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Opening Prayer

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Let us meet in the vast fields of our hearts

Let us honour and accept this great invitation

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Let me know when you get home

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Dear friend,

I travelled safely yesterday. I arrived before sunset, whilst everyone was still awake.

They send their regards. The children were asking me, “where is that beautiful lady that you came with the last time?” they say that they miss you dearly; they cannot stop raving about your warm spirit that matches your unwavering beauty.

I wanted to tell you,

when I turned towards eMangamazini, just before I reached the White Poplar tree, I heard the Burchell’s Coucal calling for the rain, announcing our return 

but at the same time, I then heard what sounded like you were coming in, 

and indeed, you were entering the doors of our hearts,

I saw you heading towards eMgobhozini, then up towards eMthombeni like our sunrise

When you reached the peak of the hill by the Ngcobo residence

You called out my name, and I answered.

It was as if you were back again,

ready to help me carry these heavy pillars.

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Breaking Fast

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In my prayers, I am grateful to see you.

You are my morning prayer.

You are my afternoon meditation.

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My phone's battery is running low, I keep getting disconnected during our call…

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I was saying, let us meet eMzinto tomorrow. I will let you know when I leave the house.

Wait for me by Rhino or by uNonhlanhla…

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I was hoping to get some red clay and impepho for the twin spirited from her. I was asked to bring 2 litres of paraffin, matches and a small bottle of methylated spirits.

We still have Jeyes fluid and rough salt. Please remind me to also buy yeast…

Umkhulu will have to fill up the gas when he passes Roseneath, where they sell chickens. There is already a case of soft drinks that ugogo bought, and now all that is missing is a case of beer…

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Or should we meet by Mbetheni? When we are finished, let’s get ourselves some braaied meat and a bottle of Krest. When we are waiting for the last taxi home, the “Steady Bra”, we might as well eat those snowballs that we had reserved for u11- our evening tea.

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Kinship

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When I woke up, I saw a tray with tea placed on the dresser

Tennis biscuits were placed specially on their own, covered by a clean, unused cloth

There arose a scent of honey and a mixture of umhlonyane, calamus root cuts, rooibos and some mint picked from our garden

What I see is you wiping away my tears,

sitting and talking with me on the large rocks behind the old house

we then hear our laughing echoing back as uGogo’s voice saying,

“The blankets have been taken off the washing line and have been brought into the house. We have now prepared your place; may you be warm; may you feel that you belong”.

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An offering

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May it be people with good intentions that support you.

May you be protected, guided, and shown the way home.​​​

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Please wait for me on the other side

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We will wait for each other even at the end of our days

and just before we reach the palm trees,

we will branch off from the path we used to walk together

when the moment comes,

when we leave this place for the last time

when we cross paths, you going this way, me going the other

we will see all the beautiful memories and things that are still good following us along the way

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For what is to come

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May you be met with all that is good today

and for the rest of your days

So that once you reach home

you will find your loved ones waiting for you on the other side

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So when the heavy summer rains come,

when they come down hard,

in other words,

when we reach the water, when we reach the lakes of our friendship

that is when we will bring our sun closer 

until its rays shine upon our chests

leaving us with incisions of our light.

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Closing Prayer

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Let it be our reunion that announces our arrival in the morning, announcing us to the sun