Albert Nyathi

Once colonised in 1890
Uncolonised in 1980
This is the land of contradictions my friends
Where you will meet,
The laughing hyaenas and the crying children
The chattering monkeys and thr roaring lions,
Where you will meet the doubting eagles in the sky
And the hissing snakes in the grass
Visitor, welcome to Zimbabwe.
This is where you meet
The bleating sheep and the hooting owls
The croaking frogs and the barking, yelling,yelping,
Shouting baboons!
Visitor, welcome to Zimbabwe

This is where the Zambezi water slowly crushes its way
Towards the Indian Ocean, and you would hear the gushing of mad waters
Down the Victoria Falls, vomiting fish and crocodile,
From its overloaded stomach,
'Hey you selfish Zambezi,
Why do you feed your stomach too much, when others are hungry?'
Victoria falls, Mosi Oa Tunya , the Smoke that Thunders.

Mzilikazi quietly sleeps at Entumbane in Matopos side by side
With Rhodes the rival who arrived for a rest here
Nehanda spirit roams around Mazoe among the orange plantations
In Nyanga the deep waters have no word to say except the mist and the mistry abound

This is where you meet, Harare the city of one who does not sleep-Haa-rare!
UBulawayo, umafavuke njengedabane - the city of Kings!

And now Zimbabwe is aculturated
It is a boiling pot of countless cultures,
It is a hotch potch a wish wash.
And because of the media American culture is tops
Amongst the Zimbabwean youth,
Everywhere you go its 'yo-man'
Even to mum and dad in the country side.

Welcome to Zimbabwe.
...

Even the silent ants
Trampled upon by giant elephants
Do sing a silent song

They shall surely know
How to shoot
The great foot
Weighing heavily on them
...

Nozindaba
Thathawese
Umlomo ongahlalwa yimpukane
Undondabo
Nxa ungaqambanga amanga uyagula mngani wami
Nxa ungahlebanga ubuthongo abubuyi
Hawu Makhelwane mngane wami
Kanti uyalunywa na
Ungahla emzini wakho
Wethele abantwabakho inganekwane
Hawu uvuka lapha ulale lapha
Awuswelakali yonkindawo
Ukhona yonkindawo
Awusileli
Aweqiwa zindaba
Kanti awukwazi ukuthi abantu bakhuluma ngawe
yonkindawana
Kanti awukwazi ukuthi abantu kabasakulaleli
Awukwazi ukuthi abantu sebekwenza uhlanya
Awukwazi ukuthi awusahlonitshwa kulindawo
Awukwazi ukuthi abantu sebekwenza undondabo
Uthathekile, imota leyana leyana leyana
Utsho ukuthi awukwazi wena ukuthi usuyindaba egudwini
Sebevukisana ngawe batshonisane ngawe makhelwane
Hawu mngane wami


Hawu Nozindaba mngane wami
Tshiyana lezindaba
Ungukasaleli weni
Ezinkonzweni ukhona uzidlisa satshanyana kubafundisi
Mngane wami
Kwabathethelayo ukhona
Nguwe usithwala mayika
Kanti pho uyini, ungaphi
Haa sengiyabona manje
Ngiyabona ulunwabu wena mngane wami
Tshiyana lakho

Tshiyana lokuba ngumbaxambili
Emihlanganweni uma labaphathi
Tshiyana lekhwapha lenduna
Usekhwapheni lenduna wena
...

Always gossiping
Everything comes from the gossip
No lies no sleep
Survives on gossip
Neighbour friend does not stay at his home
Can't even have time with her children to tell some folktales to them
Is all over, does not have a permanent place to sleep
Is all over
Talk of the township
Knows everything and everything comes from her
No longer listened to; no longer respected
People no longer take you seriously
Talk of the township at all times
Morning, afternoon, evening
You are the talk of the township
Nozindaba, leave gossip
Even pastors and gardeners talk about you
You also carry news from traditional diviners
Changing like a chameleon
No one knows where you really stand
Where do you really stand?
At gatherings you occupy you are part of those who address those meetings
Leave the chief alone
...

Bayethe
Wena weZulu
Ndabezitha
UMzilikazi kaMatshobana
Utshobatshoba lingangoyise uMatshobana
Ndabezitha
Bayethe

We makhosi abeNguni
Lin oZwelithini
Lin oMswati
Lin oKhayisa lina oButhelezi

Uphi uMzilikazi kaMatshobana
Utshobatshoba lingangoyise uMatshobana
UMzilikazi kaMatshobana
Umkhatshwa wakoZimangele
Okhatshwe ngezind izinyawo langezifitshazanyana
wal ukudl umlenze koBulawayo
Inkubela abayihlabe ngamanxeb uZulu

Inyang abathi ifile Zulu
Kanti ithwasile
Ithwase ngonyakana kaMpeyana
Ubando abalubande balutshiya Zulu
Inkomo ezavulinqama ngezimpondo
Ngoba zavul iNgome zahamba
Wena owathi usagodla weluleka
Mzilawegazi kawulandelwa
Owulandelayo uyazibambelela
Kwahlehla uTshaka
Kwahlehla uDingane
Abanye bakhwela izintaba
Kwathi abofokazana bangena ezimbalwini
Bayethe, wena weZulu.

