Participants in FunDza’s Write4Life Creative Writing Workshop each wrote a “bio-poem” to introduce themselves to the rest of group. (A biography is an account of someone’s life.)

You can try this too! The format for the poem is laid out below. Just add in words that describe the type of person you are to make it into your own bio-poem.

I am (first name only)
(four adjectives that describe you)
Who loves (three people or things)
Who feels (two things)
Who needs (two things)
Who fears (three things)

I am (first name only)
Who would like to see (two things)
I hear (three things)
I see (three things)
I want (three things)

I am (first name only)
I am (first and last name)

***

Yonela Dlule
Fezeka High School

I am Yonela
Smiley, talkative, kind, loving
Who loves Sinethemba, herself, her friends
Who feels excited, Happy,
Who needs oxygen, happiness
Who fears snakes, cats, lions

I am Yonela
Who would like to see earth turning, happy people
I hear Mr Mlatha, Sinethemba, Cars
I see my friends, Tere, Xolisa
I want to be loved, to learn, to experience

I am Yonela
I am Yonela C’nela Nkonyana-Dlule

***

Kuhle Riti
Chris Hani High School
Grade 11

I am Kuhle
Merciful, handsome, thoughtful and kind
Who loves my mother, my father and my sister
Who feels excited, nervous
Who needs support, encouragement
Who fears to fail, violence and to hurt

I am Kuhle
Who would like to see love, peace…
I hear music, noise, classmates and cars
I see cars, school, my family.
I want success, love and help.

I am Kuhle
I am Kuhle Riti

***

Cinga Zweni
Fezeka High School
Grade 10

I am Cinga
Gifted, intelligent, proud and loving
Who loves learning, playing and reading
Who feels excited and happy
Who needs happiness and love
Who fears spiders, snakes and frogs

I am Cinga
Who would like to see new places…
I hear voices, sounds and silence
I see people, learners and chairs
I want sugar and sweets

I am Cinga
I am Cinga Zweni

***

Vuyolwethu Lwethu Twalo
Fezeka Secondary School
Grade 9

I am Vuyolwethu
Friendly, loving, talkative and confidential
Who loves to sing, write poems and my family
Who feels sad and happy
Who needs love and support
Who fears spiders, snakes and lions

I am Vuyolwethu
Who would like to see Italy and other countries…
I hear sounds and voices
I see people and other children
I want to study, to become an astronomer

I am Vuyolwethu
I am Vuyolwethu Lwethu Twalo

***

Yonela Dlule
Fezeka Secondary School
Grade 9

I am Yonela
Friendly, honest, loving and active
Who loves people, beauty and her family
Who feels happy and sad
Who needs encouragement and love
Who fears snakes and lions

I am Yonela
Who would like to see America and Australia
I hear friends talking, music playing and moving cars
I see my friends, FunDza authors and new people
I want to have fun, make people laugh out loud and learn new things

I am Yonela
I am Yonela Sinela Dlule

***

Khululwa Ananthi Xotongo
Fezeka Secondary School
Grade 9

I am Khululwa
Honest, pretty, sensitive and active
Who loves my friends, my family
Who feels sad, happy
Who needs trust, love
Who fears lions, tigers and snakes

I am Khululwa
Who would like to see America and Beyonce
I hear my friends singing, my mother shouting, my alarm ringing
I see my friends, my family, my school
I want a car, to be proud of myself, to learn new things.

I am Khululwa
I am Khululwa Xotongo

***

Lelethu Kitsi
Fezeka Secondary School
Grade 9

I am Lelethu
Shy, exciting, friendly and funny
Who loves television, eating, my friends
Who feels happy and excited
Who feels nothing
Who fears dogs, cats and dead people

I am Lelethu
Who would like to see Mr Nelson Mandela, Rihanna
I hear music, people talking
I see houses, people, cars
I want a cellphone, a car, to see new people

I am Lelethu
I am Lelethu Kitsi

***

Lusanda Ngqose-Ngqukuvana
Fezeka High School
Grade 10

I am Lusanda
Funny, smart, laughing and kind
Who loves Mrs Ngqukuvana, my daddy, my church
Who feels sad, happy
Who fears snakes, lions and criminals

I am Lusanda
Who would like to see the United Kingdom, Mauritius
I hear beautiful voices, listening to beautiful things
I see a new world, books and stories being written
I want a car, a house, children

I am Lusanda
I am Lusanda Ngqose-Ngqukuvana

***

Anita Nozitshixwa
Oscar Mpetha High School
Grade 11

I am Anita
Friendly and shy
Who loves my mother and other people and my teacher.
Who feels happy all the Time.
Who needs support and education
Who fears dogs and lions

I am Anita
Who would like to see movies and models.
I hear music
I see new people, new houses
I want to become an accountant

I am Anita
I am Anita Nozitshixwa

***

Nopinki Precious Mba
Oscar Mpetha High School
Grade 11

I am Nopinki
Talkative, smart, beautiful and lovely
Who loves music, (RNB and Hip Hop), reading (novels and short- stories) and poems
Who feels good and fabulous
Who needs love and support
Who fears dogs and insects

I am Nopinki
Who would like to see more educated people in South Africa. Decrease in the drug trade.
I hear people singing, people making a noise.
I see my group members and friends
I want better education and a lot of money.

