Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
maya like a candy in a little child’s hand for a moment i tasted the sweetness of a gentle and kind human heart his warm arms and his charms would never me a girl child harm but eighth years old i was raped my thighs wide open and splayed my little vagina violently penetrated my virginity viciously violated my childhood innocence assaulted my trust for adults betrayed death penalty threat hanging around my neck if a single soul would be told an angel girl child innocently i fell in brutal hell’s gentle hands death threat sealed my lips my heart could not a pain weep nor my eyes a tear bleed my head confused me to become a guilty victim i suffered a quiet pain inside my heart i took refuge in my traumatic silent retreat my voice turned into a mute agonizing melody a silent cry of a young caged bird a song only an angel lady can free gently the angel lady liberated my innocence from false guilt she emancipated my inner voice from incarcerating silence her graceful poetic solace relieved my mute pain my young age caged voice became free again now like a beautiful butterfly flowing with the flow of the wind maya is a free bird child the young bird that swings wings of change the young aged bird that sings songs of change maya angel is a free bid child
1
Tsepo Gumbi
1
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
phoenix
wh?n they betray ur trust ‘nd against u they turn ‘n& twist t2 ur-self b tru ‘nd honest wh?n the immoral rush t2 crush u t2 dust &nd run t2 burn ur immortal spirit t2 ashes ‘nd have fun while they make a dry cremation ceremony t2 celebrate ur defeat dn’t retreat the battle is not over yet fr4m the ashes rise if they knew that fire purifies ‘n refines they wldn’t sacrifice ur body in the fury of hell’s flames wh?n they assault ur intelligence ‘nd publicly reap ur reputation apart when out of jealousy &n hate the enemy haste to stab u at the back ‘nd urinate gas poison all over ur plans dn’t b shaken let them try t2 ruin &nd spoil ur life they w’nt succeed they can’t devastate ur fate ur integrity shields ur destiny ur ideas r transparent threads of threats t2 fallacies & fantasies inside their feeble heads frightful t2 face reality they haste t2 say ur ideology is a waste of creativity toxicity t2 society ‘nd 4 that they slaughter ur brain they scream nightmare madness at ur dreams they crown thorns around ur thoughts they crucify ur genetic creative genius ‘nd forcefully they nail ur brain t2 the cross beware of wolves wearing masks and costumes masquerading as ur soul-mates foes disguised as ur intimate friends
2
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the best breed in the beast business their smite a lethal snake bite at a lightening speed strike they despise ur efforts and dismiss ur contribution at ur demise they meat ‘n eat they make a great feast t2 celebrate ur “defeat” but never loose heart no evil has the power t2 overcome the goodness in your heart like chirst crucified t2 death and rising 4rm the dead resurrect like the mystic bird when u r burned t2 ashes rise to glory
3
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the seed rose/d the soil’s womb dry as a barren women’s breast plant a seed un/derneath that sterile earth bury it deep beneath that infertile dust without any fresh air to breath and no rainy refreshing spring waters to drink u would expect life within the tiny little seed to choke and suffocate but the truth is the seed rose/d un/der-ground life is hard and hostile it’s a crocodile concrete jungle the battle the beast to survive but the insignificant seed toppled all the odds defeated the gods and lords of the un/derworld and to victory the seed rose/d when no one dared to care the tiny little seed alone without a crew grew itself strong it refused to loose (to die un/der-ground un/known anonymous un/titled) the feeble little seed chose to rise ‘n rose at the crack of dawn the first root out of the seed caused earth quake rattled foundations of the earth broke through solid concrete ground and split the heart of the earth apart through a crack on a concrete solid ground the seed rose/d to become a giant oak tree that persist to grow strong and free pursuing the freedom dream propelled by a seductive vision navigated by divine wisdom far beyond dark storms and gloomy clouds breaking through the bleakness of dark future like a scientific rocket rocking galaxies the feeble little seed rose/d
4
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
beyond there is hope beyond the pain of the past and the failures of the present and the fears of the future there is hope. bellow the dry chest of sahara’s desert and the barren kalahari’s wilderness there’s a stream that soaks our thirsty dreams wet. beyond the far horizons of what we now see, experience and go through there’s a little ray of light that sheds eternal hope to all those who behold it. beyond the pain of the past our spirits find divine therapy beyond the failures of the present rise our prosperity beyond the fears of the future lies our destiny.
