Hymn To My Grandmother Poem by Biwot Kevin

'Twere you
that told me to stand against my deepest fear
to fight against any beast that may in my path appear
to stay but dumb where all show their intellect
to choose but the vocation which few dare to select
'twere you that gave me life
'twere you that saved me from internal strife

'twere you
that believed in me when all failed
you held me when in deep solitude i wailed
you comforted me when all around me shattered
you help me recollect my courage though it had all over scattered
'twere you that gave me eternal joy
'twere you that taught me never to be shy nor coy

'twere you
who criticised me when i was wrong
who corrected me when i followed the mad path of the stupid throng
who taught me to kneel down and in contrition pray
who forced me my hail maries though asleep to say
twere you oh grandmother 'twere you
and how i wish i knew
that life is but an ephemeral affair
that devoid of you am but a desert stricken with despair
i love you
oh how i wish i knew

that now the flowers
have o'ergrown the grave that now is thy abode
that now my hours
are full of confusion, tears and endless discord
were you not the one that was like my second mother
that i wished never to have another
'tis late but still i will cry
i have lost but everything that i had before
will i but this towering pain defy
will to be a stronger person ever grow?