Rain Under African Sky

The rolls of thunder and claps of lightning
Across the brazen Texas sky
Transports me back to
Rainy nights under African sky

Thunder rolled, lightning flared
And trees rustled under African sky
But torrential rain hammering on corrugated tin roofs
Gives voice to the sound of rain heard no place else

Texas rain brings hurricanes, tornadoes
And with them much sorrow
Rain under African sky
Signifies good harvests
And fresh water in abundance
Water to drink and water to bathe
Water to regale rivers, lakes and streams

But the alluring sound of
Rain under African sky
Pounding down on tin-covered roofs
Summons and captivates
Many under its spell

Rain under African sky
Makes its arrival in the dead of night
When everyone’s nicely tucked in bed
Seducing with the initial thud,
Signaling, mesmerizing, enticing…
Each thud steadily followed by another
Like the rhythmic beats of the Bongo …The Talking Drum
Luring all within its sound to fall deeper into sleep

The beat of Rain under African sky
Whispers to pull your covers closer,
Drown out your thoughts
And sink into a slumber
Only Rain under African sky can deliver

No covers? Never mind!
Coil up like a fetus, comfortably in the womb
Coil up until your knees hit your chin
Or snuggle up close to the person lying next to you
Bed, mat, cot, lappa on the floor, bare floor
Rain under African sky
Offers a delectable journey in sleep…
A journey in sleep
Experienced only under African sky

Lorraine Mason Copy right 2009

Memories of My Mother

Visions of my mother play in my head
First, as a small-waisted, skinny young mother
Long pig-tailed hair, parted in the middle
Glowing, smiling face
Eyes that sparkled in child-like fashion

Voice like a nightingale
Sang sweet lullaby and soothed her children’s troubled hearts

Red transistor radio
Belted red dress

Warm breakfast every morning
Scrambled eggs, hot corn bread, cream of wheat…
Meals prepared with love
Gravy, rice, cabbage, collard greens…
And served from hands withered by time

No qualms aging gracefully
Hair shortened, never to grow out again
Hard-working mother
Two jobs for the love of her children

Saturday morning laundry
Washing, Starching, Ironing, Folding
General Market, me in tow
Abijade Supermarket, me in tow

Praying mother
God-fearing, Bible-toting mother
Morning prayers, Evening prayers
Sunday morning prayers…then Church
Weekday or weekend, crack-of-dawn wakeup calls
The Lord’s Prayer, The Tenth Commandments, The Beatitudes
Psalm 23, 27, 39, 91,121
We memorized them all

Taught life’s lessons by example…the book of Proverbs…
Many colorful Liberan parables and folklores to drive home a point
Stern teacher, strict parent
Yet, never-too-big-to-sit-on-her-lap kinda mother
Hugs and kisses kinda mother
I-will-always-be-here-for-you kinda mother
Mending, stitching, sewing kinda mother
Every outfit, a labor of love

Lioness, fiercely guiding her cubs
Mother Bear, would gave her life for her cubs
Passionate, Compassionate
A mother of infinite wisdom and enough tenderness to warm a frigid heart!
A mother who could not help filling an empty stomach
My mother was one-of-a-kind

Lorraine Mason  Copy right 2009

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