Utshobatshoba lingangoyis uMatshobana
Ibhidi elimnyama ngomlomo
Elithethwa ngezinyembezi zamadoda
Umfitshane wakithi onjobo kazinyathelwa
Kanti ezabade ziyanyathelwa
Ezabade nguTshaka kaSenzangakhona
Ezabade nguZwide kaLanga
Inkwenkwez ende ilesilimela
Ilang elaphum endlebeni yendlovu
Laphum amakhwezi abikelana
Umzaca omnyama otshayizinkomo, watshaya amadoda
Utshani bude busemahalihali
Bothi nyakana butshayo
Buyotsha lemitsha yamadoda
Imbabal egxakaz ematsheni
Iyesab inzipho zay ukonakala
Wemba ngomkhonto
Wemba ngenduku
Bayethe

Inkal umahamba lugege
Ezindlini zika baba
Yithi laba esesidliswa imbuya ngoluthi
Ikanti layo inyama sesiyidlela eluthini
Bayethe Mzilikazi
Bayethe nkosi yamakhosi
Ndabezitha
Wena weZulu
...

Praise be to you of Zulu ancestry
Whose name is Mzilikazi of Matshaobana
We salute you!

All you Nguni kings,
Zwelithini
Muswati
Khayisa and Buthelezi

We ask you
Where is Mzilikazi son of Matshobana?
O where is he gone to Mzilikazi of Matshobana?
The wanderlust filled young Matshobana
Mzilkazi son of Matshobana
Born of Zimangele
Accompanied by those of long and short feet
To Bulawayo where he refused hindquarter meat
Pierced by Zulu spears.

The moon they say is in eclipse
Has but arisen
It rose a long time ago during the time of Mapeyana
This is the Zulu firebrand
The bull that fought and gored open the ram's stomach
Because they opened and Ngome and left
The spoor of blood is not to be followed
Those who follow will do so in vain.
Tshaka retreated
Dingane retreated
Some went up the mountains
Those not from royalty sought refuge caves
Praise be to you of the Zulu

As tall as the father Matshobana.
Our short one whose apparel is not to be tempered with
He dares to trample on the mighty ones
The mighty ones are Tsaka son of Senzangankhona
The mighty ones are Zwide son of Langa
The night star with a long trail.
The sun that rises in the ear of the elephant
Came out and black birds told each other
The cattle prod turned on men to scourge them
The tall grass mahalihali
A day will come when it will get burnt
It will be burnt together with men's regalia
A gecko that plays in between the rocks
Is scared of spoiling its fingernails
You who dug a hole with a spear
You who dug a hole with knobkerrie
Praise be to you.

The crab that moves sideways
In our father's houses
We are now suffering
Eating meat from the braai log
Hail Mzilikazi
Bayete king of kings!
You royal Zulu.
...

Kutheni
Hawu kutheni bo
What's going on?
Kutheni abantwana bedunusile izindlela zonke lezi
Kwabayisidunudunu kanti umqando kaliwuzwa?
Kutheni?
Kwabayisixhobexhobe, isiphithiphithi
Kwaxokozela, kwabayingxabangxoza
Isiphithiphithi, isisanasana umtshado wezinja
Kutheni what's going on?

We are told of banks
Being bankrupt
Told of bouncing cheques and failing businesses
Conmen conning people at every corner
Sokuyisikapukapu, asikapule ndoda
Kutheni, what's going on?

Isixhobexhobe isiphithiphithi
Kwaqala ngetshukela sathi sikubonile ngoba limnandi
Habe pho sokuswelakala lalolelosawudo elibabayo
Kutheni, what's going on?

Kutheni sesihlatshwa ngameva lapho okucentwe khona
Kutheni
Sesidonse ugagu saluletha egumeni
Abadala bathi olungaziwayo kaluthezwa
Njalo ichithamuzi alibaswa lapha ekhaya
Babuye bathi okungapheliyo kuyahlola
...

What's wrong with people even children who are half dressed?
What's going on?
Too much confusion and one cannot actually see what exactly is going on.
Everyone wants to have a share whatever he may lay his hands on
What's going on?

