Intombi Embi Poem by Thabani Khumalo

Intombi embi mayehlukane nami!
Ngiqathaniswa kuphela mesisindo semali,
yimi omuhle phakathi kwamajaha ehlangene,
ngiyindodana yesithemiso sikaKhumalo - iSithixo;
yimi inkazimulo - yalapho - yelanga nezinsaba zalo;
yimi izinkanyezi zonke zobusuku besibhabhaka.

Xoxo - sikokonono sodaka; mamba yohlaza,
mus' ukungeqela emzimbeni wami - ngobubi!
Unganginamatheli ngomzimba wakho obandayo. Ungangixoxeli ngesihogo esiliZulu elingenasihelo -
nangokukhuleka kunkulunkulu walapho
ixoxo elake laba khona yingane encane.

Angithi nguwe umthakathi obiza izulu ngamathonsi aqatha,
ube ke usucula ingoma yamabhimbi ebumnyameni obusikekayo.
Sekukaningi kangakanani intombi engithandayo ijahla ukubuyela ekhaya
ngoba izulu - ikhaya lakho - selithwele lavusela ngezibhidi?
Besengisala ngiqondane nawe ngqho - Xoxo, ungethusa ngokuxghuma.

Line - izulu - ngezimpopoma ezesabekayo, ngokubaneka nokukhalima okuqaqamba enhliziyweni,
okusondeza, kuveselele yonke imizwa yokufa enzimbeni;
ifa engaliqanjwa ngubaba wami esaphila emhlabeni,
ngizame ukulungela elinye futhi - elimnandi - ithuba, ixoxo libasele ngamandla adanisayo omsindo - liwuhlabe liwulawule lingathuliseki.

Intombi embi iyiso isehlukaniso ethandweni oluvuthayo,
futhi ngiyayizonda ngenhliziyo nangalo - elimsulwa - iqiniso.