À l’heure du tout à l’image et du buzz sans suite, «l’express» souhaite faire découvrir la plume de poètes, d’écrivains et de tous ceux qui jettent leur âme sur le papier en cette Journée internationale des droits des femmes.

She was a daughter

as Father, mother, brother, sister

leaned on her

when she pined for a shoulder

Nobody was there.

She was a wife

when she supported

husband, kith, kin,

family’s noise and din when she begged for a hand

nobody was there.

She was a mother

when house, family, home, children

made her run, shout, cry, laugh

dance to tunes heard, unheard

when she later craved for their presence

Nobody was there.

She was a friend

when the husband needed one

She was a wife

all throughout

She was a mother

who forgot sleep and rest when she needed to be put to sleep

Nobody was there.

She was a teacher

who new things learnt

however difficult, at any age

so that she could teach.

She was the gate-keeper

opening and closing doors

even after midnight

When doors had to be opened for her

Nobody was there.

She stood till last, clapping

as children climbed stages

for medals, prizes and cups

asking friends to clap as well

as her progeny walked up and up

When she could be awarded a prize

nobody was there

Telephone operator she became

for busy son

for busier daughter

for friends to come and go.

When she needed to be called

per day once, per week may be

Nobody was there

She was the one

who walked with everyone

but nobody walked with her.

She is the one

who alone is left by God even

as He knows

Stand alone she can.

Bio

Dr Anitah Aujayeb

A long-standing educator, now teaching at tertiary level, she has authored several books in all genres of literature, novels, stories, travelogues, poems and history. This poem is from her book entitled “The Last Pilgimage”.