Abantu Abanobuntu Poem by Nkululeko Mdudu

Abantu abasezintweni
Abamazele nto omnye umntu
Maxa wambi ungade uthi:
Abana buntu.

Phofu into isemntwini
Ukuba ukhetha ukungabina buntu
Okanye Ukhetha ukuba nomkhethe
Kwakunye nomkhenkce
Entliziyweni,
Asinto yamntu leyo.

Eny'into umntu yinto apha enobuntu
Nethi ngolohlobo ikhetheke
Kwizityalo kwakunye nezilwanyane

'Umntu ngumntu ngabantu, ' atsh' amaXhosa
Kodwa umntu ukwaza nento anayo etafileni
Bakhona ke abantu abangathathi-ntweni
Nabo ngabantu
Omnye wofika esithi: andinto yanto
Kodwa abe enegquba lezinto
Maxa wambi uve omnye esithi akananto
Esandleni, kodwa entliziyweni abesisityebi
Omnye angangabina mandla
Kodwa abekrelekrele ukodlula isininzi

Ngoko ke musani ukumeya umntu
Ngokumbona emncinane ngokomzimba
Okanye emncinane ngokwe pokotho
Kakade kwake kwathiwa:
'Oyena nqontsonga, yingqondo kunamandla.'
Kusitsho mna lo kwabo banomdla
Yaye 'banoyolo abangamahlwempu,
Kuba ubukumkani bamazulu bobabo'

Asina kumthiya ungantweni
Kuba asimazi ukuba ume njani entliziyweni
Nabo bonke abasweleyo
Bazakuthi bakusweleka
Baphele beba bubutyebi bomhlaba

Kusuka ntoni kumntu xa enobuntu?
Uziphathela nje ubutyebi bomphefumlo:
Amathamsanqa, iintsikelelo, intlonipho nothando
Ukulunga ayiyonto yabelungu
Kananjalo nobutyebi
Ukubanothando ayibobuthathaka
Yinzondo ekubangela ungabi nangqondo

Ubuntu yinto edalelwe
Wonke umntu ozalwa kulomhlaba
Andazi phofu ndisatsho: 'into isemntwini.'