Nostalgia Poem by Phillip Nine Mafunga

Yesterday we would swim in natural pools of innocence
Knowing cattle by name and character
In the wild we only killed for sustenance and not for sport
With the environment we coexisted
Money was never a motivator nor was profit a buzz word
We ran around in our bathing suits for our innocence feared no paedophiles

One TV and one telephone and the whole street was served
The incredible Hulk was my favourite show
All children belonged to the community
In a tribe we were all protected by a common ancestry
One married into a tribe creating effective peace between tribes
Nature succoured us; nature nurtured us

In the streets and open spaces great football stars were honed
Leaders were birthed during childhood plays
Teaching was a noble profession and the nurse was always female
We never saw soldiers in our neighbourhood
The police oversaw our neighbourhood security
University was sacred and only for the academically gifted
Managers would never beg; they owned nice things
The ting ting bell of the postman brought excitement as he dropped the mail by the gate
We would wake up in the morning to pick up bread and milk by the doorsteps
Thieves never stole food for it was plenty
Harare Omnibus Company (HUOC)bus was always on time
Water and power were provided for by the city of Harare

We had our stationery provided for by the school
Education was attractive; it was the gateway out of poverty
Vagrants played guitars and so we were not encouraged to play
Bankers owned cars and houses, and wore nice suits
Everyone could have a job and corruption was not in our vocabulary
Then I woke up to find that it is very sunny and hot!


Phillip Nine Mafunga
16 October 2019