African Winter

The one thing we will miss the most when we return home next spring will be the wonderful friends we have made throughout South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland. One couple that we have enjoyed emensely is Pat and Albert Whitfield. We became acquainted with them through our association in the Port Alfred Rotary Club. I mentioned Pat in an earlier post regarding her efforts to develop stronger literary skills here in the Port Alfred schools. Pat and her husband, Albert retired here in Port Alfred two years ago after fourty years of ranching and farming in the Free State Province in the central high plateau of South Africa. They gained a reputation and great respect for being outstanding stewards of the land. Pat is a beautiful watercolor artist, but also writes very touching poetry. We are just now coming out of winter here, and although we here in Port Alfred do not have the bitter cold of the central highlands where the Whitfield's farm was, I was still very touched by her poem, African Winter, which she has given me permission to share with you.



AFRICAN WINTER


Find a road that runs up to the sky

Find a randjie where wild winds blow

Find a landscape wiped of colour

Where the grey sun tips the fading hills,

And the rolbossies and the mealie leaves

Blow in the empty lands

See the sheep dust lift in clouds along the road

See the cattle hunched against the fence

Pause where the wind can catch your hair

Hitch your shoulder against the cold

Then open your palms and feel God’s peace

In the aching beauty of this high land.