The Good Guy- A Poem

"Good guys never win," they said...

You see them, lurking around the shadows of the inter-webs, wondering why women always reject them. Ogling your short dress before "mistakenly" brushing against your breast or thighs. Offering to keep you company even after you asked them to leave you alone for the 10th time...

The first time I met a "good guy" I was 16 years old. I was with my friends at Swaziland's famous music festival, MTN Bushfire. This particular breed of good guy, lathering his tongue with all his teenage suave, smelled of trouble. Sometimes you see it from a mile away- the customary licking of lips, rolling of hands, and that slight lean- the perfect start on to getting your time wasted. That good guy made a proposition, "him, me and his car", he offered, despite the fact that we had met 2 seconds ago and he had no idea who I was. His proposition, upon seeing my eye roll, was followed by the declaration that I should not worry, he is a "good guy." Because claiming to be a good guy automatically makes it true. But let me not bore you with all the tales of "good guys." Instead, let me put it down for you, in poetry...

The Good Guy- By Mpumalanga Zwane

Beautiful woman sat among the Summer trees,

Watching the birds and the bees

Flutter about with such wonderful ease

Within her soul, she knew she was at peace.

She had fought long and hard battles

And now she wore her scars as signs of many victories

And somewhere among the Summer leaves,

The Good Guy watched her from a distance

This was, to him the first instance

He had seen a woman carry her confidence

With such wonder and brilliance

It did not make sense to him

So on a whim,

He wondered ever closer,

Even though he had been told that good guys never win

Maybe he could put a spin

On that old tale.

He walked over with his proposition,

“Just to speak to her,” was his intention

And Good Guy said:

“Girl, you’re looking mighty fine in your sundress

Come over here, let me undress you

You need a man like me to discover those treasures hidden deep inside you

Let me rustle through your leaves

And carve for you new needs

It seems it has been a while since someone forced you to your knees,

No need to beg me, darling please

It would be a pleasure to rattle your inner peace

I am not like one of those other guys

I do not tell lies

I will only cheat on you thrice

See how much I am rather nice?

But woman who sat among the summer trees

Who watched the birds and bees flutter among the trees

She had already seen one of these:

These Good Guy Types.

Without a blink of an eye,

And no mention of a hi,

Woman who now wore her scars as victories stood and walked away

And Good Guy could not understand

How she had failed to sympathise with him as a man

The pain of rejection,

The infliction of pain from her repulsion

How she could walk away without acknowledging his presence?

So he told himself, being a Good Guy does not pay

All these girls will walk away anyway

They never give Good Guys the time of day...

Video and poem created and edited by Mpumalanga Zwane. I hope you like this poem. If so, please be sure to share, like and comment.If not, I am always open to constructive feedback. If you wish to get into contact with Langa's House, you can email me on langashouse@gmail.com, or find me on Instagram @langas_house or on Facebook on Langa's House. If you would like to be featured on Langa's House, you may contact me on the same and I will revert back to you ASAP. Please be sure to include your bio, an optional picture of yourself, a voice recording of your piece (for poems and shorter pieces) and your contact details if you have a blog or website you want me to redirect people to.

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