David Kapp, Belthorn Estate
She would've been cross
Our mother would have
(so says my sister)
no vote in her youth time
sold a dummy one back then
and a hollow one today
She would've been cross
at the powers-that-wannabe
setting the ritual election date
on her earthday May 29th
Our mother would have
a teacher-activist motivated in us
the love of reading and writing
and critical thinking
shaping and liberating us
broadening and sharpening
and decolonising our minds
She who shared too
her love of (classical) music
and got me scrabbling
A Lennonist, inspiring
all of this in all of us
(made us who we are)
and all who passed by
(She who took Lennon, Baez,
Victor Jara and Oswald Mtshali
to her local Oaklands High School)
She would have been cross