You shine

You, woman, you shine
Like the summer rays of yesteryear
Like the moon of tomorrow
You shine, like the summer rains of our day
You really must be something
I thought to myself

I see you are be growing
I see you are be glowing
I see you are be learning
And teaching
And guiding and are guided
You really must be something
To be doing what you doing
You really must be something
To be doing how you’re doing

You shine, like a sugar coated
Colourful calabash overflowing
Love and passion and pride
Destiny and memory
Tears and anger
Stability and love
You ooze love
You really must be something

You glow
Even though you’re raising men
and child and bags too
Bags on your shoulders
Bags in your belly
Bags on your head
Bags on your back
You still shine

You really must have loved him
You really are be loving them
To be taking on that load
And still glow like you do?

by Natalia Molebatsi, writer and poet

Posted 10 June 2005, www.face.org.za, author: Natalia Molebatsi.