Ace Swantalala

Member since May 1, 2022

Member for 4 years, 1 month

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61 Poems

95 Comments

6 Followers

Most recent

A little life

Posted Nov 24, 2025 · 44 lines · 5 critiques

And if I die in the summer
I hope I die in the night
For the summer afternoons
Are too beautiful to miss
And the evening breeze seems
To carry a bit of magic

Everyone who has ever known me
Knows how fond I am of sunsets
But when the summers come around
My heart goes out to the blind
Who have never got to see
The western skies explode
In a thousand shades of purple
To feel as if you're seeing magic

Read the rest of the poem Show less

Right off of God's canvas
How I am stunned to silence
Every single time

How for just a minute or two
I am no longer broken nor hurt
No longer bearing the unbearable weight
This life has placed upon my shoulders
For just a minute or two
I'm like a man who has almost drowned
Who is tasting air again
And for that single minute
It is beautiful to be alive

Then the sun sets
It seems as if a blanket
Has been placed upon the land
And the stars come out
In their magnificence
For about half an hour
You hear the children playing
Against the calls of their mothers
And the song of the evening axe
As the fathers prepare wood
For the sacred dinner fire

If I die in the summer
I hope I die in the night
For though in this life
I've seldom known peace
In those few moments
I'm the happiest man alive
A. SWANTALALA

Ace Swantalala’s timeline

November 2025
24 Mon

Received a critique
on A little life from @Leslie
"Another beautiful poem, great job. I hope you are doing well friend and that life is being kind!"
24 Mon

Received a critique
on A little life from @Lavender
"Hello, Trail, Your writing is remarkable. This is beautiful. I love how it starts with "And," as if we're sitting together and have touched on the subject earlier, and you have a more reflective thought to share. Both c…"
24 Mon

Posted a poem
A little life
"And if I die in the summer"
Open thread 44 lines
09 Sun

Received a critique
on My Friend from @Leslie
"A very traumatic event indeed. No need to mourn or worry we all end up where we want to be and that's with the ones we love. At least that's what I believe! So gifted in all of your writing, don't let the dark nights ta…"
October 2025
10 Fri

New follower
@Words Ablaze
10 Fri

Received a critique
on To The Thickets ( matlhakung) from @Words Ablaze
"I'm quite disappointed you didn't incorporate the call matlhakung somehow, somewhere in the poem but all in all it's a great piece, very original. Brings back memories."
10 Fri

Received a critique
on My Friend from @Words Ablaze
"Kutlo bothoko ya teng e maswe, to lose a friend is painful enough but to lose them in this manner ke kgang e sele tota. This poem is a beautiful tribute and remembrance to your fallen departed friend. Lovely."
09 Thu

Received a critique
on My Friend from @Geezer
"in the proper dosage, are a powerful healing tool. Too many, and we lose sight of the great times we have shared with those gone on. I have never known someone who has committed suicide, but the idea that anyone could f…"
09 Thu

Posted a poem
My Friend
"He died alone one Friday night"
Open thread 29 lines
September 2025
05 Fri

Received a critique
on To The Thickets ( matlhakung) from @Lavender
"when you read a poem that touches you - as if it speaks directly to you. You have that gift, to speak to your reader, to connect. Thank you! L"
03 Wed

New follower
@Lavender
03 Wed

Received a critique
on To The Thickets ( matlhakung) from @Lavender
"Ooops! Double post! So sorry! L"
03 Wed

Posted a poem
To The Thickets ( matlhakung)
"These chickens no longer know the call"
Open thread 22 lines
02 Tue

New follower
@whitetea
01 Mon

Posted a poem
The Mayflies
"It was because of the mayflies"
Open thread 23 lines
August 2025
30 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 08/24/25 to 08/30/25

with "The Ones Who Howl".
29 Fri

Posted a poem
The Ones Who Howl
"The hyenas are getting closer"
Open thread 24 lines
April 2025
22 Tue

Posted a poem
Summer Evenings
"It’s almost dark now"
Open thread 23 lines
March 2025
19 Wed

Posted a poem
Gathering Clouds
"The puddles are all but gone now"
Open thread 27 lines
10 Mon

Posted a poem
Blue Nights
"The sun set a few minutes ago"
Open thread 33 lines
02 Sun

Posted a poem
Of Heart And Home
"There's an old mosu tree"
Open thread 26 lines
February 2025
25 Tue

