Читать книгу Nations's Bounty - Nontsizi Mgqwetho - Страница 22

Mgqwetho herself is the subject of this poem, which celebrates her outspoken poetry, poetry that benefits the African people and brings her fame, but which is also unpopular among envious poets and among those who fault her for invading a traditional male preserve (see 1:20-23).

13 Listen, compatriots!

I sent Christmas, the old year and the new year packing with praise poems. Now I’m going to sing my own praises, and then I’ll pass on to start something fresh.

Peace to you all!

Mercy, Nontsizi, renowned for your chanting,

your poems are the nation’s bounty.

No elephant finds its own trunk clumsy.

Awu! Mercy, old hen’s wing in Africa!

Hen screening her chicks 5

from birds of prey,

the nation knows you, sky-python,

poets sneer but discuss you.

Turn Phalo’s land on its head, Mgqwetho,

whack nations and sap their standing. 10

Wild beast too fierce to take from behind,

those who know tremble in tackling you.

Mercy, dusky pool-tinted woman,

your stench reeks like the river snake.

Peace! Elephant browsing the tops, 15

you’ve made a household name of Mgqwetho.

Mercy, Nontsizi, African moss

sipping moisture from under the ripples,

you stubbed your toe and felt the pain,

a slip of the tongue and they stomped on you. 20

Mercy, Nontsizi, African moss,

you strip poetry bare to the bone

and the nation’s mountains swivel

as you sway from side to side.

13 Pulapulani! Makowetu

Ndiyigxotile i Kresmesi, no Nyaka Omdala kwano Nibidyala ngezibongo. Ndizaku zibonga mna ke ngoku ndandule ke kwakona ukuqala into entsha.

Camaguni!

Taru! Nontsizi dumezweni ngentsholo

Nto ezibongo ziyintlaninge yezwe

Indlovu ke ayisindwa ngumboko wayo

Awu! Taru! Sikukukazi piko e Afrika.

Esikusela amatole aze engemki 5

Emke nezinye intaka eziwadlayo

Uyaziwa lilizwe nambakazi yezulu