POEM FOR NELSON MANDELA

Madiba Bay

(Poem in honour of Nelson Mandela)

Through your streets I went wandering

saw Madiba and Biko smiling
and strolling through your townships

Blinded by the sun and silvery shacks

I saw you sheltered by angels from above
for future years and every nightfall

We salute you, Madiba

today we are sad, but not broken-hearted
because this rainbow nation
flies on wings of emancipation.

Lala ngoxolo, tata Madiba.

©2013 Selwyn Milborrow

"... I will always fall short of Madiba’s example, he makes me want to be better..." - Pres Barack Obama speaking at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela

"It is hard to eulogize any man - to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person - their private joys and sorrows; the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul. How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world." - President Barack Obama speaking at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela

ELEGIE VIR NELSON MANDELA

Elegie vir Nelson Mandela

Vandag, 5 Desember 2013, is dié dag –

‘n oomblik vir stilstaan, onthou en besin oor ‘n leier soos min.

In hierdie oomblik van stilte

laat ons mooier luister, beter verstaan
en sodoende duideliker praat –
nederig en sonder enige kwaad.

Met Hani se dood was ons land op ‘n mespunt

en het jy gepleit om sy dood nie te wreek,
maar liewer vrede en versoening te preek
en ons red van ‘n burgeroorloghel.

Jy’t onthaal met konings en presidente

en prinse en prinsesse, tee met tannies geniet
en 'n springboktrui by ‘n wêreldbeker gedra.

Onder jou leierskap het ons ver gekom

en nou kan ons alleen voortgaan
want jy laat agter ‘n morele kompas.

Jou heengaan laat ‘n leemte

nie net vir ons reënboognasie nie,
maar die hele mensdom.

Tata, die ouderdom het jou kom haal

nog lank voor die dood* kon,
maar jy’t ons geleer ‘n hartseertraan
word eindelik ‘n traan van blydskap.

Rus nou sag, tata Madiba –

Lala ngoxolo, tata.

* “Die dood is iets onafwendbaar. Wanneer 'n mens gedoen het wat hy as sy plig teenoor sy mense en sy land ag, kan hy in vrede rus. Ek glo ek het dit vermag en daarom sal ek in die ewigheid kan slaap.” - Nelson Mandela

©2013 Selwyn Milborrow

SHORT STORY - THE FIRST AID KIT

The first aid kit - Selwyn Milborrow

Ken stared blankly as he surfed the DSTV channels. "Mommy, please help!" he called. Then again, without waiting for a response, "Mommy!" "I am busy. What do you want, Ken?" He continued surfing the TV channels without answering her. Within seconds her footsteps approached him. "I am bored," he said sheepishly.

He knew it was the wrong thing to say because she folded her arms and glared at him for a second. "But seriously, mommy. I am bored. There's nothing on the TV." His mom took a deep breath. Her cheeks were flushing. "Over fifty channels and you are telling me there is nothing to watch!" His mother was fuming as she walked out of the lounge to continue ironing the clothes. After sulking for a few minutes, Ken switched off the TV and played a few games on his Playstation. It didn't take him too long to realize that he was bored again.

"You really are bored today," his mom said as she entered the lounge. "I didn't do anything this summer. I mean, I didn't go anywhere at all." She tilted her head and said, "well, I could give you more work to do, Ken." His eyes literally froze in his head. "No, mommy! I already did my chores this morning!" His mom nodded. "Then this calls for an emergency kit." Ken is confused. "Yes, a first aid kit, Ken" She enjoyed the state of confusion he found himself in. "Mommy, I am confused." "You told me how bored you are and I think the only way to rescue you from this boredom is to give you something special." With that, she turned and went down the passage. Ken followed her. He suddenly had a renewed hope in his mom's ability to bring excitement back into his boring life. He tried hard to keep from jumping up and down.

His mom was the kind who bought presents all year long and kept it for a rainy day. Today is one of those rainy days. "Go wait in the lounge, Ken" He knew he was not allowed in her closet. Before long, he was sitting on the couch and watching as his mom brought a medium-sized box out from behind her back. She had a smile on her face. "A box. What's in it?" She sat next to him. "It's guaranteed to keep you from being bored." "What is it?" Ken asked, picking up the box to shake it. "It is heavy!" His mom set the box on her lap and began telling him a personal story. "When I was a young girl, we didn't have DSTV or Playstation games. There was no DVD movies or game centres to entertain us during the long school holidays." His mom paused and cleared her throat. "But when we got really bored, there was one thing we could always do." She watched as Ken ripped off the paper around the box. "Mommy, it's books!"

His mom frowned, but her eyes were smiling. "Mommy, school is out. It's the December holidays. I wanted something fun to do. Not this; not something like reading a book!" His mom shook her head. "You know how much fun it is was when I read to you. You are now old enough to read to yourself." Ken didn't look pleased. "Besides, these aren't just any books. These books are filled with great adventures! And nothing is more fun than reading a great story." Ken stood up and walked to the front door. "Okay, I am out..." "Not so fast. Come back here, young man. If you learn to love a good story, you'll never be bored." He slid onto the couch and rolled his eyes. "I'll make a deal with you, Ken. Pick a book and go to your room and read it. When you are finished, you can come to the kitchen for a snack and drink." His eyes were bulging. "And then what." His mom smiled. "Then we will talk about the story you read, young man." His room's door closed behind him with more than its usual force. Ken picked a story called "Final first chance." Weird title he thought. He held the book upside down in front of him and turned the pages. "Go now, go to your room and finish that book." The picture on the cover showed a group of children playing in park. Next to a swing was a smiling boy in a wheelchair. The boy had the happiest face. Why is he so happy? Ken wondered. He started reading and didn't take his eyes off the page even when he lowered his legs and lay flat on the floor. Ken was lost in the story of the boy in the wheelchair. He watched as a snake dangled from a tree close to the paralyzed boy. Suddenly a child jumped against a branched and the snake fell down. Ken held his breath as he turned the page. He didn't blink. "Ken?" "Mommy, you scared me to death!" "That's okay." His mom laughed. "Join me in the kitchen for that promised snack when you finish your story."

Ken saw how the snake fell next to the boy in the wheelchair. Without blinking the boy pushed his wheelchair forward just enough to crush the snake's head. "Ken!" He started cheering for the boy. "Ken! Ken!" "Oh, mommy. Just a second. I have to see how the boy is being made a hero." His mom laughed. In the kitchen, Ken tried to talk with his teeth still stuck in his sandwich. "Mommy, you should read the story of the paralyzed boy. He is totally awesome." "So, reading isn't so bad, hey? Ken had a smile on his face. "Mommy, why didn't you give me the books sooner?" His mom enjoyed the moment. "Why, do you ask me that question, Ken?" "Because, mommy ... Because I could have been reading them all summer." She smiled. "Because I knew this day was coming, and I would need need a first aid kit." "I'm sorry, mommy. A big hug led to a moment