Don’t Make Me Cry
Don’t Make Me Cry
He thinks you
smell like a rose
and says
the sun shines in your hair
that you make his day
you preen and think of diapers
little miniatures of him
And the devil laughed
Simple Lessons
What do you give
A neglected child?
Love if you have
A persistent politician
Contempt if you dare
An angry teacher
His allowances
But a neglected wife?
A blank cheque
That is what you do!
One day at a time
The crock crowed
on our mats, we turned
from sleepy dreams, we rose
baskets on our heads
dawn paths we followed
As we walked
the sun prodded the earth
with first tiny gold fingers
lighting up the day
Father’s cutlass flashed
a path from the untamed green
another thud of his hoe
mounds shape the landscape
in steps we follow
hands dipped in the mounds
left seeds in its warmth
The bite of the sun
mid-stride in the sky
father’s glistening spine
stops the slide of sweat
we munch between the rest
last season’s harvest of sweat
The winds cool our cheeks
the sun goes home to bed
we make our way home and sing
happy from today’s sweat
The fireflies by the fire
the sun’s mistress silvers
our rosy cheeks with silver
even as mother’s tales
by moonlight
lights the path to a peaceful slumber.