5
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
2 don’t be inactive in your activities rather be active and proactive be more productive and less seductive go the extra-mile however avoid dangerous extremes live on the edge but not over the edge confront your fears and live your dreams get out of your comfort zones but be careful of danger zones let anger your master never be whatever it desires let the heart content be what profits the man must prosper the soul not every win is a victory nor failure a total defeat there is so much joy in suffering harvest the gain hidden in your pain never succeed by accident intend in your heart to win from the start peace forcefully embrace ambiguities and doubts with the sheer grace of your faith joy or depression is the offspring of thoughts we host and entertain when the fruits of our relentless efforts mature we reap abounding benefits of our labour without sham express your true self live to give more than the less you’ll receive motivation
6
Tsepo Gumbi
3
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
my inspirayshen
eye drop off my pants ‘n take off my underpants sit down on a TOILet seat ‘n sh!t my inspiration comes the stinking smell of my own excretion intoxicate my brain cells without discussions 2 write with discretion eye start 2 write my rhymes eye drop lines of hope from the TOILet pit eye m not afraid 2 free-style from top left 2 bottom right my freedom walk ’n talk blak inked pen moves & grooves nonstop mae kr8tivhithi knows no calligraphic grammar rules noh redpen critic marks & remarks non foolstops eye skrible down my thoughts no grammar cops 2 stop ’nd correct and dis-turb my lokshen revolushinary moment my toy’let inspired imaginations i’m in the only place my palace wh?r i can b blind 2 poorverty ‘nd every day same sufferings a play’ce wh?r i find a piece of peace of mind ’nd a slice of silence 4 my soul wh?n m done & all thoughts r gone end there s no-thing mo 2 drop eye wipe off my s with a new(s)pay-per page wh?r i’hv skribbled my dribbling imaginings eye flush flashes of my thoughts down the lavatory &nd eye live the toil@ relieved with a pure mind inspired.
7
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
untitled (prayer) grant me the creativity to appreciate beauty the ability to seize the opportunity the flexibility to cope with the ever changing world the tranquility to enjoy every moment of life the availability to service others the humility to ask for help compassion for those in poverty complete humbleness in prosperity courage in the face of adversity redemption from iniquity the spontaneity to laugh at my own wrongs as i make amends and the tenacity to be strong when my knees get weak.
8
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the dream is not dead yet i am locked behind the prison bars of a depressed and distressed mind shackled in chains of frustration and turmoil left only with a hopeless lonely soul yet the dream in me is not dead yet within a wrecked melody is crying trying so hard to return again i’m deafened by the loud noise of silence i’m haunted day and night by the thoughts of poverty and joblessness i’m tormented by flourishing riches of friends yet the dream in me is not deaf to echoes of my success screaming from a afar nearing future no brief relief to solace my broken heart filled with bitterness anger and hate the pain in my tears i cannot hide yet the dream in me is not defeated i’m overshadowed by a crowd of sorrow because tomorrow i may not be i’m coiled by ropes of despair drowning me into the depths of the rivers of death yet the dream in me is not dead yet i’m loud and bold to testify that the dream in me refuses to die i intensify my voice and amplify the noise the dream is not dead yet on the dusty dirty streets of Sharpeville i’m dreaming it out loud screaming it out proud living it out bold the dream is not dead yet
9
Tsepo Gumbi
4
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
home
home is where the heart is home is where art breeds where our souls feast where our feet dance where the spirit goes into trance and the body finds rest home is where the roots of our culture begin the cradle of creativity the birth place of ubuntu our humanity home is a marital love nest where love birds exchange their passions and cuddle each other’s dreams home is where the oral narration originate the moral regeneration station the class room where we educate the youth the nursery where we nestle and nature the young the ghetto cottages are our spiritual synagogues ghetto is my lab factory where i incubate my dreams initiate my success and launch my career the squad camp is good all bad all all in one Sharpeville living is fabulous my stay my pleasure my treasure local living is better here than anywhere else global Sharpeville township my shack my hope my home my castle
10
