It Is I Poem by Thabani Khumalo

THE OLD MAN THOUGHT ABOUT
THE DESIRES OF THE YOUNG:
THE WISE IMPARTED ME NO WISDOM BUT,
THEY, SURE, AIDED A LOT OF FACTS.
SO, I ESTABLISHED THAT,
EVEN THE WISE AINT WISER THAN I.

THE TUTOR TAUGHT ME PROPAGANDA,
HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND BLUBBERED VANITIES
THROUGH THE GAPES OF HIS TEETH,
HE TOLD A RED LIE ON WHITE SURFACES -
JUNK HE HAD CROWDED INTO HIS HEAD.
BUT, BECAUSE I HAD EYES TO SEE
MORE THAN THE TUTOR HAD QUALIFIED,
HE PICKED UP A VERY DRY STICK
AND BELABOURED O MY GLUTS.

HE WANTED ME TO TURN SYSTEMATICAL SIGHTLESS
OR TURN A BLIND EYE TO IT,
BUT THE CHILDREN CHEERED ME ON
FOR I AM THE ONLY TRUE RECOURSE
THAT SPEAKS TOWARD THEIR INSTINCT.

SO THEY'LL TOSS THE TEMPEST WIDE
AND AGAINST THE TIDE, THEY'LL HOWL A STORM
FOR THE TUTOR BEAT ME INTO ENGROSSING A LIE
BUT THE BABIES KNOW THE TRUTH THAT I KNOW,
AND AGAINST HIM, THEY WAGE A WAR.