The hills and the valleys of Muezo,
where you walked as a boy,
have gathered you home,
Madiba.
May your people follow
in your footsteps,
in your footsteps,
ululating your name.
They laid you to rest,
home at last,
at the end of
your long walk to freedom,
after the shining vision
that you made of your time
on this earth.
on this earth.
You followed
the dream in your heart,
the dream in your heart,
nurtured for decades;
you achieved its reality
- and its justice -
for your people.
Your dance of joy
echoed in my heart,
the day that dream came true.
May the cry of the sacred ibis
and the respectful roar of the lion
sing through your soul, forever,
Madiba.
May the voices
of your people, singing,
of your people, singing,
all across the land,
croon through your long sleep.
With their clenched fist salute,
they honour you.
In one lifetime,
I am fortunate
to have witnessed
greatness,
rising:
Martin. Bobby.
Barack.
And you, Madiba,
whose vision and integrity
never faltered,
whose shine
will never dim.
In honour of Nelson Mandela Day. And for Susan's prompt for Midweek Motif at Poets United: Greatness. We badly need another leader like these, to rise and lead North America out of the mess it is in right now. It is going to take hard work to restore what has been destroyed.
we can only hope ~
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant tribute to Mandiba, Sherry. I loved every word.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I never got to either Dr Martin Luther King Jr, or Robert Kennedy. As they were taken from us, before my birth. Although, my teen years were filled with Mr Mandela. From the news to pop culture, like the music that I listened to by Simple Minds.
ReplyDelete"whose shine
ReplyDeletewill never dim."
YES indeed some are born great
Much🌻love
You got my tears, and my smile, too. I feel, with you: "In one lifetime,
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate
to have witnessed
greatness . . . "
And his life reveals how hard and selfless the path. May we learn how to take that path and make the world a better place.
Thank for dropping by my blog today Sherry.
ReplyDeleteBeen fiddling with my post at my blog today even though I posted the link early. Editing for image a few words and even the prompt link. Finally I got it all together
CLOUD POWER
You might want to revisit after this note
much love...
Such souls are born to give us some dream come true moments. So wonderfully captivated that spirit of freedom in so many beautiful images. An amazing tribute to the great man.
ReplyDeleteThankyou Sherry, a wonderful acknowledgement for an inspirational man.
ReplyDeletethis is very powerfully realized poem Sherry - an very fine tribute and a desperate reminder, that we too, in our own special ways, can effect change - in our lives, and consequently, in the lives of others. May we open our hearts and clear our minds and look to a better future, for all.
ReplyDeleteThe ending... seeing those names together... made me shiver...
ReplyDeleteI hope, I hope, we hope...
A tribute and a prayer, Sherry. I love the animal imagery in:
ReplyDelete'May the cry of the sacred ibis
and the respectful roar of the lion
sing through your soul, forever'
and the sentiment in the final lines.
Love this especially; "May the cry of the sacred ibis and the respectful roar of the lion sing through your soul, forever, Madiba."💞
ReplyDeleteThat your voice calls for the ibis and lion's roar from the otherwise of the world shows most eloquently the impact Madiba had on the world.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, Sherry, and for all the years we have walked together in the imaginary garden.
Other side... but my tablet is otherwise!
DeleteI hear your plaintive cry ....
ReplyDeleteA beautiful tribute and hope other voices, our voices can build and not destroy.
ReplyDeleteLoved the video clip. Beautiful tribute to Madiba.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sherry! The greatness you capture, the great names at the bottom of your poem, gives me goosebumps as well. Thank you for honouring Madiba in such a beautiful way.
ReplyDeleteAnd voices in the clip brought a huge smile on my face...🙏🏽
Beautiful!!
ReplyDelete