Chirikure Chirikure Poems

Gore rino hakuvatwi
tisina kuzvigadzira
Rino gore hakurarwi
tisina kuzvipedza

Hatingaregi uchiwondonga, takangotarisa
Hatingaregi uchibvoronga, takangonyarara
Hatingaregi uchiwondomora, takangodzvondora
Hatingaregi uchibvonyonga, takangoduka

Zuva riya wakatuka mbuya, tikazvinyarara
Riya zuva wakatengesa pfuma, tikangonyarara
Nezuro wakapisa dura, tikazvinyarara

Nhasi woisa tsvina mutsime?
tsvina mutsime?
tsvina mutsime?
...

Ndakarinzwa shoko raMacmillan wekuBritain
Hanzi kwava nemhepo itsva inovhuvhuta muAfrika
Mhepo yotsvaira Afrika ichishandura zvose
Mhepo inofanirwa kucherechedzwa nepasi rose

Ndakaiona mhepo ichitsvaira nyika yeAfrika
Ichisvinudza meso evaya vari parumananzombe
Ichizunza mbambo dzeusvetasimba, kuti zu zu zu
Ichidokerwa yopeperetsa mureza weruzhinji rwevanhu

Ndotarisa uko nekoko nhasi ndoona imwe ngoma
Mhepo iya yasanduka ruvara, yava chamupupuri
Chamupupuri chodzura mbariro dzemisoro yevanhu
Choshezheudzira pfumo kune wamai, richisiya mhandu
Chodzimaidza meso, kufamba yangova fembera fembera
Chonyemudza mari, mari yosandura vamwe kuita zvigeven'a
Chobvuta nhembe dzezvigaro zvemagweta, chichikanda muchoto
Chobvarura mureza weruzhinji, chichiturika ura hwesvava

Ndikatarisisa ndinoona chamupupuri chine shavi
Chamupupuri chodambura-dambura rukuvhute -
Uku mhuru haisati yatombodongorera kuti ibude munhumbu
Kana mihacha, pokupirira, midzi yayo chaiturika mudenga!
...

I heard the word from Macmillan of Britain
There is a new wind blowing in Africa
A wind of change sweeping across Africa
A wind the whole world is warned to take heed of

I saw the wind sweeping out the land of Africa
Opening the eyes of those under oppression
Shaking the bastions of colonialism to the root
Leaving a new flag of the people flying in the air

Today, I look here and there, I hear another sound
The wind has changed tone; this, now, is a dust-storm
A dust-storm that is ripping out the wiring from people's minds
Turning the spear from the enemy to point at one's own brother
Blinding the eyes so people can't see where they are going
Dangling money in people's faces, changing many into devils
It rips off the adornments from the legal thrones and throws them into the fire
It tramples on the flag of the people and hoists up the insides of little babies

When I look closely, I see a demonic dust-storm
A dust-storm that is shredding the umbilical cord
Even before the calf is ready to leave the womb
It has pulled out the ancestral prayer-tree, muhacha
And turned it upside down
With its roots to the sun!
...

Sitting in the white wintry sun
Watching birds winging in total peace
The mind switches to one's bare feet:
Two feet
Lucky to still have them both
Ten toes
Blessed to still have them all.

Who made that stupendous blunder?
The feet, straying in the wrong area?
The mouth, blurting the wrong party slogan?

Wrong area?
Who decides that?
Party slogan?
Who designs that?

Two feet
For perfect mobility
Ten toes
For total balance

Time to move on
Where the feet's heart desires.
...

Sitting in the white wintry sun
Watching birds winging in total peace
The mind switches to one's bare feet:
...

In the work place, the whole day, it's 'yes, yes'.
This is the official language of the office!

At home, the whole family goes 'yes, yes'.
...

It is Heroes Day holiday,
To commemorate those
Who put their country first
And thought nothing of themselves.
...

(on the advent of ESAP)


Father, I don't understand -
You knock on my door at this ungodly hour
...

Every face encountered
the same question
about places I have been
...

Just listen to yourselves talking -
The family is no more!
So, the family is no more, is it?
Tell me: what are you?
...