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
bonolo (a heart dear & tender) a heart dear and tender with much love to offer soft as a drizzling spring rain in summer spontaneous rose of joy my summertime sunshine glory you put my soul to laughter even after a disaster blessed be the god and gods who planted goddesses on earth blessed be they that gave us birth for theirs is divine strength blessed are they that shoulder a heavy burden for them awaits a greater reward in heaven blessed be amongst us extraordinary women for theirs is the humour the glamour and laughter of life looking back through the mirror of my memory i reminiscence the early years we grew up amidst the misery of rife poverty with no poetry to ease our misery but mom stood up erect up-breast par equal to the test of single motherhood she fought fierce battles to beat the odds and make ends meet she was our sole bread winner our soul food provider she softened gusty winds and made life hard sad mad and bad much easier to bear every day we had our daily bread and our daily read “food for the belly book for the brain� beautiful mom wonderful lady my mentor my life approach coach my number one supporter you said tomorrow sorrow no more you assured us today will be a sunny day a better day all the way
11
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
you gave us a reason to smile and a season to burry our worries away you have sown seeds and groomed heroes giant oaks in the forest your reward is the greatest you were never a coward hence heaven reserved for you a greater reward your legacy endures beyond the end of life greater is she blessed is me that in her warm womb i was conceived and intricately woven blessed is me that i in her full strength am drenched blessed is we for unto us she gave wisdom that unblinds our ignorance and guides us to knowledge mother? (inquired my inquisitivity) what makes a man great? a woman creates my son she said beautiful mom wonderful lady your boys are here to dry your tears thank you for a heart dear and tender with much love you have to offer
12
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
thank you dedicated to nopopi, abutie john and makholo i say goodbye as the tears fall from my eyes how i miss you much no one will ever know now that you are gone i'm all alone everyday i must grow strong even though the thickness of sorrow weakens my soul without you i must go on life can never be the same anymore but it gets not so sad like earlier before so far i can cope and i have hope i’m being strong though broken inside it still hurts but it gets better by the passing of time i can to this now stand on my own your confidence in me makes me not to fall down and in despair drown *for all the love you gave and the exemplary life you lived and for all you did to better my life thank you much tomorrow is a new day it might be difficult it might be better than yesterday whatever joy pain or challenge it may present you made me ready i have your strength to carry me on in your last prayer you said the Lord is my light i shall not turn wrong thank you for life for believing in me when you could have easily doubted my ability like everyone else did *for all this that and other many such things thank you much now that you passed away i miss you very very much there will be no more such as you in my life anymore but the moments we spent together will outlast forever
13
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the thought memories of you and i together i will forever treasure from the deepest of my heart thank you much
14
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the journey to an unknown destiny i take with me a treasure to the future a good investment i will fruitfully harvest the journey to an unknown destiny promises uncertainties but i will walk this path with faith as my light i will learn i will love i will laugh i will thrive the moments of today are the makings of tomorrow every step i take is the making of my history the turning of dreams into physical reality the genesis of my legacy the journey to an unknown destiny is a blind folded discovery a precious mystery unfolding hold on to your bravery this journey is for the audacious in heart.
15
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
chained brain chained brain strained mind drained by pain in jail without bail insane thoughts all day dreams are in vain visions vanish potential constrained ability restrained mobility restricted the grip of fear frustrates no gain for pain brain strained in vain unchain my brain free from pain liberate my thoughts free from agony heal and release my mind my head yearns to be pain free i don’t want to die with pain in my head please set me free unchain my chained brain free from pain
16
Tsepo Gumbi
5
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
she’s i’da!
