Gracious Mother (Especially Dedicated To My Late Grandmother B. Maresva And Mothers [r.Saidi And F. Muzarahwa]) Poem by GERALD SAIDI

When I was a tiny bundle
With flyspeck arms
With minuscule fingers
With footling toes
With no eyesight
With nothing to own
With no orb of knowledge
In my head
You swaddled me
With the best of clothes
You did not have diapers
But used nappies
Which you religiously changed
Tirelessly washing them
With pure joy

I had no voice
But you understood
When I called out to you
I had no language
Yet you read me scrupulously
You went on low-ebb
When my body temperature
Shot up
You knew when I was sick
You applied yourself
Where nurses failed
Where paediatricians ended
Where all left it to you
To use your healing spirit
You suffered pain
When I was blue
You were there for me
Every moment
Of my heartbeat

I had finespun skin
But you knew
How to handle me
You clothed me
With spiffed-up jammies
When I went for bed
To warm me up

You cleaned my stuffy nose
And kept my shawl
Clean and scented
And swathed me
In the comfort
Of rompers
You knew my best time
Was when you suckled me
There is no greater delight
In the world
Than your never ending care
And awe-inspiring love!
I love you more!
May God Almighty bless you more!
For you are more!

You had mercy on me
You had grace upon me
When I was helpless
When I was hopeless
You made me
What I am today!