Posted a poem
Of Dogs And Men
"On my walk yesterday"
Open thread 29 lines
22 Sat

Posted a poem
The Star Of The West
"Somewhere out in the west"
Open thread 35 lines
20 Thu

Posted a poem
After The Storm
"Every time a storm ends"
Open thread 27 lines
01 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 01/26/25 to 02/01/25

with "Flowing Rivers".
October 2024
12 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 10/6/24 TO 10/12/24

with "DRIFTING CLOUDS".
September 2024
07 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoet Weekly 09/01/24 to 09/07/24

with "Echoes".
January 2024
15 Mon

New follower
@Clentin
May 2023
14 Sun

Critiqued
"Mother" by @Lavender
"Who knew that so few words could elicit such a deep feeling?"
13 Sat

Contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week Contest May 7th to May 13th 2023

with "SILENT SOBS".
13 Sat

First contest commendation
Neopoem Of The Week Contest May 7th to May 13th 2023

with the poem "SILENT SOBS".
01 Mon

Anniversary
One year of membership
April 2023
15 Sat

Highest posting month
April 2023 — 8 poems
08 Sat

Critiqued
"Dinner Time" by @Lavender
"Okay, this is simply just beautiful. You have an interesting mind"
08 Sat

Critiqued
"A sweet refrain!" by @Leslie
"I can smell the wet earth as if I'm right there. Takes me back to moments like this in my own childhood jumping in puddles and singing to the rain. I'm happy to see you write something so bright and full of joy."
March 2023
29 Wed

Critiqued
"Universal Language!" by @Leslie
"I want to use words to describe the rush of emotions that this poem brought but I can't find any. I read it and I'm the persona himself. His emotions become my emotions, my helplessness and frustration. It truly is a be…"
February 2023
28 Tue

Critiqued
"Monsters in Your Bed" by @Ekaterina Alexandrovna Sherbatskaya
"A good poem leaves you stunned for a moment. This did just that. If it's at all written from a bad experience I hope you find your peace. But it is a beautiful piece of work."
28 Tue

First critique offered
on "Monsters in Your Bed" (since unpublished) by @Ekaterina Alexandrovna Sherbatskaya
22 Wed

Most-discussed work
THE ONWARD MARCH OF TIME

11 critiques to date.
May 2022
01 Sun

First publication
THE RIVER (since unpublished)
01 Sun

Joined Neopoet
Membership begins

First poem published 1 days later.

About Me

About me

Ace Swantalala is a young poet from Botswana in southern Africa. I started writing poetry when I was twelve years old, having been writing creatively since I was seven. Though I do not wish to write like him, my favorite poet is Charles Bukowsky with his raw style that touches deep within the soul.

Location: Botswana

Favorite Poets

Charles Bukowski

Jim Harrison

Contest Wins

Winning Submission	Contest	Contest Date
The Ones Who Howl	Neopoet Weekly 08/24/25 to 08/30/25	24 August, 2025 – 30 August, 2025
Flowing Rivers	Neopoet Weekly 01/26/25 to 02/01/25	26 January, 2025 – 1 February, 2025
DRIFTING CLOUDS	Neopoet Weekly 10/6/24 TO 10/12/24	6 October, 2024 – 12 October, 2024
Echoes	Neopoet Weekly 09/01/24 to 09/07/24	1 September, 2024 – 7 September, 2024
SILENT SOBS	Neopoem Of The Week Contest May 7th to May 13th 2023	7 May, 2023 – 13 May, 2023

Workshops

Followed By

Ekaterina Alex…

on A little life from @Leslie

on A little life from @Lavender

on My Friend from @Leslie

on To The Thickets ( matlhakung) from @Words Ablaze

on My Friend from @Words Ablaze

on My Friend from @Geezer

on To The Thickets ( matlhakung) from @Lavender

on To The Thickets ( matlhakung) from @Lavender

"Mother" by @Lavender

One year of membership

April 2023 — 8 poems

"Dinner Time" by @Lavender

"A sweet refrain!" by @Leslie

"Universal Language!" by @Leslie

"Monsters in Your Bed" by @Ekaterina Alexandrovna Sherbatskaya

on "Monsters in Your Bed" (since unpublished) by @Ekaterina Alexandrovna Sherbatskaya

THE RIVER (since unpublished)

Membership begins

About Me

Recent Work

Contest Wins

Workshops

Followed By