Best Xhosa Poems
Anchored by its feet hangs the carcass
Butcher removes brisket and strings it
Chuck steak diced for stews and pies
Dark well matured silverside rests
Entrails give the dogs a royal feast
Flank minced for spaghetti bolognese
Gullet chopped into stock pot simmers
Hanging meat swings as the butcher works
Icy still from the blast chiller
Juicy steaks thickly cut are parcelled up
Kebabs skewered, placed on display
Loin of beef neatly lined up
Minced steak patties for burgers
Neck used in both stock pot and stew
Offal set aside for pate and pies
Perfectly roasted beef ready to carve
Quick flash fry of rib eye seals in juices
Rump not too trimmed dribbles on grill
Sirloin anointed by a king sizzling
Tongue gently braised in gravy or stock
Utensils casting shadows on the wall
Venison from red deer's makes tasty things
Wing rib rubbed with hot spices waits
Xhosa cattle graze in pastures green
Yellowed meats set aside for soup
Zibeline hides scrapped and cured, nailed up
8/27/2015
contest Any Poem written in August
I would have loved to be
swati
To wear lihiya
And take part in the
umhlanga dance
Or even be venda
I wouldn't mind doing
the domba
Or beating the djembe
But I am only a mosotho
woman
Born of pedi and Tswana
Ntepa le dipheta
Complete my attire
Sure I would have loved
to be tsonga
To be called respectful
among modern women
Intelligent and humble
With no fear of eating
masonja
But I prefer my sour ting
le moody
Nama e Maratha le letibi
I would have loved to be
part of the ancient Dutch
To share with van riebeck
in the undertaking of the
command of the initial
Dutch settlement in south
Africa
Or even be English
I wouldn't mind having
the queen as my
grandmother
Drinking tea, shopping
sprees,feeling free with
no fees
But I do come from the
dusty streets of Vutta le
mkhala
Where children look
forward to go bolla
Where teenagers think
the government owes
them money for child
bearing
And some look forward
to university
I would have loved to be
Nguni
And proudly say my
president is Zulu
And gloat that most
freedom fighters were
Xhosa
I would smile and say i
am Ndebele
And though I don't live
ko kwagga
I stil enforce and respect
my culture
But I am pedi
Kemopedi ketletse lerato
Ketletse lerato lagofeta
boloko kagare ga Leshaka
Ke apara ntepa le dipheta
Ke ekgantsha ka setjo
saka
I appreciate who I an
From tzaneen to
polokwane
From northern cape to
the east
Or from Jozi to pitori
I appreciate other cultures
Brits to maftown
Ventersdorp to orania
I still appreciate
Pietermaritzburg to new
castle
Welkom to qwa qwa
I appreciate other cultures
Fore they bring definition
to who we are
I am proud of who I am
While respecting other cultures
I honour my womanhood
While I take pride in my manhood
Understanding it is to go through it
As I am comfortable in my own skin
Being inspired by the culture
May the ancestors be awakened
As I am raised in a Christian environment
Being mesmerised by faith
May the holy spirit fall on me
As I am about to raise the spear in the air
Being confident in my alignment
May the whole nation know
Appreciating my blessings
I am honoured of who I have become
While being thankful to the challenges and struggles
I cherish those sweet and sour memories
While I praise my enemies
To know it is to go through it
Giant of justice has visited Baba Umkulukulu
The lion that gave in to wolves like sheep
To be sheered for our own freedom has died
Father of the black and white
Mentor and hero of freedom
Our own Madiba has died
Anti apartheid hero sleeps with grey hair
As we dress in sackcloth to mourn the great Lion
Rolihlahla Son of Thembu has rested
Though We mourn millions with pain
But for the son of Xhosa
We pray for
Instead of mourning
We praise
Praise our own
Rest in peace Mandela
The words in my head are beautiful.
They are dancing cheek to cheek
with Southern legato or London staccato
with Chinese tunes and Xhosa clicks,
with native Dutch, straight from the heart.