she is a bright teeth star a bright mind that shines with intelligence blinding my eyes with her brilliance her resilient strength resides inside her inner being she greets life with joy of the uprising morning sun she meets me to fulfill my needs she welcomes you with hope she showers you with a deep courage to make you be strong she jokes with our souls to spark a smile on our faces she is the laughter through which we enjoy our happiness like a feather floating in the air we breath she swings her walk as if she is blown by the wind she talks as if she is singing mellow melodies she’s abrupt to entertain the silence in our ears she’s got the vibe inside her voice that grooves my heart and rocks my soul when she is present in my presence i experience the absence of loneliness when i am with her it feels as if life gave birth to me the most precious and gracious gift on the earth
17
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
break the silence speak out it helps talk out it heals cough out it reveals cry out it relieves come out it frees voice out it uplifts reach out it saves lives and gives hope to others speak up break the silence and spread the massage
18
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
born underground where there is no sound of a singing sparrow where no beautiful flowers grow where no streams of living waters flow where no gentle winds blow where no shining stars glow where there is no brave tree to offer u a cool shadow where there is no possibility that the sun might sneak through a crack on the ground and brighten dark days i was born there under ground deep down below where the cold white winter snow harbours all over the green land a place where dreams become solid frozen a place where the freeze ices hope to death i am born there under the deep freezing ground deep down below the icy winter snow a place where no one on top dares to go a breeding underground for lethal reptiles a green posture for poisonous insects i reside dormant at this belligerent hidden space like gold and diamond i am sown grown and groomed from deep down below underground
19
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
keep hope alive keep it forever burning keep it glowing throughout the darkest hours of the night at all times in the cool of the noon day amidst storms and strong winds during colds and winter snows let the fires of hope blaze keep hope alive even behind the thick gray cluster of gloomy clouds the sun keeps on shining
keepHOPEalive 20
Tsepo Gumbi
6
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
death rope
death rope dashed hope self-sentenced death sentence writing the last sentence of the selfcide letter a long list of pathetic apologies a catalogue of life’s catastrophic tragedies a mantle of cowardice around the neck “i can’t cope with pressures and stresses of life my ass is broke!” so you dope overdose you crack your brains and try to intoxicate reality but the situation doesn’t change you’ve lost your last seed of hope you pull out a roll of rope a death ribbon you coil your neck from the roof top you shit in your pants just before your last breath you are a coward go to hell!
21
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
art art is the divine expression of the spirit chanting inside our inner being it is the essence of our existence the substance that sustains our presence on this beautiful planet earth. it is the deity’s beauty poured into our fragile human vessels we contain our god’s very own creativity inside our vivid imaginations. it is the magic we cook inside our brain pots. it is the music and the melody that we form in the depth of our hearts. it is the poetry and the stories that we write, narrate and recite with our soul’s passion. it is the word sculpture that we carve and chisel on the stones and rocks of our native culture. it is the monument that celebrates and demonstrates our creativity. the legacy that endures the ages of time and the pages of history. it is the status of our true liberty. the artistic images and sounds that we now create are the visual and vocal gems that many generations to come will forever treasure.
22
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
birds of the same feather a greedy friend is not a good friend in deed when you are in need in deed he’ll feed himself on your fresh fat flesh and burn your bare bones in hell’s fire whenever great minds collide arrogant ignorance is bound to collapse and wisdom-supremacy is bound to erupt and dominate because we are intellectually inclined our mental capacity never declines we are constantly ascending to the highest peak of our creative intelligences true friendship sails through the toughest storms like friction polishing the rough surface of an uncut diamond conflict perfects friendship laughter makes it softer you are my pillar of strength my pillow of comfort in any given weather birds of the same feather always rock together when you mold my character i style and fashion the patterns of your behavior we merge our strengths to fight a common enemy we are birds of the same feather best friends for life together we flock forever we rock
23
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
scars forgive pain of the past do not hold on to its painful memories but deep inside i am bleeding my heart is wounded wounded with a pain from the past you see me smiling outside but nobody knows the hurts i hide inside my heart is broken wounds that are hidden are much more painful than those on top of my skin i alone can feel the deep pain of my hidden bleeding scars for my inner me to heal i must set free my painful memories i must give them wings to fly far far-away with the winds and let the freshness of the blue sky breathe healing into my bleeding hidden scars “forgive pain of the past do not hold on to its painful memories let god’s invisible hand heal your hidden bleeding scars”
24
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
