Mothers of Chimanimani

Nomutsa Tapera, G4

Don’t say it’s not so bad.

Because it is.

Death is awful, demonic.

 You do not sit with me in my grief

but place yourself off in the distance away from me.

Over there, you are of no help.

What I need to hear from you is that you recognise how painful it is.

I need to hear from you that you are with me in my desperation.

 To comfort me, you have to come close.

Come sit beside me on my mourning mat.

Today we celebrate you mothers of Chimanimani

In some ways, it just doesn’t seem right to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day.

After all, you may not be happy at all. And I understand.

 

I can’t take away the pain; nobody can.

But I can sit next to you to support and comfort you in your grief.

Don’t stop loving them, mothers of Chimanimani

Nomutsa Tapera

Highlands Primary School

This is a special tribute

to all the Chimanimani mothers

who lost their children to Cyclone Idai

(Inspired by Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff, whose son died in a mountain climbing accident.)