Today the sun set at dawn, the grey sky poured down in torrents banked tears of yesterday.
Today, cows grazed not in the pastures evergreen, the was no herd boy playing a lekolilo melody, the stream had dried and all the gay lads came back ashen.
Today no lark sang in the meadow, no goats bleat in the valley, just a lone horse galloping on the plateau.
Today, a heroine fell, and all mourn. Even the busy bees hv taken a day off to salute this thabana-ntlenyana, this mammoth queen who leaves monuments and tales to be repeated over Bo and yonder.
Today, i shall rejoice for i know though you are gone, you are always here. In the soft breeze, in the happy songs of the morning lark, in the cry of a new born baby, in the stream that flows past our fieldd, giving us life. You are here in our hearts and minds eternally.
Today i bit farewell to a mother, a grandma, a wife and heroine in the lives of so many.
Lala kahle mama!
(c) 2014 moliehi molupe
Hamba Kahle my dear friend.
I wish we had more time,
To use the wind and sail,
Across the seven seas.
Or spread our wings and fly,
Explore all our beautiful dreams.
But God knows why.
And when it is our time.
So please be my guide,
As you step into the light.
Keep an eye on me.
I know I will feel,
Your presence near,
When the wind plays with my hair.
Goodbye, I promise not to cry.
Hamba Kahle*, Comandante Chavez!
The light may have gone out from your eyes, Comandante,
but the torch you lit,
remains ablaze.
You may have passed away from this mortal life, Comandante,
but you have passed on,
your immortal ideals.
Today our hearts are heavy with sorrow, Comandante,
yet you left our hearts so much heavier,
with hopes of a more just tomorrow.
The light may have gone out from your eyes, Comandante,
but you live!
You live!
Hasta la Victoria Siempre,
Comandante!
Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias (1955 - 2013)
* - "Hamba Kahle" means "go well" in Zulu