Oshivaldo Poem by Diana van den Berg

In your pale green T-shirt
your sadness painted
in huge empty HIV eyes,
a solitary little boy,
your childhood has been amputated
and you have been spewed into
a lonely adult life
with no parents
and without siblings (they ran away
without you)
and a house to take care of
all alone
except for a boarder
who doesn’t pay
a little boy.

If all we can do
is give you our prayers,
you have them,
by the thousand.
May you soon
see past the pain
to a brighter future
and may you actually
have
a future
and may you blossom
and may you know
boundless, but treasured
happiness
and may you spread it
further and faster
than the virus
ravages your country.

Oshivaldo,
the documentary
told me your name
and I will tell it
abroad.

Oshivaldo
Oshivaldo
Oshivaldo
OshivaldoOshivaldoOSHIVALDO

(17 December 2005)