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Writer's pictureLoraine Mponela

A tribute to Penny Walker

Penny walker had a house

A tranquil place filled

With love and care

But now she made it ours too


Penny gave us her house

Housing all.

Taking away our homeless shame

And clothing us with a name home


Our house, the one that Penny gave us

Is a peace garden, where all plants grow

Just like us

The human exotic plants

Call this place home


There is a Zimbabwean cabbage

Rhubarb that endures all weather all year round

It never changes,

Green peace and love all year round

Never dying like Penny’s love.


Penny you are gone

But in your place stands a garden of peace

With creeping strawberries ready

To be picked and eaten.

Creeping beans ready to harvest.

Every fruit and plant so special

Like the touch of your warm hands.


These standing little plants

Giving birth to sweet fruits

Pregnant with aroma

That even babies can pick

And caress as they often do

Are a symbol to how accessible you were.


Penny your love grows just like the

Cherry tomatoes and big tomatoes

Growing side by side with sunflower

Yellow flowers bringing light

In a colourful spectacle like the love you still exude


Penny you left us a foodbank house.

With three apple trees standing majestically

Two at the back and another in front

Which bear green and red apples

In a mix of sweet yet sour

That fall freely on ground.

Just like your tears at the sight of the homeless


Pennyyou left us a House that we now share

With many visitors including the birds

Birds still making their presence felt

In loud songs and the mess on our table

As if they are saying: “like Penny, we were here.”


You left us a sanctuary.


You gave us a calming house.

Calming distressed children

A garden of yellow roses, White flowers

that shine as bright at night as the full moon

Where I sit and at times play football or dance

To my tribal healing songs.


And I will remember you always when I sit

In this my favourite hotspot

Free from shade of heavenly bound trees

Where I walk barefoot

Connecting my body with nature

Grounding, feeling the warmth from under my feet.


In peace garden.

A place where we can rest

From the sun's penetrating rays

A place where we can light open fires

Feeling the warmth penetrating from the top of my head to my longest foot

I burn my struggles and calm my mind


At this moment I think of you Penny,

Gone and yet here,

Enveloping me in the four walls of my room

Your spirit caressing every window

Calming me to sleep

In a place that we call our house

And the place I call simply home


Rest In Power

Penny Walker.


by Loraine Mponela





CARAG members reactions:


“Heartfelt, thank you”


“A befitting tribute to our guardian angel, I will forever be grateful to have experienced her compassion, rest in power Penny 🙏🏽”


“I’ve listened to this poem live. It describes everything about her. Rest in peace Penny Walker🙏”


“Rest In Peace Penny”


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