Tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu by Elder Jay Naidoo
I am not an optimist
I am a prisoner of conscience.
A beholder of the truth.
In the blazing furnace
Of my faith.
Unblinded by the prejudice it carries.
Cleanzing the poisoned chalice
Of Untruth and Ignorance.
Living without judgment
Fighting for human rights.
Workers rights. Gay rights. Ecological rights.
My mind drifts.
The explosive Eighties.
Your Truth swims against the currents of our anger.
Your truth pierces the fragile birth of a new activism.
Guiding it’s difficult journey
With your overflowing compassion.
Strengthening our moral fibre.
Confronting our own demons.
Our shadow of our dark side.
You patiently pastored
Our broken bones.
Rekindling our Spirit.
I thank you Arch.
You were an ally.
No more.
You were our midwife.
Our wise father
In the search
Of our Humanity.
You taught me humility.
And your bubbling laughter
Even in our most terrible moments
Made our Spirit soar in flight.
Like the morning of the bombing
Of COSATU House
Your embrace. Your home.
Confronting the norm of fear
Even when they came for you.
Thank you Arch.
For a life fully embraced.
For those moments when you held me.
Especialy spiritually
In my own those times of uncertainty
And doubt.
You have been my teacher. My pastor. My spiritual father.
And I am grateful to have your Light
And the optimism of your Conscience.
In my humble Life.
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🌻