In a dark hole, no light
But we had to fight
We refused to be taught in Afrikaans
By holding my mirror out of the window
The reflection in the mirror showed me about my pain that is written on the wall

Behind the bars my hands hold the blood
We were detained in a dark hole
Because we retaliated by throwing stones at the police
We refused to break up and disperse, shots were fired
The students ran away when the shooting started
And set up barricades in the streets
We kept throwing stones at cars
And set fire to the government vehicles and buildings
The schools were closed but violence continued

Students of Soweto rose up like the sunrise
Hundreds of people were killed and buildings and vehicles destroyed
We were so many but became a minority
Some of us were arrested
Me too, I was arrested
In the dark hole, alone
Lying, thinking about last night
I meant the last fight
The blood flowing like a waterfall
The darkness covering our country
While thinking how to find my soul a home
Where water is not scarce and a loaf of bread is not stone

Behind the bar my hands held blood
My veins showed
On my hands
I was in hand cuffs
Steel fangs
Whose bite was painful

My mind was caged
Medulla oblongata big office of the brain
Its system was destroyed
Mentally disabled
Cardio vascular disease
Loss of brain function
Loss of blood to the brain
Struck me like a lightning bolt

Only education could make my brain free
Deep down my heart was full of hatred
I felt like dying
Cross my heart hope to die
I was so heart broken
Hopeless because I lost everything
No friends
Breaking up with my family
My soul was shackled

The doors of the schools were closed
But the doors of the prison were open for us
Imagine sleeping on the floor with an empty stomach after being tortured, beaten
How can you have hope in that kind of environment?

Hope could only be found in the encouragement of our brothers
Have hope brother and sisters
“A grave must not only be dug when a person is dead”
Never give up we’re almost there brothers and sisters
“A pride of lions that’s not united fails to catch an antelope that’s not running fast”’

If we are not united we won’t accomplish our freedom
Let’s sing the same song
Tomorrow it will rise for us
The sun will rise again on our side

The blame lies on Hendrick Verwoed
The architect of apartheid
I blame the apartheid government for brutalising our country
And dragging us into darkness
The intention of apartheid was to see black people suffering, neglected
But I salute those legends who suffered
So that this country can be free
I salute the Soweto Uprising, Steve Biko, Robert Sobukwe,
Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani and Winnie Nomzamo Madikizela Mandela

One day darkness will vanish
And we will cherish the light
“You can blow out a candle but you can’t blow out fire.”
My pain is written on the wall.