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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
Go tell it on the mountain
That – twenty eleven is for Robin!
Once I was on the road to perdition
And my mind was wrought
But then saw I the light
Shinning so bright
And all was right.
Now that I have got myself a gun
I will shoot my way to Zion
Roaring like a lion!
Yeah - I am not afraid of Babylon
For mine eyes have seen her ruin.
I want uncommon heroes for twenty eleven
All dead and slain!
For his marvelous patience – Darwin
And for his unconquerable faith – Saint Campion
Edgar Allan Poe – for his crazy imagination
Just in case someday I will have to bleach my skin
I will add Michael Jackson
Ofcourse I wont forget Mrs. Simpson
Lest I fall in love and it will be my ruin.
Mine vision won’t be written on the wall
Unlike that of Habakkuk the Prophet
But I will inscribe it in my heart
Lest it will be seen and copied by all.
For I have been taught not to trust
By the lady whose smile is so bright!
And don’t let it be forgot
That when faced with reality.
I managed to wring out of life
A promise of eternity
To my utmost relief.
After I thought all I thought
And felt all l felt at the end of twenty ten
What philosophers call reflection
I resolved! No, I firmly purposed! Yes - I determined to write!
But write what?
Does it matter - will write myself a verse, a story, or even a sermon
Because of all the titles given to men
The tag writer appeals to me the most!
And if this be vanity
Then make the most of it!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
Once upon a time when I was just but a little a boy
My grandmother of illustrious memory – told me many a story
A lot of them funny but some scary
But her favourite tale which I am about to retell
Its effect on me, i suppose should not tell
The one about the young man who refused to marry
Preferring to become an ascetic to the displeasure of his family
For they were inclined to believe – that all those who breathe in air
Surely must leave an heir!
His refusal to marry – pained them all
And many a plan were hatched to sway his mind – but to no avail
Confounded they approached the village sage to explain this mystery
Who cautioned the young man would soon have a case of dysentery
Serious enough to require hospitalization – but one that won’t send him to the cemetery
And as soon as the illness is past, he would surely marry
With this wisdom the family went home rejoicing and merry
Voices high and throaty marveling at this new found posterity
By and by the young man was struck down with dysentery
And no sooner had he recovered he married the village beauty
Much to the amusement of his family who knew all that had happened to the boy
This story my grandmother would recite
Countless times to us little boys long into the night
Toss and turn, turn and toss all night long but our little minds could not fathom
What the young man’s decision to marry had to do with dysentery!
And when I told my fellows at school this story
Don’t know am sure, whether it was under the mulberry or at the refectory
They all agreed that my grandmothers wisdom
Which she had tossed to me sitting at her mahogany was nothing but baloney
When I recounted this to her, she smiled complacently
Aware this curios case of beauty and dysentery I would cherish for eternity.
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
I have heard people declaim
That Africa is the dark continent
Plagued by war, sickness and famine
The aridity of such a claim
Has left my people to pine.
Yes, I grant through the years,
Africa has suffered from war, famine, and sickness.
Yet, dear reader, is it Africa alone?
From East to West,
Death has reared himself a throne.
I beseech thee, O reader, let thy ear be attentive
To the confessions of Robin.
For these declamations
Have led many into error.
It is not my intention
To absolve Africa of her share of the blame
Yet my beloved continent,
Is both home to the good and the bad
The best and the worst
Why then dwell only, on all that is base.
Lineal son of Africa that I am
My heart bleeds -
Seeing that the soothsayers and naysayers
Are moving among our villages and cities
Congesting our airwaves
Shamefully declaring
That the Ides of March have come
Unlike Caesar, I dare - reply that they haven’t come and will never come!
For mine experiences have taught me a lot of things
And I dare you to discard that label hoary
Coined many and many years ago by many a missionary.
Allow me then to tell you Africa’s story
For that is my sole ambition.
Of her past glory
I will say no more
For the pyramids of Egypt will testify for eternity
The Great Zimbabwe Ruins
Stand tall and erect in the Savannah plains
A monument to the greatness of their builders
Don’t you dare believe that fable
Told to many a school boy in colonial Africa days gone by
That mine ancestors could not create such a piece of art
Just go to my village this day
And you will see many stonehouses standing
A testimony to our heritage.
Her natural beauty is second to none
Heaven, excluded - for I am talking to men not angels.
Since I am weary
Let me tarry. God willing will continue tomorrow!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
The Aye See See,
Demands! All rogues to the Hague!
Not so! Argues Ay You,
Our justice is tribune and divine,
Yours - archaic and Roman!
With insolent rage she defies,
And vows to send all her rogues,
Not to the Hague, but to her courts!
And insists - they alone can judge!
You Es Ay bellows and threatens!
Amidst the furore Aye Am Ef,
Her funds she withdraws,
But to no avail, Ay You sticks to her guns!
And insists, when it comes to her rogues,
She alone is sovereign!
Stunned, they seek a You En resolution,
Which only You Es Ay can enforce!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
Force of habit!
It aint automatic.
Try your utmost,
Just beat it.
And all will delight!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
Holy writ - Inspired script,
Psalms divine and witty,
Fills the righteous with pearly mirth
And promises wrath to the uncouth,
Taught me aphorisms pithy-
And guides me along the right paths!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
First - demonstrations and resolutions,
Followed by drones and groans,
Soon the nation mourns
Her land ruined, her youth slain,
Democrats and patriots
At each other's throats,
All gone insane - for there is no solution
The nation is at war!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
First, let him into your heart
Then with his spirit he anoints you
And if you remain in him, and his word remains in you
Anything you want, he will grant
Heaven and Earth now belongs to you
For you are now his saint.
Never can you be alone
But together sit on his throne in Heaven!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze Poem
Twice on the balcony,
They did kiss.
The heir to the British throne,
And the Duchess
Most say, to signify marital bliss,
To an audience of more than two billion.
On tweets they said, Oh what a success,
For the country and the Queen!
Copyright © Robin Tinavo Mashingaidze | Year Posted 2011
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