Tag Archive: nelson
Soaking,
the rains settle,
meandering over jagged faultlines of our memory.
Drenching,
the rains settle,
streaming through veins,
the thud-thudding of the heartbeat of Africa.
Absorbing,
the rains that settle,
within each of us,
herald rebirth.
And,
if you listen,
if you strain to hear,
while shedding the raucous noise of your inner turmoil.
If you listen,
the whispers of the ancestors,
speak to us all,
lending us warmth,
urging us to stand,
even though we may
stumble,
even though we may fall
again…
when i feared that you were slipping away
i feared more for myself, in truth I say, than for you
again…
you came back to us
again…
your light shone, ablaze
reaching inside of me with the warmth of your dignity
with your infinite gentleness
with your effortless peace
with all that makes you, you
again…
soothing me as you soothed a nation
and a people, and people everywhere
of every hue
and of every creed
and of the human spirit itself
again…
you gave of yourself
92 and frail and weak and alive
oh yes alive!
again…
you breathed my fears away
you embraced me as you have always done
again…
you made me cry
weeping tears of joy for you
for your light to shine on through
again…
you shined so brightly
as I basked in your warmth of you being you
again…
you cradled my shaken being in your hands, lined with age and with wisdom and with a pureness so bright
that just knowing that you are back home, smiling that fatherly smile of yours
was enough for me, to slip into the waiting arms of this warm and joyous night
and again…
though i know that you cannot be with me forever more
you came back to me on this night
and just knowing that you are still here with me now
is enough now, for within me, you will reside forever more
just knowing that you are resting and recovering at home
filled, and fills me with peace and with joy
with the peace and the joy that has been your gift to me, and to us, one and all
shaking me to my very core
as you have selflessly done
throughout my life, and on countless occasions before
He is home
you are home
and
i am home with you
as your light of life continues to shine
now and forever
warm and dignified and forever true
Viva Nelson Rolihlala ‘Madiba’ Mandela Viva!
as you continue the struggle some more, today for life…
‘it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die’ you said, all those years ago
as you stood in the dock awaiting the sentence of death
they locked you up instead
for 27 hard and long and arduous years
you stood firm
you never wavered
you gave hope to us all
and then when they could no longer keep up their unjust tyranny
you emerged into the light of freedom
your hand raised in a defiant fist in the february Cape Town air
– Amandla!
you then weaved and bobbed and fought some more, the boxer in you always present
you fought for peace in our land
for us all you fought
and then came that glorious day
when you were our president
and we laughed and we cried
and you fought for us even more
today you fight a different fight
for life, and we are helpless
we, who you fought for all along
have only hope and prayer and song and wishes of life for you
today, you fight some more
may you fight for life some more, Tata Madiba!
and may you prevail
for you are our father
and father, your children call out to you once more
with wishes
prayers
songs
your children wish for you, to remain here with us some more
and though helpless your children may be
in this battle that you wage for life today
and though frail and old your body is
your indomitable spirit smiles that inimitable Madiba smile
your spirit resides in each of us
your loving children
amandla!
Scribbled Verse 