Monday, 29 June 2015

Sounds of a Cowhide Drum by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali

Boom! Boom! Boom!
I am the drum on your dormant soul,
cut from the black hide of a sacrificial cow.
I am the spirit of your ancestors,
habitant in hallowed huts,
eager to protect,
forever vigilant.
Let me tell you of your precious heritage,
of your glorious past trampled by the conqueror,
destroyed by the zeal of a missionary.
I lay bare facts for scrutiny
by your searching mind, all declarations and dogmas.
. . .
Boom! Boom! Boom!
That is the sound of a cowhide drum--
The Voice of Mother Africa.

Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali

Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali was born on 17 January 1940 in Kwabhanya, he is a South African whose works have been commended within and outside Africa. He writes both in Zulu and English languages.

No comments:

Post a Comment

The Land of Unease by Niyi Osundare

The Land of Unease The land never knows peace Where a few have too much And many none at all. The yam of this world Is enough for all mouths...