The words in my head are reluctant
to stand in line. They like
to dance and play. They like
to echo inside the skull, infinite
Ping-Pong straight from the heart.
The words in my head come alive,
naked at the stroke of a key.
Ribbons of red and green show
who’s been good and who’s been bad.
Dots on the screen, straight from the heart.
The words in my head are ready
to face the world. I comb their hair
and clean their nose and wave goodbye
until they disappear around the bend.
One day they will be back, straight to the heart
Poet: Ken Jordan
Poem: We Are One
Edited by: Sparkle Jordan
written: June/2014
One day in Cape Town, South
Africa, an old man spotted
twenty small children, all boys,
ages 8 to 12, playing in a field -
The old man noticed that the
boys had no water, or food. He
had a basket of fruit, and took
it out to the field where the
boys were playing a game. He
yelled, "The first one of you to
reach this sweet fruit basket,
can have all the fruit!"
At that instance, one of the
boys said, "whichever one of us
reaches the basket first, will
share with all of us."
And in the Xhosa language,
they all said: "UBUNTU!" I am
because we are.
If the sun shines
Vicious that the hands could hold its heat
If the wind whirls and wails
Turbulent, with fierceness of rushing water
If it becomes icy cold
That it could freeze the mind
If the sky, sullen and sly
Suddenly wear, without a tear
And the heaven unlatches its showers
Unceasing regardless of the reigning season
If cold and heat engaged
In a no conquest duel
If there are mown meadow mountains
More than human habitat
With hills spreading and sprawling
Sparingly shares expanse of space
If the valleys are fast and vast
Height-locked by conniving hills and mounts
And the plains, plain and plane
Laid bare of thickets and thorns
If you keep ascending and descending
In rhythmical crescendo and decrescendo
If the landscape is strewn
With mingling lily white egrets and sheepish African cows
If summer, winter, spring and autumn
Rolls, in seconds, minutes and hours
If all faces reflect Mandela
And most voices resonate his accent
Then, it is Alice, another wonderland!
The little Xhosa town; the University town of Fort Hare!!
Eastern Cape of the South of Africa
Origin of the name Swahili
Or " Kiswahili" ,
One person said , " Iswa ile"
Another person said," Iswa iyi "
Swahili is one of the Bantu
Languages
Like isiZulu , Kifuliru,
Kinyindu, Kikuyu
Xhosa, Chewa, Kivira ,
Kinyarwanda Lingala ,
Tchiluba, Kimakuwa,
Kibemba, Kimasanza
Isivenda, Luganda, Kiluya
Kirundi, Kishi, Kibwari
Kinyamwezi, Isiswathi
Isindebele, Kibembe
Sotho, Kikongo,
Kimongo, Chiyawo
...... so on.
Swahili has little influence
Of Arabic due to Islam in Africa ...
Which does not stand
for its origin
As some people spoke
here
and there
To underestimate
Swahili in the World.
Arabic
And
Swahili have
Different strictrures
And
Grammar
Which prove their big difference
No matter few arabic vocabularies
Are in Swahili,
Same as
In Urdu,
Hindi ,
Persian,
And
So on.
I have never heard
Some people who quoted
About Persian to be originated
From Arabic because of few
Arabic vocabularies
Which are in Persian.
Swahili is Bantu language,
With strictures and grammar
As the above Bantu languages.
June 10th 2023
By Alfonso Warally Ngengethe
Mussabwa Chris
Note:
Iswa: it is a flying insect
which majority
bantu people eat.
"Iyi , ili, " means This...
"Ile, hile" means That...
Iswa hile"ile" means that flying insect,
Iswa hiyi " iyi" means this flying insect.
That is where the name Swahili found its origin.
Swahili people are called
" Baswahili or Waswahili "
Which can stand for Swahili speakers
also.
Authentic Swahili is of DRCongo ,
because it has 1% influence of Arabic as
Muslims don't reach 2 % of the populations.
The plain was flat, wild, and desolate
They came when I, a San, was digging up a root.
There were three
They were brown Xhosa, bigger than me.
