Best Poems Written by Dineo Mtshweni

Culture

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

Copyright © Dineo Mtshweni | Year Posted 2013