I am Nopinki
I am Nopinki Precious Mba.

***

Akhona Mtshwelo
Oscar Mpethe High School
Grade 12

I am Akhona
Confidential, kind, positive and fair
Who loves studying, singing and writing.
Who feels excited, positive, good
Who needs education, love
Who fears wild animals, thugs and gangsters

I am Akhona
Who would like to see God, and myself as a CA
I hear news and rumors and lies and interesting things – like today at my school there would be tutors to help us through our studies.
I see students, friends and humorous people
I want to be a CA to further my studies and live a better life.

I am Akhona
I am Akhona Mtshwelo

***

Naledi Dikana
Fezeka High School
Grade 10

I am Naledi
I am outspoken, curious, and I am also ambitious, am also shy and afraid of facing the world on my own
Who loves books , my family and also God.
Who feels happy and excited today.
Who needs good friends and a new bike.
Who fears being disappointed, being hurt and judging people.

I am Naledi
Who would like to see the world becoming a better place, love being transferred through all races.
I hear cups clicking, the excitement rising, joy.
I see the clear blue sky, I see big buildings, I see kind people.
I want to achieve, to believe in myself and to prosper in what I do accomplish.

I am me, Naledi
I am Naledi Dikana.

Talita Maliti
Chris Hani
Grade 10

I am Talita
Happy, cheerful, beautiful and caring
Who loves sport, writing, family
Who feels positive about myself ecstatic
Who needs support guidance
Who fears snakes failure frogs

I am Talita
Who would like to explore the world and see myself as a doctor.
I hear birds singing the sound of the waves
The sound of my heart beating,
I see children playing on the streets, trains on the railway
I want to succeed in my life, but myself a house

I am Talita
I am Talita Maliti

Nomie Seku
Chris Hani High
Grade 12

I am Nomie
Unique, loving, emotional, friendly
Who loves church, music, singing
Who feels happy great
Who needs education God
Who fears cats, snakes lion

I am Nomie
Who would like to see president, and places I have never been
I hear music, loud noise
I see people, cars, house
I want great things in life, to be rich.

I am Nomie
I am Nomie Seku

***

Esethu Buthelezi
Fezeka High School
Grade 9

I am Esethu
Kind, friendly, shy, loving
Who loves talking, television, eating
Who feels excited, happy
Who needs friends, love
Who fears crime abuse and dogs and cats

I am Esethu
Who would like to see Mr Nelson Mandela and Mr Thabo Mbeki
I hear stories, news, jokes,
I see people houses and cars
I want to achieve my dears to succeed

I am Esethu
I am Esethu Buthelezi

***

Zinhle Nyathi
Harry Gwala High School
Grade 11

I am Zinhle
Talkative, hard-working, goal oriented, passionate, trustworthy
Who loves writing, drawing my design, reading
Who feels good and hapy
Who needs information and knowledge
Who fears failing, loosing my parents, abuse

I am Zinhle
Who would like to see Oprah, Noelene
I hear sounds of birds, noise of cars and trains
I see buildings, trucks, different people.
I want my skills, perfection my own book.

I am Zinhle
I am Zinhle Nyathi

***

Abenathi Ivy
Harry Gwala Secondary Senior School

I am Abenathi
Self confident, intelligent, responsible, supportive
Who loves reading, writing, speaking out
Who feels happy, excited
Who needs support and respect
Who fears to be in front of crowd, loose, disappointed

I am Abenathi
Who would like to see great participation and everyone happy.
I hear soft noise and happy voices.
I see good things and beautiful people and a smart room.
I want achievements and successes and to feel free.

I am Abenathi
I am Abenathi Ivy.

***

Amanda Zondani
Fezeka High School
Grade 10

I am Amanda Zondani
Jolly, happy, kind and respectful
Who loves reading and writing and singing with friends.
Who feels happy and excited
Who needs bravery and more peace
Who fears thugs and snakes

I am Amanda
Who would like to see empowerment and growth in South Africa.
I hear youth talking about the future
I see people taking action to unfold their dreams
I want success and world peace and a good husband.

I am Amanda
I am Amanda Zondani.

***

Siyabulela Booi
Fezeka High School
Grade 10

I am Siyabulela
Happy, honest, smiling and honourable
Who loves cars, home gatherings, outings and family talks
Who feels happy and excited
Who needs to pass my subjects and matriculate
Who fears thieves and robbers, traffickers

I am Siyabulela
Who would like to see my favorite singer and my own mansion
I hear I heard people laughing because they’re happy and other crying.
I see people that were dancing and smoking and going to work
I want to pass my studies and be in matric and go to university.

I am Siyabulela
I am Siyabulela Booi.

***