Inyembezi Zelifa

Written by Tlotlisang David Mhlambiso

Ubundifanele kodwa bandoyisile,
Ubundilungele ntonje bandiwisile.
Ubulilungelo lam kubo bonke,
Akuncedi ukukhala balithathile lonke.


Intliziyo ixolile,
Umphefumlo uzolile.
Ingqondo ilibele,
Umongo womelele.


Akubanga ntsuku zatywala,
Lonk’ilifa laphalala.
Kwaphel’ithemb’emntwini,
Ndambona esezintsizini.
Lajika ilifa lasisiqalekiso,
Ndabona ngelam iliso.
Zadaka inkomo zoyihlomkhulu,
Latshom’emin’emin’enkulu.


Ubuhle bekhiwane zimpethu,
Lifa ndini waligubungela Ikamva lethu.
Ubutyebi buze ngobusw’ezweni badaka,
Izinga lempakamo lasaka.


Ithamsanqa kukoxuthwa ilifa,
Inene ndasinda kuwe kufa.
Ezam azange ziwele phantsi,
Inene nomxakatho ujong’ezantsi.
Ubungunompucuko izolo kucaca,
Namhla sele uyimpula kalujaca.
Zang’usive isikhalo sam,
Kodwa lowo uphezulu wavelana nam.


Ndadingikhaya ubawo elakhile,
Walibanga wathi ufile.
Zuluzulu sele ubhadula,
Buz’apha kum ndiyakwaz’ukuzula.


Ezam inyembezi zosulwa,
Nam anditsho ukuba ndimsulwa.
Intliziyo yam isulungekile,
Anditsho ukuba ingcwalisekile.

More about Tlotlisang David Mhlambiso

I am Tlotlisang David Mhlambiso. I am doing a Bachelor of Education, majoring in Psychology and English. I shared one of my poems, titled ‘Inyembezi Zelifa’, written in my home language, IsiXhosa. ‘Inyembezi Zelifa’ or ‘the tears of an inheritance’ – this poem is about an inheritance that was supposed to be given to the persona (last-born), but his/her siblings took it. How does this relate to Africa Month arts? I have an answer to this question. In some cultures (Xhosa and Sotho), there was a belief that the things that belonged to the parents will be inherited by the last-born when the parents die. All and all, the last was regarded as the heir. In this poem, the last-born did not get what he/she was supposed to get. This is happening nowadays, contrary to what was done before.