Though they spoke in a tongue I did not know
I knew that I had to go
Further South across the river
They came as I, a Xhosa, was working in the field
There were three
Tall black Zulu, with assegai and shield
And though they spoke in a language I did not know
They made me understand that I must go
With them to hear their chief
Say that my land was his.
But I may live in peace
If I went to another land, another place.
They came when I, a Zulu, was in my hut
They did not knock, though the door was shut
There were three
They were white, and smaller than me
But they had guns which could kill
If I did not bend to their will
Though they spoke in a tongue I did not know
I knew I had to go
Further North across the river
They came when I, a White, was on my farm
They said they would do no harm
There were three
They were black, with paper and pen
They said they were here before me
And I must restore the farm to them
They knew it would hurt me so
But I had to go.
They came when I, a Black, repossessed my land
There were three
The Ghosts of the San
They said because I was black I could remain
As long as I did not claim
The land of the San had always been mine.
If I lived in peace
And erased the hatred in my heart
I could start afresh
And find happiness.
Peace is possible. Let's embrace it fully and globally.
Note: The symbols for other languages will show up as ?.
Peace
By Michelle Morris
28/01/2023
Peace is possible
It isn't just a symbol
We need to embrace it
Within ourselves
Between each other
Between our nations
Whatever language we choose
Let us choose peace
Arabic (Chad, Sudan, Syria)
Salam
????
Bengali (Bangladesh)
??????
Santi
Chinese
Hépíng
??
English (South Sudan)
Peace
French (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, France, Republic of Congo)
Paix
German
Frieden
Hebrew
???????
Italian
Pace
Japanese
Heiwa
??
Pashto (Afghanistan)
????
Persian
???
Russian
???
Mir
Somali
Nabad
Afrikaans (South Africa)
Vrede
Spanish
Paz
Ukrainian
???
Myr
Xhosa (South Africa)
Uxolo
Zulu (South Africa)
Ukuthula
If I keep saying it in as many languages as possible, maybe it will reverberate through the Universe and people might embrace inner peace, and start to treat each other better
Peace be with you and in you
Peace be with me and in me
Peace be with us and in us
Peace is possible
Let's embrace it fully and globally
Let us embrace it together
Now
Blessings, love and light
© Michelle Morris, 2023
Police lady kneels in prayer for peace* against echoing bombshells
Babe sleeps midst quietude inside mother’s womb.
*Philippians 4:7 ...The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
March 28, 2023
3RD PLACE, "Write BANTUs" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Suzanne Delaney; judged on 4/6/2023
"Two-line Bantu (or Abantu) poetry developed from the Bantu people of Africa (speakers of the Swahili, Kinyarwand, Kirundi, Zulu, Xhosa and other related languages). It arose from the oral tradition of “call and response.” In the rhythm of their work and perhaps in the spirit of a game or to relieve boredom, people would call out to each other. The first speaker called out a line that contained an image. A second speaker replied using a second image. This second image was meant to function as an elaboration or metaphor of the first."
In my mind's eye I see this incredible vision that would make a beautiful African painting. Perhaps I shall try to make it real.
I dedicate this poem to the women of Africa. Be inspired by Archangel Ariel who is the Lioness of God.
English:
To my beautiful African lionesses
Zulu*:
Ezintombini zami ezinhle zase-Afrika
Afrikaans*:
Aan my pragtige Afrikaanse leeuwyfies
Xhosa*:
Kwiingonyamakazi zam ezintle zaseAfrika
Swahili*:
Kwa simba zangu warembo wa Kiafrika
Arabic*:
??? ?????? ?????????? ????????
