Читать книгу Nations's Bounty - Nontsizi Mgqwetho - Страница 15

Mgqwetho urges blacks in the western Cape, who have received coolly Marshall Maxeke’s assertion that the time is right for action, to seek a better dispensation.

6 The poet of the ford

1Ink, leave me to sleep.

Last night I tossed and turned

and fell asleep at dawn.

Why was that? Au! The ford.

2Au! Leave me to sleep. 5

Maxeke’s idea of a ford’s got us going,

we raised our heads from despair

as if we’d already crossed over.

3Speak out, Cete! Someone called for the fords to be blocked

so those in the Cape couldn’t cross: 10

they’ll spoil it all, because everything’s fine

as long as they’re sleeping like springboks.

4Speak out! I say Nomgcanabana’s father’s

a lightning bird taken to dance

at Lupindo’s place, where it’s fed, 15

and when it’s full it goes off with Baldy.

5Speak out, Nqhini, with all your might!

I say go and we’ll follow you,

those in the Cape hear your voice

and ask “Where is the ford?” 20

6Speak out, Cete! What more can I say?

It strikes me this thing will be seen

to come good, since it’s gently fanned

by men who iron out problems. Au!

7Speak out, Cete! I say live long, 25

son of Piliso, death isn’t pretty:

everything’s ugly under the sods.

The ford’s nothing like a lifeless lump.

6 Imbongi ye Zibuko

1Ndiyeke ndilale wetu No Inki

Andilalanga pezolo kude kwasa

Ndipetwe ngumva ndedwa

Wani wetu? Au! we Zibuko.

2Au! Ndiyeke ndilale wakwenz’ ukwenza 5

U Maxeke wavela ne Zibuko

Zapakam’ intamo sesincamile

Sanga sesiwela kanti asikaweli.

3Teta Cete! Wat’ umntu valani

Ama Zibuko angaweli Amakoloni 10

Kuyakonakala kuba kube kusa

Lungile xana elele ngokwa mabhadi.

4Teta! Nditi u Nomgcanabana u yise

Yimpundulu ekolis’ ukuxentsa kwa

Lupindo apo itululelwa kona ze 15

Yakuhluta imke no Mkutuka.

5Teta! Nditi hamba Nqhini

Sokulandela, teta kuti gongqo

Inkaba ayeva wena Amakoloni

Linye izwi lawo liti lipina Izibuko? 20

6Teta Cete! Ndisateta ntonina ngati kum

Kuzakuvokoteka nje, kuba lento iza

Kakuhle kuba itiwe c’u zinqeberu

Zamadoda avutiweyo wona, Au!

7Teta Cete! Nditi mpilo nde nto 25

Ka Piliso akuko kufa kuhle

Konke kumkongolo pantsi kwe soyi

Izibuko aloyamene nganto no Duladula.

8Speak out! I say a man’s tossed under

a mound, well fed, 30

without a good word

from the speakers over his grave.

SHAME!

9Speak out! Because we are at the ford.

We know of no one concerned at that, 35

we don’t know why they were suddenly restless,

we know of no one who’d treat us as brainless,

we know of no one who’d bar our Cape sympathies.

10Speak out! I say to you in the Cape:

take after your grandmothers, 40

act fearing no one,

for you’ve stolen no one’s property.

Die-as-one, indeed!

You’ll be people too. Wake up!

Rise up to the ford! The ford. 45

8Teta! Nditi indoda ilahlwa pantsi

Kwe ndunduma ihluti kungeko 30

Nebalana enganconywa ngalo

Ziziteti pezu kwe dlaka layo.

SHAME!

9Teta! Kuba tina sise Zibukweni

Asazi mntu ungaba nesitukutezi yilonto 35

Asazi ukuba yintonina le basuke bangenwe kuzuza.

Asazi mntu ungasenza abaswel’ ukucinga

Asazi mntu ungasinqandayo ebu Kolonini betu.

10Teta! Nditi kuni Makoloni ndini

Fuzani Onyokokulu, niti ukuba 40

Niyayenza into niyenze ningoyiki

Buso bamntu kuba anibanga nto

Yamntu. Umfelandawonye bo!

Noba ngabantu nani. Vukani bo!

Pakamelani Izibuko! Izibuko. 45