Usizi Lokufa Poem by Mphathi Thobumoya Mbhele

Ukufa kungenze ihlaya mafungwase ka baba
Kwangthathela ithemba ngasala dengwane
kamhlaba
Lapho kukhona kuhambe kuqhoshe kuya gugumba
Ababulali besthandwa bemukezelwe izinsuku
zokphila ngokwenza kahle kwabo ukuthatha
ebengimthanda
Ezweni lenkululeko bangthwesa usizi impela kudela
umakhasana
Sisho ngazwi linye kufa senzeni kungani usthathela
esbathanda skhala
Kufa kuyokunqoba ukuphila sizikhohlisa
Vele labantu bayalamana
Ufakazi ukuphila kabuhlungu wintandane uze uye
egodini ungakaze wajabula
Kumina ukufa nokphila kuyafana
Ngoba khona abafa behamba
Sekuhamba inyama entabeni umphefumulo uyositha

Usizi lokufa yilo elisenza sphile noma ikanjani
Ngoba vele ekugcineni kthiwa sonke sothetha
amacala bese siya esihogweni
Ngisebenze impilo yami yonke ngokwentombazane
nje eqambe amanga sengibhadla ematilongweni
Lokho ke ukufa ko mphefumulo ongafunanga
ukuyothwasa enyangeni
Sasiyothwasa kweziphi ngoba nekfanele ukuba
zaskhulisa wazthatha unkulunkulu emhlabeni
Abangcwele bathi kuyodilika nezinyembezi makufika
basho kuphi?
Kona lokhu okwangenza intandane ngothokoza hla
kwangbuka emehlweni
Noma ngabe ksakbeka njenge nkanyamba inqobo
uma sixoxe njengendoda emadodeni
Thatha iscoco kufa vele lomdlalo uwudlala wedwa
esingasho ushaya umshosha phansi
Ukufa akukaze kube into enhle ngoba kfika
kusthathela esbathandayo emhlabeni
Kodwa akusho sefane silahle ithemba ekphileni
Hlezi abanye bethu bazombona uJesu emhlabeni
Ngizwile ukuthi use ndleleni