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by Tinker Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E · Poetry · Political · #2147511
Written in 2011 after years of devastation of Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe's rule.
Zimbabwe Child

Papa cross the Limpopo
not fear crocodile
say, get work
gone whole year.
No letter for Mama
no medicine.

Miriam, she eight
sweep floor, clean baby
wipe Mama’s brow
spoon mankata* broth.
No school for Miriam
no medicine.

Beggar bowl for maize
I dig in dirt
find siboyani root*
to feed scorpion in belly.
No maize for make nsimi*
no medicine.

Baby sick like Mama
before she go to clinic
not come home
baby cry dry tears
No milk for baby
no medicine.

No one see
no one care
throw away Zimbabwe child.
No letter, no school
no maize, no milk.
No medicine.
---- Judi Van Gorder
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36 Lines
Free Verse sixains

Background

*siboyani root, - native African plant, the root is dug up and must be boiled 5 hours before it can be mashed in the broth.

*mankata root, - native African plant, the root is found in swampy areas.

*nsimi - is a kind of dumpling or bread that is made from cornmeal with oil and water then rolled into balls and eaten dipped into vegetable broth

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Presented to Tinker1111 on February 3rd, 2018 by Louise Wiggins
For raising our awareness and for writing with the understanding that everyone matters.

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