You are fifty four years old
There are tears, still many tears
You tell your story in IsiXhosa
Your daughter interprets
Age thirteen
A belt around your neck
She pulls it tighter
She has a name
Mom
The nurturer
The protector
The safe place
With the belt around your neck
Your name comes to mind
Grace
Perfect mix between vintage and modern
A virtue from God
At an early age you were sent away
Lived with other people
Idutywa – at 10 years taken from grade four
Put into the fields herding animals
A dad left you there with his mother
No nurture here
The season ends
Your mom allows you to live in her home
East London, Mdantsane
There is a stepfather and step siblings
One brother four sisters
Grace also means
Charm
Goodness
Generosity
Will anyone notice
Stepfather does
The generosity leads to his bed
You refuse, you are thirteen years old
She encourages the action
The memories are clear and murky
She brought out the sjambok
Stepbrother brought out the sjambok
A friend of mine, she lied
The result, a belt around your neck
You run away to your aunt
You become the nanny
A wage is paid
Ten rand a day
Two months is nanny enough for you
A train takes you back to Idutywa
You are now sixteen years old, you work for a butcher
You have a boyfriend
Grace means salvation
Your 30 year old boyfriend might save you
You are pregnant
Boyfriend says come to Cape Town
This could be your happy place
Usual happy place
You have more children
2 boys, three girls
And a dagga smoking husband
An axe is involved
Police arrive
Husband shot in the leg
Prison for your husband
Discharged, asks for forgiveness
Nothing changes, courts, restraining orders
You raise five children
You know how to
Nurture
Protect
And your home is a safe place
She is still there
Your two boys and three girls understand that she is their granny
However, their guard is up
There are some serious matters to navigate
A sjambok, a belt and an axe
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