Impicabadala

Ngike ngaphucw’ubuthongo,
Nganyuselw’emafini
Ngandizela phezulu lezingilosi,
Ngawubuk’uMhlaba ngeso likamoya.
Ngahlanganiswa labokhokho,
Ngaguqiswa ngathel’amanzi phansi.
Ngaphiw’amandl’ukubon’abaphilayo labafayo.

Ngibon’abaphilayo bekwasab’ukufa.
Inkinga ngimbaxambil’ekuphileni,
Ngakho ke angisazi ngenzeni.
Abaphilayo nxa ngibabikela bathi ngizelwa yikusangana.
Kwabafileyo bayangijabulela, bakhuz’imhlola,
Bathi kuhle ngiphile labo.
Kodwa ngifikelwa yikwesaba,
Impil’abayiphilayo ngekamoya.

Mina ngiphil’eyenyama,
Ekholwa ngokubona, ikant’emathongeni,
Ukukholwa kuyikubona.
Ngike ngafikelwa yikufun’ukuhlala labo.
Ngimadolo nzima, ngiyesaba,
Indlel’idlul’emathuneni.
Ngesab’ubunyama bethuna
Angifuni kubon’abanngithandayo ,
Besul’izinyembezi.

Ngikuvumil’ ukuya kwelemathongeni,
Ngihlulwa yin’elith’eMhlabeni kumnandi.
Kukanengi ngilala ngingadlile,
Kang’bubon’ubunandi bomhlaba.
UMhlab’uyahlaba ngisul’inyembezi mihla lamalanga.
Ngitshiywe ngiyingan’engelacala,
Ngakhula ngiyintandane,
Ngibizwa ngamagama,
Ngihlukumezekile , kungifanel’ukufa.

Ngekeleni ngiye kwelasemathongeni,
Khona kuphilwa kamnandi.
Umusa wab’ugeleza ngomlenze.
Ngibone besul’izinyembezi zokhalayo,
Bethob’amanxeb’abafe ngezingozi.
Bayakhal’eMhlabeni, kuyajatshulw’ezulwini.
Khon’impilo yikudumisa lokubonga,
Akusulwa nyembezi khona.

Ngike ngazam’ukuphaphama,
Ngaliswa, kuthiwa ngiyashesha,
Kukhon’okusafanele nguvezelwe.
Bathi “buk’eMhlabeni liyasolana,
Njalo liyeyisana ngezinkolo”.
Konke lokho kuyize,
Ngivezelw’abafe bekhonza,
Labafe bengawaz’umnyango wenkonzo.
Bonke bahlezi ndawoyinye bayadumisa.

Bath’ukungazi kufana lokufa,
Ukufa lakho kungcono ngob’ofiley’unqobile.
Ngibon’eMhlabeni bekhala,
Befun’impilo yaphakade.
Bengazange bakunuk’ukufa.
Bembe bafunga kwelasemathongeni,
Bethi ngeke babuyel’emuva,
Ngob’impilo abayiphilay’ngekamoya.

Bath’uhluph’asaz’ukuth’ukufa kuyisibusiso.
Bafanis’impilo yeMhlabeni losan’olugaqayo,
Nx’usif’uyaqal’ukucathula.
Bekufanele sijabulel’isicoco sempil’esiyi kufa.
Khona kuyinhlakanipho yokubon’okujulileyo,
Okusekusithekeni.

Also by this poet:

• Impil’ikabili in Issue 1

Mduduzi Bhebhe

Mduduzi “Mntanenkosi” Bhebhe was born on the 20th of September 1986, in a rural village in Hwange District, under Chief Shana.

He did his primary level at Lumbora Primary School and completed his Ordinary Levels at Ndlovu Secondary School.

Mduduzi is currently living in Victoria Falls City. He is the author of Ndebele novels and short stories. He is also a poet who writes and recites his own poems, and an able public speaker who also works as an M.C. He was recognised as an outstanding poet  at the 2021 Matebeland Cultural Awards ( M.C.A) in Bulawayo.