Across The River To My Maid Poem by Walani Ndhlovu

Down I'll ride to my maid
Across the water to the river end I'll reach
Where I'll see several smiles
As they saw me getting off the beach

My little boat shall wish to escort me
But he neither creeps nor has legs to walk
So he keeps on jumping up and down trying to peep
And blames the trees which won't let him see me talk

My hands shall be set to take out a gift
Nothing precious but a cloth covered in red
To indicate the love I've carried all the way through
So she sees my love before I take the morning bread

The little cloth shall be smart and well presented
For he has a crash on her as he once told me
So I shall grab him off her hands if she loves him a lot
To leave my maid alone and leave our courtship free

The crowd shall party and sing on the day
Tears of joy shall drip off her eyes when I'll carry her home
But before that I shall warn my boat
To float safely over the excited winter storm

Then down I'll ride back
Across the water to the other river end I'll reach
Where I'll see several smiles
As they watch us getting off the beach.