Member Poem

qaphela – there is fire here
in my indlovukazi’s eyes
she burns with her umbuso
plakkerskamp op mitchels plein
qaphela – there is fire in the cape
and there’s an ember in her heart
that died

hier vertoef ‘n vlammeman
in my keel – op my tong
op die berg en in die see
thetis, are you not mamlambo
you serpent in the rivers
did you know that there is fire
here

oh
indlovukazi of old
her braids adorned
with shells
and beads
on a poster that reads:
"guided township tours"

* * * * *

Translation notes:

qaphela - isiZulu for "be careful"
indlovukazi - isiZulu for "queen"
umbuso - isiZulu for "kingdom"
plakkerskamp - Afrikaans for "squattercamp"

hier vertoef ‘n vlammeman
in my keel – op my tong
op die berg en in die see

Afrikaans for:

"here sojourns a thing of flames
in my throat - on my tongue
atop the mountain and in the sea"

mamlambo - kwaZulu river deity