Mother,
he should have
been here,
but he never
stayed.
Not for long.
Anyway,
You’ve made
sure that my
heart was in the
right place. That
I never grew bitter
or resentful.
You’ve brightened
up my days, with
sunlight, so I could
smell like a flower.
You’ve watered my soul,
like a plant. Waiting
for me to grow stronger.
Mother,
You never needed him,
to keep you upright.
Somehow you knew
I would someday stand
on my own,
Like a tree.
And if I was lucky,
I would
maybe bear fruit?
I wish to buy you
a brand new dream.
One you could
spend the rest of
your life fulfilling.
I only want the best
for you,
like you have always
wanted for me.
Chestlyn Draghoender is a writer and poet from Ravensmead in Cape Town. He is a loyal Poetry Potion contributor and a regular FunDza Fanz writer. He writes in both Afrikaans and English.