Ngiyabonga Mama Poem by Strawberry T. Dube

Ngiyabonga mama,
Mama ungiphile ithuba lokuphila,
Ngibonga ukuphuma ngiphephile
Njengabo bonke nami ngitshengise impilo.
Ngize ngisho nges'bindi
Ngithi Ngyabonga mama

Ungithandile wanginaka,
Ngalala ngidlile noma ungenamali,
Bekezela ngizokhula mama
Ngifunde ngikunakekele,
Bekezela ngizokhula mama
Ngikugade ngikuvikele,

Ngiyabonga mama
Lelithuba unginikezile
Awuzange wangincisha,
Ukhethe mina washiya okwezwe
Nakho okuyizinto ezingezinhle neze.
Ngines'phiwo ngizokukhipha enhluphekweni,
Mama ngizoba umongameli,
Ngizokhula ungakhathazeki,
Nami ngeliny' ilanga ngikusul' izinyembezi.

Kazi ngiyini ngaphandle kwakho muntu wesimame,
Ukuze ngisimame, kungenxa yakho muntu wesimame,
Ungifundisile
Ukubambelela ezwini,
Khona la ezweni.
Laba abasibulalela omama nogogo
Abaphelele emajele,
Bathole i-life paragraph
Not even a life sentence.

Ngyabonga mama,
Mama ungiphile ithuba lokuphila