If You Still Have a Mother

This is a poem written by one of the boys in Kawai named Huber. I think he's 12 or 13 years old.

If You Still Have a Mother

If you still have a mother
Thank God that she loves you
For not all mortals
Have this blessed and saintly pleasure.
If you have a mother, be good enough
To merit the love that carried you close,
And suffered, as if blessed.
Sleepless nights, work filled days,
Hour by relentless hour,
Her song to close your eyes,
Upon waking her lips against yours,
sick and sad and full of ambition,
tears for you,
to steal miracles from the sky
when the world around you
has turned its back
She gave you a sweet prayer
held your small hand
and taught you life
Choose a path of happiness,
The blessed inheritance
Which she has shown you
To the sea and the sky she has gone,
with your love
Never to please her here again
Drop flowers
Upon her cold hard grave
When life is ill,
Turn to your soul and spill lonely tears

Huber Jarampa Pocco