WONDROUS CREATIONI am a rainbow of many colours.

WONDROUS CREATIONI am a rainbow of many colours.

A tree of many roots.

Bound deep in the soil of Africa.

I am the rhythm of every drumbeat.

I am the moon and the stars,

The rain and the sun,

grass and the waters.

I am simplistic but never understood.

I am an arrangement of rituals.

Controlled by many cultures.

I am full of spirit.

Full of life.

Like a collection of great traditions,

I am the voice of an African queen.

I demand respect, and a chance to grow!

I am one who has been displaced from home.

My wellbeing is captured,

My joy, happiness and peace hunted.

All of you, stop ...!

Look! There I am!

Oh, how beautiful I look!

I am of great quality and source.

This creature is me,

This is whom I am.

I am a girl,

a beautiful young African blossom

made from the rib of man.

Respect me.

And, I will respect you! -

The author, Promise Ngomane, is one of the winners of the yearly Johannesburg Literary Festival (JoLiFe).

The awards ceremony was held in Johannesburg.

JoLiFe is a youth development and lifelong learning project of Sowetan and the City of Johannesburg Library and Information Services.

Ngomane's fellow JoLiFe winners - in the short story and poetry sections - are Themba Tshabalala, Sbusiso Zinhle Nkosi, Charity Mkone, Mpho Mphafi, Martina Boshoff, Confidence Seleme, Bonga Vincent Matu, Charlotte Hillebrand, Olivia Fiorotto, Ramuhulu Phuluso, Rhulani Chauke, Yandisa Keboletse and Winnie Mtimde.