Literature

Friday, 11 March 2011

Two Jungles to Town

By Vusumzi Toto Matomane

Before we get

to town; trekking—

There are two jungles to cross…

One is home

To the mambas, baboons & jackals

(and one tiger;

The villagers think)…

The other:

A hide-out for owls,

Zombies, witches, killers & bogus-sangomas…

Nonetheless we cross both—

And see the devil’s work:

a butchered-body

of an unidentified woman.

Hawker…

By Vusumzi Toto Matomane

Feet tired

and sore:

But there goes Mamma.

She travels streets of

the dusty city

From one corner

to another.

Her grass-woven basket

is well-balanced

on her head

& laden with bananas…

So hot the sun;

That even ants make haste

To vacation—

But there goes Mamma.

My Neighbourhood

By Vusumzi Toto Matomane

My ghetto

is a composition

of sad tunes—

Sung in the dark,

Sung in the sunshine:

Roaring sounds of

the AK 47’s,

Squeaking wheels of

hijackers’ vehicle

From another robbery,

Sobs of the victim of

Rape;

next-door

And shattering china

& window-panes

By an abusive husband

Just across the street.

Master, It’s My Birthday Today

[CUT Poetry Association]

Written by Nduvho Mukhavhuli

I am a young hard-worker—

to show for it;

My Master bought more:

cars,

And houses,

and all the good things…

He even bought more wives.

But Master, today is my birthday;

Will I get

my day-off from the mine?

When my Mama

left me five years ago;

You said I:

would not work on my birthday…

So please.

My hands and feet

are sore

from day-in and day-out labouring

I am seven years old now,

And today

I would like to see the sunset…

Jabu tells me bright and warm.

I’ve never seen it.

The mines are very dark.

So please Master,

can I just get a chance

To let my backaches heal,

Rest my shoulders,

And relieve my aching knees?

Mama, Why did you Leave Me?

[CUT Poetry Association]

Written by Nduvho Mukhavhuli

(Letter from Four- year old Thandi)

“I am sorry you had to give birth to me,

I am sorry I hurt you,

I am sorry I made you cry,

I am sorry—

So sorry I: a burden for you.

Mama, please come fetch me here;

The other street kids bully me,

The grown men do things to me—

They hurt me…and I don’t like it.

Mama I am scared.

Why did you leave me?

It’s always cold at night;

And I never sleep

From the noise my stomach makes…

The sound of hunger scares me Mama.

Please come fetch me here.

I promise I will behave—

I won’t make you cry;

Please Mama don’t leave me.”

We wait in Silence

[CUT Poetry Association]

Written by Nduvho Mukhavhuli

We wait silence; holding our breath,

We wait for a new dawn,

We wait for a brighter world.

We wait in silence;

for the day

That our meaningless existence

Comes into focus

And our destinies revealed—

…in silence: where our paths

Will lead to one thing,

The greatest evolution of men—

an epic journey

with all leading for one goal—

The search for Hope…

Hope that without: Men cease to be Men,

And all that remains

is but a pending heart;

waiting to deliver its Hope.

Monday, 28 February 2011

By Mzukisi Mdudo

She is the one:
Whom I think of
Through the long hours
Of the night,

She is the one:
who bypasses
locked gates
So we can be together,

She is the one:
who sacrifices
her last coin on the telephone-booth
So she can say;
'Hullo',

She is the one:
who dwells
On my mind all day long,

She is the one:
who stars
Every night in my future dreams,

She is the one:
I love to love
from this moment & until
Eternity.

Bridge Street

By Vusumzi Toto Matomane

Down in Bridge Street:
the night is flavoured
With scents of the jacaranda...

Here I repose--

And awhile;
in-between dancing branches
I hear
Golden echoes of the trees
Uttering your name.

Copyright © Vusumzi Matomane 1996

Foolish Styles

By Mthuthuzeli Qwayi

Far away;
in distant lands
a lost lamb wanders...

In the village
kraalmates persue
their normal grazing--

Simple paths
with evergreen pustures
tresspassed
by bloody strangers:
are a habit
To be forgotten.

Copyright © Mthuthuzeli Qwayi 1999

Teach Me...

By Vusumzi Toto Matomane

To kiss your soft lips
under pecan trees
of Savoy Gardens,

To stroke tenderly
your silky skin
along sands of Second Beach,

To recite love poems
flashing
In your benevolent eyes.

Copyright © Vusumzi Matomane 2000

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

I am Inspired…

[CUT Poetry Association]

Written by Nduvho Mukhavhuli

I am inspired:

by the waving-voices

of goodness—

Singing songs of bliss

and

Peace.

I am inspired:

by tranquility and calmness…

and stillness

I am inspired—

I am inspired:

To talk Joy,

To spread Peace

and shower Hope.

I am inspired:

to be

a carrier of happiness.

