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In fond remembrance of Sakkie Geduld

My Grandfather's Hands My Gramps' hands They held me tight The day that I was born I'm told he sang a lullaby and drew me close and warm Picking fruit in the back garden And bike rides 'round the block His hands would clean a scrape or cut Soothe when I took a knock When my plaster cast came off His hands stretched out to steady He said, "Move forward slowly girl, step when you are ready..." Gramps' hands provided A light mid-afternoon snack: Half a dumpie guava juice And Flanagans crisps - green pack To keep school extra-mural dates He'd help pick up the pace He'd call me Desperado and carry my violin case Gramps' hands would give me A sturdy birthday shake He'd say, "Another year older...Now behave for heaven's sake!" And as I walked the aisle that day And his hand just brushed past mine I had no doubt of his love for us As sure as the sun would shine! And when he took our baby girl So gently in his care My heart was filled with joy and thanks That in her life he'd share And then last week my Gramps' hands suddenly went still They were placed across his chest Pale, with a chill Of this I'm sure, his hands, I know Won't always be this way Those gentle hands - so tan and strong Will live again one day.

Comments

  1. michelleJune 14, 2011 at 10:03 PM

    Beautiful! You know just how to put the words together.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robyn Hendricks KlaasenJune 16, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    Ah man, I wanted to put your poem on my blog! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. MimiJune 21, 2011 at 10:13 PM

    This truly represents 'la vida de Sakkie comos los vemos'. Thanks Ash. There are tears: but they're smiley tears because this is gramps as we remember him. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

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