Ribbon hands Poem by Isabella Motadinyane

Ribbon hands
mama's little darling
decorative hands
the way she is lazy
a coward retreats
anger is written on the forehead
children are like orphans
while the mother is still living
she goes to work
shoes stepping high
nails always wet with cutex
her boss knows her as
Mrs so and so
today her marriage is over
she lodged at other peoples houses
roll on
sweet sixteens
are plenty

Translation: 2007, Ike Mboneni Muila