I am inspired:

to impregnate myself

With Peace—

and give birth to even more Peace

and tranquility

I am inspired

to be a beacon of Hope…

to be that tongue of sugary goodness

That lingers in your mouth and

Heart…

I am inspired.

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

I Believe

Written by Noluvuyo ‘Vuoza’ Ntlatywa

Now I believe—

The saying:

Love is like a butterfly…

it eludes

When you least expect…

Now I believe;

there is

True Love…

Now I believe;

there are

Soul Mates…

Now I believe;

it doesn’t take a life-time

to spot the

‘Love-of-your-Life’

and now I believe;

in True love—

Because you’ve shown me

the true-meaning:

That across miles-and-miles:

True Love travels

and wins…because True Love

Always does—

Beyond the tallest mountains,

Behind darkest jungles…

on the well-oiled vehicle of True Love;

We ride to see the rainbow

Of hope and endurance.

Together we ride

On the Wings of Love

And soar to greater hieghts

Day-by-day.

Friday, 11 February 2011

It’s Coming Home

[CUT Poetry Association]

Written by Nduvho Mukhavhuli

Like a longing heart;

burning with passion—

Missing home.

It’s heading your way;

like a warm home…

Sitting—awaiting its arrival,

all in it with warm bundles of happiness…

Knowing it’s coming home—

Rest assured it’s coming your way.

This mystery that I speak of:

drove fighters to fight,

Heroes to hold on; when all was lost…

It’s what drives man

To take action…to stand up

It’s what summons up courage;

Giving Peace to the Peace-less,

Joy to the sad

and endless Pleasure

to the tormented.

This thing I talk of is ‘hope.’

It’s the bringer of:

All things good,

All things sweet and

All things joyous

The Inheritance

[CUT Poetry Association]

Written By Thabo ‘Papiki’ Moloi

Only time will tell;

how our efforts were sunk—

Tearful,

dreaded mind lockdown

Was it me? was it you?

Or those things we never did:

Cry and bow down to the tombstones

of our Forefathers

From which I inherit:

Setso sa Basotho

Bana ba thari e ntsho.

Great variation of genes—

Mother-to-daughter,

Father-to-son

And vice versa

Eo ke yona meetlo ya rona

Ooh! yet again: these mind interrupters;

Come and defuse

The already intricated minds—

Fallen from great power of demons…

We watch upon

sethepu se theolang boikgantsho

Ba bomme ba rona

Yes:

the lost generation

beneath Sotho Culture ‘followers’

E seng bana ba thesele

Oh God forgive this lost tribe

E seng bana ba Moshweshwe

Tlotla ke e lebisa ho Basotho ba Lesotho:

Who stood up on the hills,

Maqhama a bopilwe

Tshebediso ya majwe ho pitla,

the power mis-using

Independence violators

Oh power to your royal highness!

Ke apere kobo ya boikgohomoso;

Whether hot or cold,

Ka Modianyewe e seng hoba ke le kgotla

Empa hoba ke ikgantsha ka setso saka.

Bana ba thari ntsho bona ba o tseba moetlo,

Ea boo ke re KHOTSO, PULA NALA.

Monday, 7 February 2011

Mthuthuzeli Qwayi is On-Board

My Dear Friends,

It gives me pleasure to announce that, soon on this Blog; I will be posting Essays and Poems by one of Ngangelizwe’s finest writers (and an old friend of mine); Mthuthuzeli ‘Mturah’ Qwayi. His classical works will be on this Blog together with his old-and-new poems—poems dating back to 1999 (whilst we were together in a Writers Club: the-then ‘Simanywa Lusiba Writers Club’…that has now merged with other Writers Associations to form the O.R Tambo Writers Association).

We are also posting, concurrently with Mturah’s works, Poetry by students who are Members of the CUT Poetry Association (an Association that I am Co-ordinating for this year).

These will be Poems and/or Writings from aspiring Writers at the varsity…the likes of Mzukisi Mdudo, Sylvia, Thabo Moloi, Nduvho, Yolanda Bakwena, Rethabile Zilila, Kelebogile Lydia Leepa …and many more.

We are also hoping, that when she is not busy; the talented Sista and Free State’s finest Poetess: Sista Thandeka Thafeni—will share with us, on this Blog, some of her Poetry.

Those who have read the Article “HEADLINE NEWS” will find this joint-venture; Educational, Entertaining and Emotionally-Uplifting—in an artistic-way.

Since I am no longer posting material on ‘SoulMate’: these ‘works’ from my fellow-writers and Friends; should be enough to keep us glued on the screens—reading and commenting.

Let us Welcome on-board: Mturah, Sista Thandeka (who will be joining the Family of Friends soon) and Poets from the CUT Poetry Association.

Your Friend,

Toto.

“A Reading Nation is a Winning Nation.”