A Life

A morsel of time, a peek
at the world, was all he had.
He was wide-eyed
when nameless birds wheeled over,
reached both hands to them.
He grinned at donkeys.

He knew his mother’s arms,
his sister’s smile and kiss.

One day, late in life,
he said, ‘Mama’.

He never cried
from loneliness; there were always
faces. He could not help
hunger. Could not help crying
in his last days.

Nothing to nothing.

Let us be ready
for the newborn. Lay out
gifts beside the cot:
gladness, love and water,
and a sufficient helping
of the world’s wealth.

Let the time
between darkness and darkness
be long, and a great feast.

Let us make the world ready
for the new children.



A Life

A morsel of time, a peek
at the world, was all he had.
He was wide-eyed
when nameless birds wheeled over,
reached both hands to them.
He grinned at donkeys.

He knew his mother’s arms,
his sister’s smile and kiss.

One day, late in life,
he said, ‘Umama’.

He began to know
his mother’s absence,
did not know
she was gone for water.

He never cried
from loneliness; there were always
faces. He could not help
hunger. Could not help crying
in his last days.

Nothing to nothing.

Let us be ready
for the newborn. Lay out
gifts beside the cot:
gladness, love and water,
and a sufficient helping
of the world’s wealth.

Let the time
between darkness and darkness
be long, and a great feast.

If only the world
could somehow be made ready

We must think
how to make the world ready

Do it. Work
to make the world ready

for the new children