On Talking To An Old Maldivian Man


On Talking To An Old Maldivian Man
Originally uploaded by i b u
"So many years since nineteen thirty three, When I came here from Northern Male' atoll,
I dug trenches with strong work hardened men, And I was only barely nineteen then
A migrant half a world away from home, The loneliness of the exile I have known.

At twenty years I met my wife to be, A dark haired rose of Himmafushi
Marie was seven months older than me, When we settled down to start a family.

The happiest years of life that I did know, She bore me children Hassan and Hawwa
Two healthy children and a loving wife, What more could any one man ask of life? .

I worked as contract drainer 'by the yard, The money quite good though the work was hard, A young migrant in a great and new Country, I made good use of opportunity.

Though that was years and years and years ago, On looking back those years did quickly flow, My shoulders drooped, my legs grown weak and slow
And look at me now my hair as white as snow.

The loneliest I have been for years and years, Marie is dead 'his eyes filled up with tears'
She was good wife and she meant so much to me"

'I pitied him that son of Maldives'. I pitied him for his great sense of loss
In his twilight years his was a heavy cross, An old man he must face the end alone
Without the greatest friend he'd ever known.

No comments: