Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali

PIGEONS AT THE OPPENHEIMER PARK

I wonder this, pigeons in the Oppenheimer Park
are never arrested and prosecuted for trespassing
on private property and charged public indecency.

Every day I see these insolent birds perched
on “Whites Only” benches, defying all authority.
Don’t they know of the Separate Amenities Act?
A white policeman in full uniform, complete
with a holstered .38 special, passes by
without raising a reprimanding finger
at offenders who are flouting the law.
They not only sit on hallowed benches,
they also mess them up with birdshit.

Oh! Holy Ideology! Look at those two at the crest
Of the jumping impala, they are making love in full
view of madams, hobos, giggling office girls.
What is the world coming to?
Where is the Sacred Immorality Act? Ag! Sies!

AMAJUBA EPAKINI KAOPPENHEIMER

AMAJUBA EPAKINI KAOPPENHEIMER

Ngiyamangala ukuthi
kungani lamajuba asePakini kaOppenheimer
engaboshwa ashushiswe
ebiyelwe ngumnikazi wayo abekwe icala lamanyala.
Malanga wonke ngibona lezinyoni ezidelelayo
ziqhwakele.

Phezu kwezihlalo zaba
“Mhlophe Kuphela” zishayindiva yonke imithetho.
Aziwazi na uMthetho oHlukanisa ngeBala?
Iphoyiso elimhlophe lithe dli inyufomu
lagaxa enkohlombeni ivolovolo i.38 iSpesheli
lizithele ngabandayo
lingapakamisi nomunwe ogxeka
izoni eziphula mthetho.
Azihleli nje kuphela kulezihlalo ezicwebile
zizingcolisa ngamashimba ezinyoni.

Hawu! Nkambisa eyiNgcwele
akenibheke lawayana amabili
asegongomeni
wezimpala ezeqayo
ziyakhwelana phambi komisisi, nomadakeni,
namantombazane agigithekayo
asemahhovisi
Ngabe uqondephi lomhlaba na?
Uphi uMthetho oCwebile
wobuMsulwa na? Phu! Susa amanyala.
Close

PIGEONS AT THE OPPENHEIMER PARK

I wonder this, pigeons in the Oppenheimer Park
are never arrested and prosecuted for trespassing
on private property and charged public indecency.

Every day I see these insolent birds perched
on “Whites Only” benches, defying all authority.
Don’t they know of the Separate Amenities Act?
A white policeman in full uniform, complete
with a holstered .38 special, passes by
without raising a reprimanding finger
at offenders who are flouting the law.
They not only sit on hallowed benches,
they also mess them up with birdshit.

Oh! Holy Ideology! Look at those two at the crest
Of the jumping impala, they are making love in full
view of madams, hobos, giggling office girls.
What is the world coming to?
Where is the Sacred Immorality Act? Ag! Sies!

PIGEONS AT THE OPPENHEIMER PARK

I wonder this, pigeons in the Oppenheimer Park
are never arrested and prosecuted for trespassing
on private property and charged public indecency.

Every day I see these insolent birds perched
on “Whites Only” benches, defying all authority.
Don’t they know of the Separate Amenities Act?
A white policeman in full uniform, complete
with a holstered .38 special, passes by
without raising a reprimanding finger
at offenders who are flouting the law.
They not only sit on hallowed benches,
they also mess them up with birdshit.

Oh! Holy Ideology! Look at those two at the crest
Of the jumping impala, they are making love in full
view of madams, hobos, giggling office girls.
What is the world coming to?
Where is the Sacred Immorality Act? Ag! Sies!
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
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