She Ain't Heavy...

to those who complain about the long stretches of silence between my phone calls, emails or letters, i have decided that my excuse is that it is genetic. yeah, my sister may blame the slow connection from the farm but genetics is my story and i'm sticking to it. my sister sent an email on saturday. before that she sent an email in september 2006. but, she does me right by giving me something deep and meaningful to share. she has a Revival - a book of african poetry (available in bookstores in zimbabwe and, i'm sure, around the world). from it this piece from zimbabwean poet, samuel chimsoro...

Waiting and Longing by Samuel Chimsoro

I sat on a stone
Untwisted tendrils
Of emotions
And combed curled
Memories
Till fingernails broke
And the head was bald

I sat on a stone
Till tears fell on sand
And washed away
Silt of circumstance
From the crystal of yearning.

I sat on a stone
Till plans piled like wreaths
At the foot of my statue,
Commemoration of longing.

I sat on a stone
Petrified by your absence:
Stone deaf, benumbed,
Weathering without wincing
In timeless waiting
For the comforter

she is giving us time to "recover from the power of this poem", and then, she promises, she will share with us a poem called - i speak for the bush.