Usizi Poem by Mphathi Thobumoya Mbhele

USIZI

kulo mhlaba sphila ezweni lenhlupheko
bashona mihla namalanga abafowethu alukho ukhuselo
abanye bayabhubha alukho uzwelo
usathane lo mhlaba sawenza owakhe nanku umzekelo
abantu sebasebenzela yena bagcwele ekhathini ngathi
amabutho
kanti lutho
angani utho luyakwazi ukuthatha othathekile
libathithizise ngo thando liba thembise amathemba nalo
utho elahluleka ukuwathatha lisasebenzela umdali
wena phambi kwa mdali zthobe kuhle kwathobile

LOLU WUSIZI OLUHLASELE ISIZUKULWANA SETHU
SIZA NGELOSI YOTHANDO NAKHU SILAHLEKELWA
IZIHLOBO ZETHU

okwethu okwezandla ukube okwezinyawo ngabe
kuyabaleka
izngane sezadayisa ngomzimba wazo ezinye
ziyadlwengula mina mdali ngkhathele ukbuka
izinyembezi ziyazehlela manje nam sengiyahluleka
noma siya emaphoyiseni asishaya ngomzimba
ayahluleka ukusiseka
ingakho nje lolusizi luqhubeka
ngoba abomthetho bamavaka
kuthiwa uma ushona unenhliziyo embi uzoya esigweni
uzoya kanjani esihogweni ngoba lesosi hogo isona
esisemhlabeni
kungani thina samakholwa sfele ethembeni
ngyancamela ugogo washona endlini
waphuma sebemphethe ebhokisini
noma namhlanje ngikhala emathuneni
mina ngize ngizibuza ukuthi mdali ungdaleleni
kodwa vele uwe owanqoba usathane ekuqaleni
ngiyethemba nosizi luzofika ekugcineni

LOLU WUSIZI OLUHLASELE ISIZUKULWANA SETHU
SIZA NGELOSI YOTHANDO NAKHU SILAHLEKELWA
IZIHLOBO ZETHU

sebekhalile kwanele
O mdali sale ususixolele
noxolo selufanele lufikile
phela mina nawe lendaba kufanele siyixoxile
khona lolusizi luzogcina luhoxile
inhlupheko igcine idlulile
nami ngiyintandane ngigcine ngijabulile
umdali ngimbongile
abakwethu ngigcine ngibabonile
iziguli ezibhedlela nazo zigcine ziphumile
vele usathane uzogcina ejabhile
mhla le nkondlo yami iphumelele usizi selushabalele
kujabule nabalele
sengisho oMphemba Ondlela ka Sompisi oMbhele