GUGA SITHEBE!
Guga sithebe!
Kade wacholela!
Kambe yimi lo?
Yimi esengisidla lempukane zithaphuza
Awasekho amandla okuziphunga njalonje
Lokungamatsiyane kucotsha emganwini wami
Ngidobha umqwayi ngikhuthe sokuphaphe kwayale
Imigakla layo ingizwani ifuna ukufukutha kowami?
Lezizidalwa sesidelela zibona umzwayibana.
Amathambo la aqaqamba emini lebusuku
Zinhlungu zodwa sengathi umzimba ububondwa
Emehlweni lapha kuyajuluka nguZambezi
Okumzukulwana kuthi, “Ukhalelani kanti Gogo?”
Emakhaleni kuyageleza ngingavimbananga;
Memeza mntwanyana ngizwe, sezithundubele lezi
Lamacimezo la asengibonisa amajankalajimu
Guga sithebe, kade wacholela!
Ukuguga kulamanyala
Angisenelisi ukuzenzela batayi
Ngigqoka ngihlanekele bagigitheke okhekhe
Inyama ngiyisutha nki ngomnuko wayo zwi!
Bayidlithiza bagqule bakhukhuze batshutshume;
Amabende awasavumi ukuxhanxatha.
Umganu utshitshilizelwa kimi nginikine ikhanda,
Imvuthuluka phansi yeka, bathi ngidl’ okwenkukhu.
Ngizijika lapha kodwa ngisukumele laphaya,
Amadolo abopha nko, imilenze ikhiyiwe;
Sengitabayila ndawonye ngithathe umnyaka
Ukuyafika endlini encane laphaya
Idamu lomthundo selidabuke lachitha;
Athethe abhuqukeze umalokazana
Phela sekugeleza isifula endlini;
Ngilabhele ngixolise ngicokise, kuyazenza.
Kodwa, konakaNtasika akunjalo bo!
Uthola abazukulu bethe bhabhe njengenyosi
Bathi kangibethele ekaMvundla loNteletsha
Ayibadini ethi ‘Masiphekane!’
Umoya wamiuchelesile lapha,
Inhliziyo yami ikhululekile.
Ngilala ngikhudumale kweziloboya
Ngiyaqazwa njalonje ukuthi ngizwa kahle na.
Nginatha itiye elamafidlonko wonke batayi
Ngigeziselwa ngintshintshe nsukuzonke sanwabu.
Engingakuthandiyo yikuthi ngibeleselwe
Kuthiwa ngiyebona odokotela bakanike umzimba
Kukanikwani izitho zonke nje sezivalelisa!
Koze kubenini ngibubula ngigomela
Angisoli lutho batayi, ngiluhambile uhambo.
Nyakenye bangenzele umdlalo omkhulu
Angithi ngibongile ngacokisa ngoba ngisaphila
Ngizibonele ngala uthando lwabo lonke oluyisibusiso
Akekho ozakuthi klifiklifi ngezengwenya mhla ngivalelisa;
Kuzakuba ngumkhosi wokungikhumbula ngokuhle sengilele.
Okuhle kuhle bo, kuyababazeka, kuyabongeka
Yikho ngisithi,
Guga sithebe, kade-ke wacholela!
Barbara Nkala, Sept. 2019