To To the eight girls in my care
and thanks to Rudyard Kipling]

IF I can keep my cool,
When all about me are losing theirs and
IF I can retaliate "I hate you",
With "I see you are angry",
And still give you all an equal share.
IF the infectious diseases,
Sleepless nights, and bad language,
Don't destroy me and
IF I can hang in there,
I'm getting there,
So I'll hang in there.
IF I can be and allow you to be,
And still be,
I take my hat off to me.
IF I can temper
The tantrums with a laugh,
And laugh at the temper,
The temperature's right.
IF I can be a listener,
A friend, a seamstress,
A driver a giver a taker ,
A mother, a teacher and a father
I'm your parent my friends,
And you had better listen to me

You are the child I that I call mine,
The child that I birthed into this place.
You have brought me joy,
And an opportunity for growth.

Your open heart, and loving soul
Has opened me to the understanding
That I cannot know all of you
For you are all things to me.

When I feel the gentle rain
I feel your gentle love.
The sound of water, the smell of the sea,
The breeze on my face all remind me of you.

When I stand on a mountain
I feel your support.
When I look at the stars
I see your shining light.

You never comprise yourself or judge another,
You never complain but in your quiet way,
You smile and laugh, even though others would cry.
You always have a kind and loving word for everyone.

You remind me that life
Cannot be parceled into tangible form.
You remind me to be open hearted
And that Love is forever

You remind me, that without you,
I would not be the me that I am.
And through you my horizons

Have encompassed the planet.

You remind me of hope for a better future
.You are the light of my soul,
The joy in my heart
And the promise of a better world.

When I was a child
Fireflies romped and played
In the night skies.
But that was before DDT

Wagtails strutted on green grass.
They drank from pools and made me laugh
That too was before DDT

When I was a child
Forested mountains grew high
For us to climb up into the sky
But now new mountains
Of plastic and garbage grow
And so they will stand
For they decompose so slow.

Trees on the mountains
Are all chopped down.
The birds and the animals
Who lived there before
Are gone and many will be seen no more.

We’ve ****** the underground rivers
Of oil almost dry
And polluted the air
Until you can hardly see the sky
We've dirtied the rivers
With our waste that piles high.

Proud mountain lions, tigers,
Elephants, gorillas and monkeys do flee
To the last few places
Where they can roam free.

I fear what will happen
When we destroy them too.
What kind of world
Do we leave for our children
Tell me please do

When are we going to realize
That we are running out of time.
The earth, birds, animals, air, and sky – cry.
Who is listening?
Who cares?
Who will try to change
The course we are moving along?

I wrote this poem about 4 years before Mandella became president
I post it now as we remember Mandella and the legacy of change that has taken place in S.A.


Out of the darkness of Apartheid and separation came Reconciliation and new ways of beingness have opened up, not only in South Africa but all over the world.
I prayed for peace for South Africa my birth place.
I pray for peace for Israel Palestine and the Middle East where I now live
And I pray for peace throughout our world may we all remember love and may our legacy for our children be one of LOVE


People came to Southern Africa from many lands and many places drawn by their destiny.
They came, bringing with them memories of each place they called home.
They moved deep into the heart of the country engulfing the people already there.
Alas for many many years the nations remained separate and the people suffered.
Great nations from far away who felt the call within their own lands for change called out to the people of South Africa and told them it was time to make changes,
But the hearts of those in power remained hardened.
The Black people became strong and it came to pass that a great need for change arose deep within their hearts -
"Let's break down the barriers" they cried -- but how? They tried to talk, but the words became meaningless,
They tried to fight and many died. Still people went their own separate ways.
There came a time when the winds of change blew from far off lands the winds blew over the mountains.
They blew over the cities and farms. The earth called out to the people
Remember the heart of Africa has many colours, and beats in many different ways
The heart of Africa lies deep within the rhythms of the land.
If within the heart of Africa there is love - peace will reign.
Let each man be free to choose his path, Let each man choose his destiny.
Let the drumbeat of love beat it's rhythms and let the Eternal fire of love cleanse away hurt and sorrow,
And let the rainbow of love colour the nation of the New Africa.

The sounds of the wind as it blew over the land filled hearts with love.
"Love will bring people together it echoed, love will touch all hearts.
And the time will come when each man will be free to be himself -- with love all men will be free.
Children were the first to hear, and they reached out over the barriers and accepted each other,
They looked beyond colour, they let the drumbeat of love beat its rhythm through their hearts,
Until it touched the leaders and those in prisons who were there because they had cried freedom.
They allowed the eternal fire of love to cleanse away the hurt and sorrow,
And let the rainbow of love colour the nation of the new Africa.