Somalia Needs Us All Poem by Diana van den Berg

Somalia,
South Africa aches for you
and your emaciated people
especially the children.
You will know that from the visits
of The Gift of the Giver volunteers
who say that the devastation
is so much worse than Japan’s tsunami’s
and from the corporations who have contributed gifts
of hundreds of thousands of rands
and the little people
who gave their ten rands via SMS.
I could only give you ten rand
because the money I have is not mine
until I have paid my debt to my animals’ vets
but I know they won’t mind waiting
just ten rand more.
I know also that there are thousands of us
who could/would only give you ten rand,
but ten thousand ten rands
means a hundred thousand rand
and even one little ten rand
could mean an injection
that saves one desperate little life
so I know you will appreciate my meagre gift
of ten rand
and tears
and fervent prayers
and an attempt
to encourage my colleagues
to do the same.
May God inspire
many to do all they can
for you and your people
and may your people stop the fighting
and may they weather the famine
and may the rains come
and may your people begin the healing
and the planting
and the prosperity.

(13 August 2011)