Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 September 2022
Ngikhumbule kus’ ekhaya
Laph’ ilanga liphumela
Phezu kwezintab’ ezinde,
Lishone libomv’ ezansi
Kuze kusondel’ ukuhlwa
Nokuthul’ okucwebile,
Laph’ uphuma phandl’ unuke,
Uhogele ngamakhala,
Uzigqum’ umzimba wonke
Ngomoya wolwandl’ omanzi.
Ngikhumbule nakwaQwabe
Ezweni lemikhambathi
Elinemivi nameva,
Lapho sigxumeka khona
Amaxhokovan’ ezindlu
Sisingethwe yizintaba
Ezinamawa namatshe
Ambozwe yimbingcizane
Eluhlaz’ enjengoboya
Bemvan’ esanda kuzalwa.
Lapho sigingqika khona,
Sihuba njengemimoya,
Sikhwelana nemimango
Egamanxwe yimifula
Eholob’ ibhek’ ezansi
Lapho kungabuywa khona —
Bath’ abadal’ uma besho
KukwaLulwandl’ olumnyama
Olugubhayoluveva
Selokhu bavul’ amehlo.
Nami ngimile phezulu.
Ngiqoshem’ eMkhambathini
Ngabuka phansi ezansi,
Ngabona kuthunq’ intuthu,
Ngabuza ngingenalwazi,
Bangihlebel’ endlebeni,
Bangikhombisa kusuka
Phezulu koMgungundlovana
Kudwebe kushon’ eMhlali
Nangenhla kwaseMgungundlovu.
Ngaqala ngamangala
Ngibon’ amasim’ amnyama
Ekhihliz’ ikhab’ ummbila,
Namabel’ esevuthiwe,
Amajuba nezintaka
Zitshiloz’ emagatsheni
Ziwenanel’ ukuvuthwa.
Amehl’ am’ adonsekela
Phezulu kwezinkangala
Ngibona zikhwel’ imingqangu.
Kuzo ngabona kukhwela
Izintokaz’ ezimnyama
Zithwele amagobongo
Ziwayekelel’ akhanda,
Nemizimb’ icwebezela
Ngenxa yokuzicwengela
Zifun’ udumo lwesizwe.
Ngemva kwalezi zinkehli
Ngibon’ amashob’ emile,
Nezihlangu zezinsizwa.
Ngabona nokushelana
Kwezintombi nezinsizwa.
Ngabon’ amasok’ enqoba,
Ziwakhunga ngobuhlalu.
Ngema ngafikelw’ umona,
Ngaziduduza nganxanye.
Lapho ngibheka ngaphansi
Kwemiseng’ ebiseduze,
Ngibon’ imihlambi emihle
Yezimbuzi neyezimvu.
Phakathi kwayo ngabona
Abelusi beyinqanda,
Bayiqondis’ emakhaya.
Ngabheka ngakwaLulwandle,
Ngahlangana nofasimbe,
Ngabethwa ngumoy’ omnandi,
Wez’ usondela ngemithi,
Ngalalela ngaguquka,
Kant’ ilanga lishonile.
Ngabheka phans’ emfuleni,
Ngabon’ amanz’ esekhanya,
Kwangath’ asekhanyisiwe.
Kanjal’ isithunzi sami
Naso savela phakathi;
Ngazibuka nganeliswa.
Phans’ eMlazi noMkhomazi,
Uyovakashela khona
Uzibone lezi zinto.
Ziyokuvul’ inhliziyo.
Amanzi ayokukhanya,
Ekhanyisw’ izinkanyezi
Zasezulwini emafini.
Um’ unenhliziy’ egcwele,
Uyohlala phans’ ubonge
Amathong’ oyihlomkhulu
Akuzalela kwaZulu,
KwaBuhlebungayindawo,
KwaMfulisagcwelamanzi,
KwaTshanibuseluhlaza.
Imikhambathi yakhona
Nasebusik’ iyathela,
Kant’ imith’ iphundlekile,
Kayinamandl’ okuvuka.
Yebo, nami ngiyothela
Ngigcwal’ amajikijolo,
Ngiyethe njengamasundu
Agcwel’ izihlekehleke,
Ngay’ inyanga yomkhambathi,
Phansi kwelakithi kwaZulu.
Ngiyokuma ngithi phuhle,
Ngifuzane nezintaba
EzikwaDedangendlale,
Ezinekhambi lobuhle
Engibone lidl’ umLungu,
Wahamba wahamba wema,
Wamisa nemoto yakhe,
Waphuma wahlala phansi,
Wakhiph’ igudu wabhema,
Wabuka waze wakhala.
Nami kaningi nginjalo,
Ngidakwa yilezi zintaba,
Ngilahleka ngingatholwa,
Ngedukile ngezigodi
Eziqhakaz’ izimbali
Zihlanganisil’ iphunga
Leminduze namazibu
Aqhakaz’ esizibeni,
Ahlobis’ amanz’ athule
Ecwebe ngohlaz’ oluhle.
Ngidakwe ngaphuphutheka
Ngaze ngaficwa yinkungu.
Ngiphakathi namahlathi
Ngahlangana nezimfene,
Zangethusa zingikhuza.
Ngalalela kud’ ongoqo
Banikezelan’ igama
Abalicula ngokuhlwa.
Ngezwa kuvuka nezinye
Izilwane nezinyoni.
Ngabon’ uzavol’ engikha,
Ngasengel’ abantabakhe.
Ngalala phansi kwenyanga
Ngibelethwe ngumhlabathi;
Isiphuku kungutshani,
Ngacamel’ esiqundwini.
Ngashayana nengqimphothwe
Ngibukel’ izinkanyezi
Ziphuma zishon’ ezansi,
Nomthal’ uguquka nezwe.
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