Observance

Plush orange blanket

Shadow of leaves

on pink umbrella

Green thorn bush

telling lies of rain

Amabutho churning song

from memories of earth

Women ululating waves

of grief and gratitude

over boulders

Snake scare!

Scatter!

Settle

Spades stubbing stone

Heat like a slab

Slabs

Blankets

Torn mats

Torn pillow

Rock and dust

Piled on

All the weight of life

upon the dead

Aloes with their dry beards

Umfundisi with his face cloth

Umqombothi thick on the breath

White butterflies

Sky forever.

16 Feb 2020