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Sunday, December 15, 2013

Madiba




The hills and the valleys of Muezo,
land where you walked as a boy,
have gathered you home, now, Madiba.
May your people follow your footsteps,
remembering your name.

Your people lay you to rest
after your long walk to freedom,
rest you deserve,
after the shining vision
that you made
of your time on this earth.
You took the dream in your heart,
nurtured for decades,
and achieved the reality
for your people.

Your dance of joy
danced in my heart,
the day that dream came true.

May the cry of the sacred ibis
and the respectful roar of the lion
sing you to sleep, now, Madiba.
May the voices of your people, singing,
all across the land,
thread through your dreams.

May you know,
at this completion of your journey,
that you did well.
May you hear, where now you have traveled,
"You are my beloved son, 
in whom  I am well pleased".

My friends, as I anticipated the death of Mandela, and always respond to loss with stoicism, at first, I have moved through the days since one of my heroes died, thinking I had absorbed the fact into my being. But hearing the notes of these singers, for the first time I realized that he is gone. And now the tears come, hot and fast, for my Madiba.

posted for Kerry's prompt at Real Toads, to write our thoughts about Mandela, whose loss is freshest for her and her compatriots in South Africa. He is a global hero, but he was a boy and then a man of the people of South Africa, first.


19 comments:

  1. smiles...saw that vid earlier this week...its pretty awesome so i hope people take time to watch it...a nice tribute as well....he was a hero...and i hope that his message and his actions echo out in his passing to touch hearts and lead us forward....

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  2. Mandela beautifully remembered in your verse......a
    heartfelt tribute..

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  3. The tears escaped from me too Sherry. Your poem and this musical video awakened the grief, and the letting go of someone so special. Thank you Sherry.

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  4. Fitting tribute the charismatic man..

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  5. Just so tender and beautiful, Sherry. It reads like a prayer.

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  6. A very feeling and full-hearted tribute, Sherry. It can take awhile for grief to become real sometimes.

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  7. tender tribute Sherry to a great human being...

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  8. Love this video. Love the whole process of the gospel choir posing as employees and shoppers, sending their voices across the vegetables to one another, then coming together in song.
    Also, of course, love how you've incorporated the animals of Africa into your poem, as you do with Canadian animals, with heartfelt love and awareness.
    Hugs, K

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  9. We all sense that this was no ordinary passing with an almost sixth sense, something in our humanity which unites us to the cosmic plan. Human history is sprinkled with individuals who have walked among us with higher purpose, and Madiba was certainly one of them.

    Thank you.

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  10. WOW. Your words. Wow. The Song. What would Madiba do? Keep his dance and his song going. Let him rest. Carry it. Bless you, Sherry. Your writing moves me. God knows you have the strength, my dear, to feel and cry and call out and continue.

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  11. Beautiful video, beautiful words, I am very touched Sherry ~ Sleep well Madiba ~

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  12. Sherry your words are so beautiful. This man has left such a legacy may we give the days of our lives that remain to the work of peace.

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  13. Lovely, Sherry. Thank you. K. Manicddaily

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  14. Your heart pours through verse so poignantly here, Sherry. ♥ Beautiful, indeed.

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  15. this is so beautiful. I had tears in my eyes as i read

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  16. You have done well to write strongly your feelings for Mandela. Just beautifully expressed!

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  17. This is so beautiful. I never had the privilege of meeting Mandela, Madiba, Tata but I felt like I knew him and knew him well. His spirit and presence were strong and he will be sorely missed. May those of us who were touched by his grace, love and spirit try to live as he lived and in doing so, honour him and make the world a better place.

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  18. a fine tribute, Sherry ~

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  19. Wonderful Sherry! Your words guide his spirit so well-he spirit will linger on all~

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