'iilaa labawaati al'afriqiaat aljamilat
French*:
A mes belles lionnes d'Afrique
Portuguese:
Para minhas lindas leoas africanas
Yoruba*:
Si awon abo kiniun mi l?wa
Igbo*:
Nye nd? nne m mara mma
Hausa*:
Zuwa ga kyawawan zakoki na Afirka
My beautiful African lionesses
By Michelle Morris
17/08/2023
There is a lioness within
Every African woman's heart
She often has to hide it
Lest the Dark ones want its spark
But it cannot remain hidden
For she will always stand tall
Walk with grace and beauty
So much courage through it all
That lioness is there with her
Like her ancestors by her side
They give her strength and forebearance
To take this life path in her stride
All the pain and the sacrifice
All the grief and the sorrow
It is washed away into the river
Only good is there for tomorrow
The waters ebb and flow
Like our mountain roads towards home
We shall build our communities
Share our wisdom and our rainbows
We are not forgotten, dear ones
Africa is the cradle of mankind
Our seeds have scattered with the wind
To nurture and develop resilient minds
For we are humble and gentle
We are powerful and mighty
The Sun sees our warmth
The Moon knows our kindness
For we are blessed and guided
We share knowledge and history
Our empathy and compassion
Creates Ubuntu in our region
The Angels and Archangels are here
They surround us with Light and love
For Africa, her time is coming
To help us with life on Earth
Oh, my beautiful African lionesses
Take heart that all your prayers are heard
Your tears fall and spring forth new life
Throughout Africa and this world
© Michelle Morris, 2023
Lend me a pen, Xhosa's reverberates in me, with honour, one kneel on the ground, hail the tongue clicks, yesterday I was my mom's lil boy, today I woke up a husband, Eastern cape transformed me to a man, shivers down my spine, refusing reality to kick in, less I be consumed in this disbelief of being a better half
They said Sisonke, my mind at awe, I too in this, us, her shrill voice at constant loggerheads with goosebumps on my body
lower the impact, I beg. Still, I need the zest for the rest of our lives
Xhosa's click those tounges, some foreign spirit evokes in me, at every click, poetic essence of exquisitiveness nurtures my soul
At the back of my head weariness dingles, prayed for a woman, up until I unwrapped the seed germinating with every pass of each day, the longevity of ceaseless admiration, gasping at every turn, you are way more than I have asked,
Overwhelmed with every breath taken in your presence, ease off my love, I'm in palpitations of my awe, please tell me this ecstasy ain't a dream,
Xhosa's recite more, if the last breath I'd shed with your daughter, seal every entry in and out of me, bolt me here, shackle me here, drown me here, in the Xhosa kraal my soul lies at peace, adopt me with my whole pedi being,
in the Eastern cape, my tracks, because of my heart, my ancestors have built a bond to last for eternity
Xhosa's praise your totems, if I say I'm not sold, pretending is not for me, Sisonke in this
#Poetic_Ink
All day long, from 7:15 am today, needs come
To my gate, with either "pastor " or "vaderrr"
Justin & John T needed breakfast before work
They did not go directly, to fellow churchgoer
I found some biscuits (10 ordinary ones) apples
Then Siya came for oil, Siyabulela that is,
Burns on both elbows. I risked it all
A week ago, they were raw wounds
I applied coconut oil, when gloves were gone
He came to thank me (but lazy to wait in line
At the community clinic). Lines form at 5am
3 hours before a few nurses come (no doc)
I added some elbow help - but with gloves!
Before I could rest with tea and poetry
Zihle ( Zeez Sleh) was yelling at mom, others
She lives in the Xhosa location, visits grandma
When her sons are in school (non weekends)
I felt for her, calmed her (home was left unclean)
She was throwing stuff out, yelling & cleaning
---+
We are blessed in these "township locations"
Surrounded by hills, Amatola mountains
Polluted & unappreciated, but I looked up
We do not look up enough. Earth focused we!
The hills remind me of the psalmist's prayer
I look to the hills, where my help come from
I look to the hills where my rest comes from
I look to the hills, green hills, God's hills
And remember shalom, wholesomeness amen
Trying something new! Spelling out Bible twice once on the left and once in the middle, not the exact middle lol 3 in 1 if you count the top Bible, father son and holy spirit
(According to a user from South Africa, the name Lilitha is of Xhosa-African origin and means "Light of God".)