pa is in livingstone hospitaal opgeneem
afgetakel, afgeknou en uitgeteer
net ‘n versteende skadu van sy glorie

ons is reisigers saamgepak in hysbakke
sommige draai links na die vrouesaal
en ons regs na pa in die manssaal

pa word begroet deur geliefdes met kosblikke
en bemoedig deur besoekers met bybels
maar pa wil niks hoor nie
hy wil net huis toe kom

maar daar's so baie vrae wat pla
– hoe ver het dit versprei
wanneer gaan die dokter kom
wanneer gaan die behandeling begin

en toe...

pynlik en presies skandeer die masjien
die diagnose is koud en naak soos been
en skadu’s strek van hoek tot kant
en doodspraatjies hang hamerswaar

pa is die volgende dag huis toe
– vreemd dat hy ons juis verlaat
toe ‘n sinkende son die aarde genadiglik met ‘n doodskleur laat

op pad huis toe hoor ek pa se stem
en vra hoe ry ons nou sonder hom

ek draai om maar sien niemand en niks
en besef pa het sy stem agtergelaat
met sy laaste huis toe ry
na ‘n ander land

© 2021 Selwyn W Milborrow

dad was admitted to livingstone hospital
in decline, deeply hurt and emaciated
just a petrified shadow of his glory

we are travelers packed together in elevators
some turn left to the women's hall
and we to the right to father in the men's hall

dad is greeted by loved ones with food parcels
and encouraged by visitors with bibles
but dad wants to hear nothing
he just wants to come home

but there are so many nagging questions
- how widely has it spread
when's the doctor going to come
when are they starting the treatment

and then …

the machine scans painfully and precise
the diagnosis is cold and bare like bone
and shadows stretch from side to side
and death chatter hangs like a heavy hammer

dad went home the next day
- weird that he left us
when a sinking sun mercifully left the earth with the color of death

heading home I heard dad's voice
and ask how we now go without him

I turn around and see nobody and nothing
and realise dad left his voice behind
on his final ride home
to another land