Not
the poverty from which you came from
Not
the nights you heard your stomach growl
Not
the fights inside your soul
None
shall you forget
Do
not forget the humble pie you had to swallow
Not
the God you cried out to
Not
the days you wished for a hole to hide
Not
the cries that were in vain
Not
the dawn that seemed to evade you
Not
your tribe that was permanently singular
Not
the beauty that diminished each day
Not
the smile that seemed too much to prepare
Not
the voice that spoke no reason
The
eyes used only for weeping
The
body shrunken from digesting wishing and hoping
Do
not forget
We
dare not forget
For
if we shall
There
is a reminder in someone’s eyes
A
reminder not to disregard
That
we are an African united
An
Africa dying as one
A
South Africa losing each other
A
Zulu nation singing weeping songs
A
woman living dying in Africa.
Lest
ye forget
Do
not, for the price of remembrance
Is
too high.