First of all it was the issue of sugar because of being sweet
Now its salt, which is bitter, which means people no longer what they deal in as long as they get money for it
Through creating artificial shortage and charging their own chores
What's going on?

We are told of banks
Being bankrupt
Told of bouncing cheques and failing
businesses
Conmen conning people at every corner
What's going on?

What's going on we are all in pain when we thought we were travelling on a safe road.
We have brought a foreign log that is taboo to be used at home as firewood.
The elders put the blame on us because the log is a destroyer but elders will always say everything with a beginning will always come to an end.
What's going on?

Simply stresses the problems that are currently felt all because of a taboo log that has been used at home as firewood.
...

Softly, swimmingly
Deftly defiantly
Softly, swerving
Ducking like a lone duck
Dodging even a bullet
Splashing water
Under the good guidance
Of a proud mum
From a small man
Splashing like a mad duck
Kicking the empty air
...

Pressure dominates the most
Mischievous of their treasures
The baby girl screams!
The fly snaps sharp!
The scream haunts the nation!
Their conscience also lapses
And the great stress kicks them
Right in the face!
...

Dear Mzwakhe Mbuli
You know politics is the most amusing
And amazing of all forms of art
Politics is art yes
Almost dirty art
This system uses you and leaves you hapless and
helpless
It's like a snake that bites you and leaves you
To waste
And never eats you
Simply for sheer fun of biting you
This is the system
As I write you this letter Mzwakhe
I still see from a distance
The hyenas that you know
The same jackals that you know

Dear Mzwakhe
This is where the cruellest survive
Those who can afford
Are swivelling, swaying in their posh limousines
While citizens starve to death

You see there is no room for serious thinkers in
Politics
Thugs are allowed to roam the streets
That's the game of politics
And innocent citizens have to languish in jail
That's the game of politics
You see the lion is the boss because of its brutality
And ruthlessness
But on the judgement day
The lion will be charged and judged at the same time
All these hyenas and jackals will be charged and
Judged
There are so many questions left unanswered
Yes the questions are quite appetising
But I am afraid I do not have as much appetite to
Answer them
This is where the cruellest crooks survive

There are so many patches left not mended
So many wounds to be healed
So much spiritual cleansing need to be done
Deception has been the main character in this
Political satire
Mfowethu uthixo usomandla uyakubona konke lokhu
But one day all of us will stand before the Lord and
Be judged
Even the lion will be charged and judged
Phela isilwane sithembe amazinyo sikhohlwe ukuthi
Azakhumuka
Sithembe inzipho sikhohlwe ukuthi zizathundubala

Yours faithfully

Imbongi
Albert Nyathi
...

Little sunshine announced my arrival
KwaZulu
No one cares about water
Splashing your face by the seaside
Landlocked southerner
This is Durban my friend
Where hips distinguish the Zulu woman
From their European counterparts

The sea is angry and roaring
The sea is hungry wailing
Like a wounded jackal
Excuse me
What are the waves saying?
I have never spoken
The language of water
The sea is waving at me
Looking sad and furious
No one of us has ever
Understood the language of the waves
Wailing, roaring, roving
Pushing the waves away
From the breast of the sea

This is Durban
The sea has been roaring
Even shying away
She looks angry
I don't know why
She is raging, raving
I don't know why
...

I see a sea of citizens milling,
Scattered, seated, standing, swaying
They are swerving, sweating, swinging
Singing and sighing
They are steaming and streaming
Football fans and fools alike
Fans cheer at the sight of the colour of the jersey
Fools jeer at the sight of the colour of the skin
Football fans and fools
They shout and share the joy of a win
They shout and share the sorrows of a defeat
Yes one team has to win.
Tell me then, how does the colour of the skin come in?
Racism is cancer eroding the human spirit
Racism is for imbeciles
Bent on destroying human relations
Bent on destroying the good that mankind has built

I shudder to imagine what would happen
If the world had one race
Look, if we had red roses only for flowers
No white roses, no lilies, nor daffodils
I do not want to imagine
What the jungle would look like
If we had lions only for animals
No leopards, no jackals, nor giraffes
I hesitate to imagine
What the roads would look like
If we had BMWs only for cars
No Ford, no Toyota, nor Volvo
No Limousines, nor tractor even?

Please do not ask me to imagine
What it would be like
If all of us just agreed on everything
If all of us had one opinion
If all of us looked alike
Were of the same height
Same weight
Same colour of skin
Same nose shapes
Same colour of hair?

Some have to have big nose
Others have to have small eyes
Some have to be tall like giraffes
Others big and baggy like baby elephants
Yet others short and stocky like rabbits.

So we need Blacks
We need Whites
We need Asians
We need the Chinese
We need everybody
To beautify the world
Do not tell me
You do not envy
The beauty of the rainbow
So, come on, let us beautify the world
With our different colours
Stand up and be counted
Stand up
...

