Poem
Ignatius T. Mabasa
Along Samora Machel
Along Samora Machel Avenue,I knocked a woman down
But I didn’t stop.
I saw her toss and turn
In my rear-view mirror
Before lying still, twisted
Next to her loaf of bread,
But I couldn’t stop.
Fearing the crowd would get me,
I drove on in the confusion
To flee from the chaos
To try and get home
If home was still there.
Along Samora Machel Avenue,
I knocked a woman down
But couldn’t stop.
Bullets were flying
People were dying.
Another mass uprising?
Along Samora Machel Avenue
I knocked a woman down
But I didn’t stop.
A heavy truck reduced her to pulp
And this was no fiction.
I bled with her – profusely
But I just couldn’t stop!
© Translation: 2006, Ignatius T. Mabasa
MunaSamora Machel Avenue
MunaSamora Machel Avenue
MunaSamora Machel AvenueNdakatsika vamwe amai nemota
Asi handina kumira, ndakatiza
Ndakavaona pagirazi remumota
Mai vachibidirika nemarwadzo
Pedzisire vati pfau-pfau, favava, zii-i
Chingwa chavo chiri parutivi pavo
Asi handina kukwanisa kumira.
Nekutyira hupenyu hwangu
Ndakafambisa mota mubvonyongera
Ndichitiza bishi nebesanwa
Ndichivavarira kuenda kumba
Ndokunge kwakanga kuchinemba
MunaSamora Machel Avenue
Ndakatsika vamwe amai nemota
Asi handina kumira, ndakatiza
Mabara epfuti akanga achiridza miridzo
Vanhu vakanga vachitiza nehupenyu hwavo
Kwaive kutanga kwechimwe chimurenga here?
Hondo ine ropa, rufu nekuparadza…..
MunaSamora Machel Avenue
Ndakatsika vamwe amai nemota
Asi handina kumira, ndakatiza
Ndakavaona vachikuyiwa negonyeti
Ruwoko rukadambuka, musoro ukaputika
Mwoyo wangu wakajuja ropa navo
Asi handina kumira, ndakatiz
© 2006, Ignatius T. Mabasa
Poems
Poems of Ignatius T. Mabasa
Close
Along Samora Machel
Along Samora Machel Avenue,I knocked a woman down
But I didn’t stop.
I saw her toss and turn
In my rear-view mirror
Before lying still, twisted
Next to her loaf of bread,
But I couldn’t stop.
Fearing the crowd would get me,
I drove on in the confusion
To flee from the chaos
To try and get home
If home was still there.
Along Samora Machel Avenue,
I knocked a woman down
But couldn’t stop.
Bullets were flying
People were dying.
Another mass uprising?
Along Samora Machel Avenue
I knocked a woman down
But I didn’t stop.
A heavy truck reduced her to pulp
And this was no fiction.
I bled with her – profusely
But I just couldn’t stop!
© 2006, Ignatius T. Mabasa
Along Samora Machel
Along Samora Machel Avenue,I knocked a woman down
But I didn’t stop.
I saw her toss and turn
In my rear-view mirror
Before lying still, twisted
Next to her loaf of bread,
But I couldn’t stop.
Fearing the crowd would get me,
I drove on in the confusion
To flee from the chaos
To try and get home
If home was still there.
Along Samora Machel Avenue,
I knocked a woman down
But couldn’t stop.
Bullets were flying
People were dying.
Another mass uprising?
Along Samora Machel Avenue
I knocked a woman down
But I didn’t stop.
A heavy truck reduced her to pulp
And this was no fiction.
I bled with her – profusely
But I just couldn’t stop!
© 2006, Ignatius T. Mabasa
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