uMthwakazi Review's Poetry Winners announced - uMthwakazi Review
Published: 20 November 2014 | by
uMthwakazi review launched its first poetry competition in June this year as part of its engagement with its growing number of readers. A total of 30 poems were submitted from across the world for the competition. uMthwakazi review takes this opportunity to thank all those who took part in the competition by submitting their poems. The task to find the best two poems was indeed a difficult one as most of the poems that were submitted were of high quality. The panel of judges included two prominent Mthwakazi poets, Silvester "Silo" Sibanda who is a poet and a musician who has produced 4 music albums since 2005 and another poet of repute Dumisani Mhlanga.
Emoyeni wami kubuhlungu,
Umhlaba wabuka wancoma ngifelwazingane kutheni na kwelikaMageba?
Ngisizeni bo nans' isitha singena endlini,
Indaba zimb' esizweni senzalo yakho,
Ngivumeleni ngikhulume indab' engihluphayo,
Bayicitsheleni intuthu ethunqayo koNtuthu ziyathunqa?
Udingan' ezizweni umzukulu weSilo?
Ngikhule ngikhombe ngophakathi kwelakithi,
Izinkomo zidlan' uboya kwethu,
Bawasephi amasiko eNjelele abancidezeli?
Kungan' izulu lingasani njengasekadeni?
Kwakhala nyonin' esizweni sikaMatshobana?
Umkhakha wababus; ababusa befumbeth' isibhakel' esimnyama,
Ababuse ngenkethabeshabi yengalo yomthetho,
Ontando kayiphikiswa, wayiphikisa uyolal' emakhazeni,
Soneni na thin' abakaMalandela, thin� mazinyan'esilo?
ImpumaLang' ephum' igcwel' inzondo,
IntshonaLang' emathun' akaziwa,
Ayephi amaqhawe esizw' esinsundu?
Ziyeph' izinduna zakithi?
Iph' iNkos' esiholayo?
Ngilaleleni bo ngikhulume ngokungihluphayo emoyeni wami,
Inotho yesizwe sakith' ethuthukis' abaphetsheya
Thina saphelelwa ngama toho, sachithekelwa yimizi lenjabulo,
Kunga kukhona okuzophephisa lezinhlungu na?
Sizokhala kuzekubenini na ngalumbuso wesibhakela esimnyama?
Inqgindi yenkohlakalo lodlame,
Kwakud' emuva kwas' eduze ngaphambili,
Nyamezela sibambisane indlela,
Ubusisiwe okhulumayo kuloMtoliki,
Asethwele amayezi liyeza izulu,
Izul' elitsha likazibuse,
Hlal' uthembele mlobokazi
Jabula ntandane, ukuncindezelwa sokusemaphethelweni,
Linkulumo seyaba yingoma emathathakusa,
Linkulumo seyaba yingom' empondozankomo,
Because we thought he has the weight
Now we wait to be great
For he had closed his gate
And treat us with hate
When we shall again be mate
And he begging for our mandate.
We once again thank all those who participated in the competition and for their love of poetry. As a parting short I dare say:
To you family of poets,
Distilled words we have
Words of wisdom we share.
Political activism is our right
Our traditional garb is our cultural activism,
Social commentary is our birth right.
Let's lantern society with poetry
Illuminating the reality of human existence,
Joy they will have
Misery they shall reflect upon,
Goodness shall be the born child.