Kwela (The S.A. Penny Whistle Sound) Poem by LLM Mbatha

A moment in time captured in a simple wind
Of a simple pipe
By a simple folk
I see black boys standing in a corner somewhere
In the middle of Johannesburg
Long before the ’76 Uprising
I see them blowing and swinging
Blowing and swinging
The crowd gathering, listening, moved!
Throwing coins in a hat
And then a yellow police vehicle
Would always come too quickly
KWELA, KWELA, KWELA!
Was all that THEY could say
In the city
In the township,
Purple notes
Purple tunes
A purple moment in time
I see happiness and sorrow entwined
Like strands in the loom
I see a people going on because life goes on
KWELA, a moment in song
Your dream has come to life!