A.J. Pretorius

A.J. Pretorius

Exploring life, love, and memory through words.

Explorations

Love

Love

Heartbreak

Heartbreak

Healing

Healing

Resilience

Resilience

Identity

Identity

Self discovery

Self-Discovery

Featured poems

Candle

No friends, no spouse, no family. One candle in the corner...

Candle

No friends, no spouse, no family. One candle in the corner. As I gaze into the candle, the inner truth intensifies: I brought kindness; they wanted attention. I brought love; they wanted money. I brought innocence; they wanted perfection. I sit back and wonder what I will think next about it all.

Blue diamonds

Those blue eyes drew me in, and it was the scars that made me leave...

Blue Diamonds

Those blue eyes drew me in, and it was the scars that made me leave.

Identity whisper

My soul has my best interests at heart and always has...

Identity Whisper

My soul has my best interests at heart and always has. You turned me against myself, but you failed, because I decided to be brave and listen to the whisper of my identity.

One breath at a time

Sunlight has burned, replaced by shadow...

One Breath at a Time

Sunlight has burned, replaced by shadow. As the end of the tunnel darkens, my heart starts to beat faster. I once glowed; now I am invisible, alone and powerless. What can I do to move forward? Face the unknown. Hope is powerful. What small steps can I take, for I begin to descend into the unknown— alone, yet stronger. Endlessly walking, then a small light in the distance glimmers. As the small light brightens, my heart starts to beat slower. I begin to focus on each step, one breath at a time.

Willing to let go for the better

I've reached the crossroads that led me to you...

Willing to Let Go for the Better

I've reached the crossroads that led me to you. I feel at home; I hope you feel the same. I spend nights hoping that you've reached the crossroads too. On good days, I almost forget, but bad days never let me. I wish I could hold you tight to make sure, but for love’s sake, I need to let go and trust that you'll stay.

Glass trust

Our love was always a full glass...

Glass Trust

Our love was always a full glass; now you struggle to see even drops of it. But we still had our glass, until it broke, and all you see now are the glued pieces.