Children are the same the world over. This is a poem for them and for Madiba, a man who always had time for children and laughter. Happy Birthday Tata.
Some children are older than their years
Others pretend to be bigger than their fears
Some ride bicycles to school, others ride buffalos to work
And while they may be cultures and worlds apart
they will all giggle and snigger at the sound of a fart
They don’t save their energy for a future that is yet to come
They put their whole heart and limbs into the moment, and just for fun
They understand that to be naked and honest is not to be vulnerable and weak
and that joy is something you live every day, not neglect only to later seek
and give them a patch of mud
flip flops
even a few elastic bands tied together
and they’ll make a game of it
and become best friends forever
and ever
Musing on Madiba’s legacy xxx