Re-Living Christmas: Cherished moments and memories #17

I was rich.

I had my own chicken,

My own goats and cows,

Rabbits and turkeys.

I had my own bananas,

Passion fruits and yams.

I was rich!

I don’t know exactly when or how

This wealth left me,

But i certainly remember how I acquired it.

Whenever I would go visiting

One of my grannies or uncles,

It was customary for them

To give me a present

To take home -

Usually, a chicken.

Henceforth, that chicken became ‘mine’,

Together with its eggs and chicks.

Often, I fell head over heels in love,

As children usually do,

With the young-lings of farm animals.

When this happened,

And perhaps, as way of teaching me farming,

My Mum would ‘gift’ the young-ling to me,

Making it ‘mine’, from that day on.

Other times, I would be given a seedling

To plant,

Making that plant and its fruits ‘mine’.

That’s how I came to be a ‘wealthy’ little boss

Back then.

I knew all my wealth

Like a shepherd knows his stock.

And they likewise knew me

Especially the farm animals.

You should have been there

To see how they responded my voice and touch!

Adorable!

I still remember how beautiful it felt

To have the cat purring on my lap

By the kitchen fire,

And how soft the fur felt, on my hands.

Magical!

I looked after them and tended to them

With the dotting affection of a child,

And they gave back in kind, beauty and playfulness.

That’s why my heart would be torn in shreds

During Christmas

Because a goat

And some chicken,

Would have to be on the table,

On Christmas Day.

My constant prayer then was

Let it not be one of ‘mine’

This Christmas.’

* Follow us in this “Re-living Christmas’ series, to catch a glimpse of cherished moments and memories of our time.