God Almighty: Bontom Poem by Thabani Khumalo

SNORTING BONTOM BRAHMAN BULL,
SUZA NKOMO KABABA
US'THEMBISO JEYI B'THAKATHAKA KHUMALO.
APPARITIONAL FIGURE OF THE ANCESTRAL ANCHOR,
MEDIUM TO THE YOUNG MZILIKAZI KHUMALO.
YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE.

GOD AMONG THE DOMESTIC AND THE TAMED,
PRESERVER TO THE WANDERER OF THE WILDERNESS.
YOUR COMPLETE AND INFINITE LOVE,
YOU GAVE WITHOUT MERIT
TO THE WEAK AND TO THE STRONG ALIKE,
TO THE EASY PREY AND THE FEROCIOUS PREDATOR WITHOUT OSTRICISE -
YOU EQUALIZED THE OLD AND THE YOUNG.

YOUR PORTIONS WERE FAIR
AND SO WAS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE TRAITOR AND THE BAIT
AS A MOTHER SEES THE INDIFFERENCE IN HER CHILDREN.
YOU WERE A SLICK AND TENDER BREED OUT OF YOUR ZERO-GRAZED NURTURE,
A SHINE WAS UPON THE FURRS OF YOUR SKIN.

OVER TARES AND THISTLES, YOU TRAMPLED EASILY
AND YOUR TEAR NEVER TOUCHED THE GROUND
YET THE ARCH OF YOUR HORN WAS THE GOLDEN CROWN ON YOUR HEAD.
YOU WERE ATTENTIVE TO MY WAIL AND HEEDED MY INVOCATION
FROM WITHIN YOUR GILDED STALL.
TO ALL BORNE OF ANIMAL,
YOU PROVIDED SUPPLICATION AND RESTITUTION,
TO THE BIRD YOU PROVIDED A STRONG WING TO FLY AGAINST THE TIDE OF THE WINDS.

THOUGH THE PASSING OF TIME CONSUMED YOUR MORTAL DESIGN
AND YOU PASSED AWAY A SENILE BEAST,
YOU REMAINED HOLY TO LAST GASP OF YOUR WIND
AND YOU STILL BLESS ME FROM UNDERNEATH THE SOIL
AS YOU ASSIGN ENERGIES INTO THE GENERAL TIDE.

BONTOM, YOU ARE GOD ALMIGHTY