in a driving seat. I wrote a poem against women abuse titled “If I could have known”. It has done magic for me, in terms of recognition. It received more positive comments and likes than my previous poems. It was also highlighted on FunDza’s social networks and mobile app.

The magical moment came on a blue Monday with a lightning shock. I left my phone with my colleague Eric then I went to the bathroom. When I got back, he said to me, “You had a call from FunDza but I told them to call after five minutes.”

I got nervous and excited at the same time; I knew it was something big. I kept my eyes glued to the phone expecting the call. What could it be? I asked myself, but the answer was vivid. Finally the phone rang, I quickly answered with my shaking hand. It was good news, my poem titled “If I could have known” was chosen once again, but this time to be published on the Funzine anthology.

I acted normal on the phone but after the call ended, I couldn’t contain the excitement. I felt butterflies flying in my stomach.

“Aha, I have made it,” I said to myself with a heavy sigh.

I began to think about the obstacles I had been through. FunDza helped me realise my dream and changed how I saw myself. From an electrician wannabe to a poet, this is magic. The long awaited magic finally happened. My next goal is to showcase my talent on television and become a well-known professional poet around the globe.

Tell us: How has this motivated you?