When I demand that you
Be home before dark everyday
I, my daughter, do not hate you dear
I am merely trying to protect you

From the claws of tigers that love to feast in the
Dark
From the punting leopards
Stalking like ghosts
Almost ready to leap at you

I am merely trying to protect you
From hungry lions silently eying you
Licking their lips
Ready to pounce on you
From the jumpy jumpy monkeys that move
From tree to tree
From branch to branch
Without any particular base

I am trying to protect you
From the proud peacocks that love
To show off bales of dollars
And pound sterling notes
To their victims like you

When I say be home before dark everyday
I am merely trying to protect you dear

From the trumpeting elephants
That love party times in the depth of the night
From scaly crocodiles whose mouths
Are always wide open to welcome
Any visitor wandering about in search of
Greener pastures in the dark

I am trying to protect you
From the seemingly innocent porcupine
That will rip your heart apart
Before you even reach its soul,
From jackals
Whose business it is to ensure
Innocent souls like you live ever
To regret all their lives

I am trying to protect you
From giraffes that look down on you
And will take on you right from the top
Down to the bottom
From the puff udder whose tongue is always sweet
With venom

I am merely being dutiful as a father
It is my duty to protect you
From black mambas that hate to miss
A target
From the hyenas whose mouths are always watering

I am trying to protect you dear daughter
From the concerned
Social doctors who are only ready to operate on you
Deep in the secret of the night

They all want to win your heart,
And remember the python preys on its victim
By changing colours
O those rainbow colours
Aren't they beautiful

But remember they are all meant
To rip your heart apart!
Daughter take heed darkness has no eyes.
...

Dear fellow writers departed
I hope this poem finds you in good spirits
Heroes of art and self expression
Dear Dambudzo Marechera
If you suddenly came back to life again today
You would not recognise Harare
Not even Vengere Township in Rusape
Where you were born
It was very clean then
It became dirty
Very dirty in the eyes of authorities
Now it is clean again
Operation Murambatsvina came
With a large broom called bulldozer
And the new townships which were blessed
With the cutting of ribbons were all gone.
Africa Unity Square had roses
And now it is clean again
And again you may not recognise it Dambudzo.

Dear Mthandazo Ndema Ngwenya
Babazala, your Bulawayo still exists,
We still have old buildings timelessly
Staring at us with question marks
No investment has come our way
They destroyed G & D shoes
And all and all and all and all
Babazala ziqunywa amakhanda ziyekwe.

We now have developed a culture of queues
Fuel queues, Bread queues, Sugar queues, Salt queues
We have mealie-meal queues and bank queues
It's queue after queue after queue
We have lots of conmen
Conning people at every corner
We have lots of bouncing cheques
And failing businesses
Banks being bankrupt
Lots of big fish are being fried
Also small fish still face the pan
The police mean serious business
For the corrupt ones.

To fellow writers departed
To Mayford Sibanda, to Dambudzo Marechera
To Geshiom Khiyaza, and to Nandi Xaba
We remember you dearly
To the many of you
To Stan Made, to Modiki Abenia Hamutyinei
To Yvonne Vera, to Ndawana Ncube
To Peter Mahlangu, to Doris Ndlovu
And to Jane Chifamba
With all the passion, we remember you.

To Sodindo Ncube, to Stephen Alumenda
To Obadiah Mlilo, to Tisa Chifunyise
To N.P. Ndlukula, to P. J. Nondo, to Dr Chiwome
To Norbert Mutasa and to Phillios Khumalo
Since you left things have never been the same.

There is no petrol nor diesel
Neither paraffin nor kerosene
People are stressed, strained
People are squeezed, drawn out
Overstretched financially
We now budget in billions and trillions
And zillions
No longer even in millions
We now have a currency called bearer's cheques.

It's all jumbled up.
You have little sisters
With little skirts
Standing at every corner of the Avenues
Awaiting their turn to make a living
But the police are also cleaning up the Avenues

Dear fellow writers departed
We now have new farmers
But God is not smiling on us
No rain comes down
So our farms are dry
O all is frustrating man
Some have left the country
And are now in the UK
Looking after old people there
Others are thieving in Botswana
And South Africa
Home is not sweet anymore for them
Home sweet home.
...

You have yawning hippos
And terrified poets
And slippery roads
And unsympathizing tyres
And swerving swaying vehicles
It's been raining here
Omekongo says
Tumi says, there is no coverage, shame
And Yamita says
But hippos don't need cellphones

Today mud will define our fate
If those black rhinos
Decide to block our way
At Tala Game Park

Miserable poets
Terrified wordsmiths
Tortured by mud and hippos
Poor poets
...