she got to choose
any meal
a home cooked meal
whatever she wanted
a birthday girl
Sihle
six years old
Oh Treasure
she went to bed so excited
and I am sure her dreams were filled
with tables of all her favourite foods
I am certain her dreams were filled
with squeals of pure delight
clapped hands
birthday singing
cake
and
ice cream
candles
six of them
this little girl
is a dancer
she runs
and climbs rock walls
she falls and says she is fine
she draws and paints
tells wonderful stories
and
she loves a party
pancakes
"Mom, I want pancakes... O joy... pancakes please"
of all meals
it will be pancakes
and peanut butter
syrup from Canada for some others
jam for some
whipping cream and strawberries for mom
there is an excitement about pancakes
which makes everyone happy
Sihle loves laughter
her birthday will be filled with it
inside and out
wrapped in pretty paper
and with every card
laughter will roll around the room
leak out of every seam
and fill her little girl heart
this Gramma will sneak a Skype peak
will sing her birthday song
will hear 'her' story
and see all the smiles
Nomusa said it was a surprise
her present and Mario's
Sihle
this little treasure
worth everything to the Father
God set a big love into a woman's ordinary heart
it leaked out and touched a little baby
she knew she could not live without this little one
and another one
and another
and one more
she told me she has cared for hundreds of infants
and loved them all
but something tangled in her heart of hearts
that wouldn't let go of a certain four
They will all get a birthday meal one day
and one day Lord willing
it will be at Gramma's
so I can catch all these leaky giggles
that wrap these kids up in so much love
in a forever family
Sihle was much younger
when she said her daddy was God
and they all said their heart mommy was my Shoshi
just last week they said
in Canada
in our new home Uncle is building for us
Grampa and Gramma
and all our friends
are building for us
~it will be the house Love built~
can we walk to Gramma's?
can Gramma come to our house for a sleep over?
I will make them pancakes
and see all their leaky giggles
and feel all their leaky love
a pancake birthday
my favourite things
