I am My Sister's Keeper by Batsirai E Chigama

Let me
rise by bending over
to pick another
sister
fallen
Let me be
the one on a chicken bus
to give the woman with a child on her back
my seat
because i know with no doubt
her mother like my own
taught her the same
that if she finds me in her place
she would do the same for me
Let me be silent
in the face of adversity
yet speak my peace quietly
teaching the next sister
to speak with love
and repremand with the same
let me rise
by bending over
to pick another sister
fallen
without pomp or fanfare
purely reaching out
to the woman in me
Let me be
my sister's keeper
not to be remembered
by mere words spoken
but by every life my life touched
by every sore my hand touched and soothed
let me
let me be my sister's keeper
because I am.

State Witness by Mgcini Nyoni

Image - sacredwaste.com

As state witness

I told the court

that the ones saying

they had been beaten

Had done the beating

in the rural areas

I have never been

to the rural areas.

They said if I didn’t

say what they told me

I would get more than

broken ribs.

Don’t call me a coward

One held my hand

the other held my other hand

A third crushed a log

into my ribs

A forth crushed my testicles

 for good measure

As state witness

I told the court

that the ones saying

their buttocks had been burnt

their homes had been burnt

and their wives raped

Were the ones

who had actually done those

horrible things.

Your Father II by Mgcini Nyoni

Your father

used to sit by the bridge

at the shops

smoking marijuana

The man

you call daddy

is not your father

Damn!

How I wish he was

They used to say

your father

was one of the young man

who mugged people

by the clinic intersection.

I heard they stabbed

your father to death

two years ago

in a senseless street scuffle

Your father

used to sit by the bridge

at the shops

propositioning young girls;

I now know

the incident

that produced you

was rape.

Your father

used to sit by the bridge

at the shops

drinking undiluted brandy

They say

he was stabbed to death

in a senseless street scuffle

two years ago.

Ache by Adjei Agyei Baah

Image - leolaksi.wordpress.com

The promise

Still padlocked

In my heart

Memories

Flashing back

Unending, 

I, still holding on

To our first kiss

But you have forgotten me...

Martha’s Tavern By Lilian Dube

Martha’s tavern,

The braai is a colourful affair

Someone’s burning the beef

Sipho

Is being beat up

By his wife

Jeered on by his cronies

Listening to the 7^th remix

Of DJ so & so

Converse soles upon

The polished dance floor

Sweaty boys!

Deliwe

Naked in her skirt

Smelling out prey

Pretty nose…

Infusions of warm smokes

Tobacco

….marijuana?

The cobbler is on his 8^th

And enjoying it

Eyelids of a gecko

Heavy

Wondering why

Everybody has

Two replicas in tow

&he can even feel

His beard grow-

Even Deliwe by the bar

Doesn’t look like

His brother’s daughter anymore…

Au Revoir by Mthulisi Ncube

Image - naturallyrandom.onsugar.com

A heartache
As memories unfold
Memories of the days gone by;
The times that have passed

From the time we met
You were special to me
Tears of joy did I shed
A true friend I found in you

Minutes are grains of sand
Slipping all too quickly
Through our fingers
Leaving only memories

Hot tears streak
Down my cheeks
Gullies developed
As I think of our joys
The moments spent together

How pleasant
Our days were
How savouring
Each moment was
Had I the might
I’d turn back time

Your warm heart
Will be a treasure I guard
Your radiant smile
Will linger forever

Without You
Life will be a gray expanse of matter
Without a single ray of light
Something to be endured
And not enjoyed

That distant be , but a number
Let our thoughts unite
As we met to part
So it is in parting
That we meet again

Redemption Song by Mgcini Nyoni

Image - themeaningofgospel.blogspot.com

Let her enjoy

Happiness

Affection

Peace of mind

and

an orgasm or two

Let her enjoy

Prosperity

Emancipation

Equality…

and then, Yes Sir!

You can stand as a man

When I Lose My Head by Gracian W. Masiyiwa

Image - usmalesf.blogspot.com

-

When I lose my head

I just walk a few steps, and

 don’t choose where I fall

or who picks me up

-

When I lose my head

I also lose my ears

It’s like singing to entertain

the depressed

I won’t hear you

-

When my head falls

I also lose my eyes

And can’t separate diamonds

from sand

Closed eyes are eyes lost

Only see the darkness

that’s Inside the head

-

When I lose my head

Be very careful, stand afar

For I lose my mouth too

That corrosive verbal acid

starts to escape

And wantonly spoils

Friend or foe

-

When I lose my head

Please I am not a loser

Just need picking up

When you gather and join me

Take heed not to leave joints

Do it under closed doors

If I can now twist my neck,

Without groaning

You may then leave

A Woman Called Somalia by Mgcini Nyoni

Image - independent.co.uk

The vultures are circling

we won’t last another week.

They know it

But we might:

sell your extra handbags

food for a year

get rid of your cosmetics bag

food for another year

The contents

of your rubbish bin

will last us a month

You don’t have to

but we are begging you to.

The vultures are circling

angling for my

emaciated child

We won’t last another week

unless you sell one wheel

of your Hummer

and feed us for two years:

You don’t have to

but you can;

sell one of your yachts

and feed us for five years

We are not your responsibility

we know

But you can

stop the vultures circling

by not buying the

thousand dollar shoe

or going on that expensive holiday.

We don’t mean to impose

but you can stop

the circling vultures.