“Leave me now, children of my daughter,
Follow the forest paths where the sand
Has few thorns. Listen and run,
Run and listen, the morning sun on your left hand;
See, I have brought you a little way
But already the grey-haired breath
Of my years is upon me. I’ll rest awhile and pray.
At home there is but death.
Limpopo is three days from here,
Cross after dark; there will be a full moon;
When you see that soldiers are near
Hide, be still. Trust no one. Soon
You will be safe. Benji, here is a blanket, a few coins.
Tie Sipho’s shoes. Tie the cash into your clothes.
Sipho, here is water; a little sadza. All I have.
Zimbabwe is an empty calabash but you must live.
Go now. Don’t look back,
No, no, my children, no, don’t cry;
Nkulunkulu will be with you, go,
Goodbye my little ones, goodbye..........”
“Ehh! Ehh! Maiwe, maiwe..............”
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem