Mhlaba Awunoni! Poem by Phumlani Vimbelasizwe Shiba

Mhlaba Kawunoni
Awesutsi njalo nje wahlala ukhala ngenkemane
Awunamanoni uvundzile sititjela kutsi sicedza inkemane
Sikondla ngemtimba yetilwane netihlahla
Wembatsisa imitimba yetfu sikwetfwale ngesifuba
Kodvwa nani kwesutsa ngoba sikhulu sakho sifuba

Sekuphele iminyaka neminyakana ngizama kukhohlwa
loko nani kwenteka ngihlala nje ngikhumbula
Mhlaba kawunoni baye batsi intsandzane lenhle ngumakhotfwa ngunina
pho mine ngiyawukhotfwa ngubani?
ngoba mine sengite lihlombe lekukhalela

Tihlala tigeleta njalo tihlatsi setaphendvuka tihosha
Tiholobha tinyembeti njenge mphophoma
Tingibondzela ludzaka lengibisha kulo nyalo
Tigobhoze njengemfula logola tintsetse ngenca yamzacolo
Kodvwa mhlaba sesiyashweleta sicela lucolo

Kube mane mhlaba unetindlebe uyeva
Ngabe soyasilamulela,
Ngabe yini umsebenti wakho?
Ngulokudla nje letinyembeti tebantfu? Kuyamangalisa kutsi uphele udla buhlungu bebantfu, Kepha nani kuzimuka, nekukhuluphala.
Hha mhlaba kawunoni

Usifihla kanye nomphelo
Kodvwa etibeletfweni sihlala tinyanga letiyimfica
Sibatse siyakucosha nakhona nani kukufica
Kani vele siyobhekaphi tsine kuwe mhlaba
Bahamba lituba lika nowa bagwinywe nguwe mhlaba
Nemjuluko wentjani netinyembeti temafu nako uyakunatsa?
Hhawu mhlaba seva batsi uyahlaba
Yini kani longakwenti mhlaba?

By Shiba Phumlane Vimbelasizwe (Travellers: The Singer - Poet)