Walk With Me (In Nata) Poem by Onalethuso Petruss Ntema

walk with me in this village
walk with me tonight
no holding back anymore
for the cold feet of mine i feel
i tremble in talk
but can not stop the walk
to walk
and link up, and talk
with the humble wise straight-talk
people from nata to njuutshaa
i remember one tebetebe
literally means a butterfly
as she proudly talks and inspiring
so many and much she would talk
a point she would have in (the same) talk
indeed a blessing to me
a blessing to live
a blessing to give
and stay(ed) in a group of this group
for it is so worth it

same again...
let me welcome you to nata
it would have been a night after
a long day of intense community work
from kasane to nata, thereafter
proceeding to njuutshaa
my eyes so wide open like a bright star
met so many kind people, and laughter
on the land of our father
deep in the woodlands of nata
via sepako, semowane and back to nata
blessed people of my father

(i feel) so touched by all this
i can not erase this
from my memory,
i still relate my thoughts
my senses and energy
as you walk with me
a journey of thought in kind
a place so many would find
so barren and clear but a kind
to settle one's own mind
in its epic and blind
at night not to see
the beauty, the people and peace of mind
as amenities you may find
so welcoming, in nata

extract from 'nata' journal.
'footsteps' june 2012 v.7

opn16062012/0300