love through the storm that which doesn’t pass through the storm of it it cannot be said to be strong but love through the storm is a solid rock foundation a fresh fountain of hope a serene green forest to rest the soul and restore strength to the spirit love through the storm commands respect and demands commitment though the gloomy season may seem forever never must you cease to offer affection with passion to your lover your freedom and strength to love is through the dark shadows of the storm when all is quite and calm of love that passed through the storm of it it is said to be found strong full of sustaining substance and resilience a tower of limitless strength and for such love (love trough the storm) there is no substitute that which does not go through the test and torture of the storm of it it cannot be said to be strong when you love trough the storm when all is quite and calm you emerge twice much more stronger
25
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the human person the spirit considers no colour it embraces us for who we be from the depth of my human soul i too embrace thee for who you be but the world we live in is fuelled by hate full of toxic racial waste our humanity is in a deteriorated state prejudice and injustice are a human disgrace we are all supposed to be of equal measure in front of the law, truth and reality but we know some enjoy superiority and some suffer inferiority you and i are to use liberty and unity to fix all ills of humanity you and i we have all it takes to make it better you and i we are the fruits of the same tree our ancestors share the same roots system we are a splendor of a blossoming human plant we are beautiful flowers of the blue the green and the brown of the earth you and i we are a one people person one human creation a multi-mixed social congregation together we aught to obliterate dividing borders of segregation
26
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
love is the same fame or shame love is the same it doesn’t change it rains it’s cold it’s hot it’s summer it’s winter there’s a snow but still the beautiful flowers of love grow no matter whether the weather is better or worse whether you are bitter or happier love remains the same (it doesn’t change) joy or sorrow laughter or tears pain or pleasure the loath of foes or the love of friends the wrath of enemies or the warmth of family prosperity or poverty love remains unchanged whether you are thick or thin tall or small youth or tender grey in the eyes of love all are the same
27
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
love love is a human heart basket that keeps all sorts of fruits together it is an open wide ocean that offers freedom fo all fishes to swim it is the spring rain that nurtures to green all trees in nature’s forest it is the oxygen we all must breathe it is fresh water quenching our thirst never shall our souls be dry again
28
Tsepo Gumbi
7
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
jest masters
fit thighs in tight straight blue jeans excite my eyes and ignite my passions. live on the page stage bro-ike pen penetrates my blank brain enter-taining my dull blunt thoughts seducing my creative appetites while collaborating smart collage words with thematic pictures and art structures to elaborate and demonstrate his sharp o’kappi jungle knife point of opinion dlala madala pen pencil page stage acrobatics tip-toe tap’sula boogie dance poetry bro-ike do your thing play your multi lingo local vernacular word-cocktail mix siphiwe no fear burning spearhead outspoken local vocal poetry master your vocal verbal rhymes reverberate global the waves of your rhythmic blues (the blues i know the blues i love) explodes my brain’s bluemoon mood away your word of mouth speaks volumes of truth to the youth spit the voice of your thoughts into my void brain pot when you chant your rasta culture bongo-beats our heads in a cloud of your witty weed smoke we clap our hands tap our feet and trance dance we vibe waya-waya nonstop we jive like this we jive like hat we jive this like that and that like this we jive one way all the way waya-waya nonstop far from the dark background there’s a unique colour character with a fine skin texture choreographing poetry paragraphs to create dramatic choruses of grammar structures he is proposing a love story to prose he blends words to match the imaginative
29
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
fashion of his text-style he’s tax’ng the government for each account of corruption he is exorcising racism in public poetry sessions salute and tribute to isa’s legacy her she-voice rosy-thorny-poetry lines lives they echo in the front pockets of our memories she immortalized her thoughts in poetry her words are spirits flowing forever botsotso tight straight blue jeans stitched with multi-colorful threads of lay intuitive creative words and imagery botsotso tight straight blue jeans poets weavers of multilingual words into a literary tapestry pure freestyling liquid flow fluid poetry botsotso jesters tight blue jeans jest masters
30
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
bare feet i step upon a land of broken dreams and shattered fragile visions my journey is through this valley of despair i take off the shoes that show me the way to hell’s jail cell i take off the iron-sandals that shackle my feet to a road that leads to distraction i take off the heavy metal boots that keep me dancing around the vicious circle of empty hopes and vain promises bare feet i walk the path to my emancipation bare feet running brave with a burning torch of courage i travel the deserts of scorpions and cobras i walk upon the waters of wild oceans and flooding rivers i step upon thorns and broken bottles on ghetto streets i engrave my footprints upon this wrecked world bare feet i strive to achieve on my own bare feet i’m treading the dreaded road of broken dreams i’m journeying the painful path of shattered fragile visions i’m passing through the corridors of smashed hopes and crushed promises but my bare feet never stop to stomp the ground for change blood and blisters under my bare feet i never stop running brave with courage i strive to achieve beyond my own on my own for a chance to breath a better life i’ll never stop to stomp the ground for change you can never shoe me down i am bare feet adamant and pertinacious.
31
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
in my sleep dream in my sleep dream you dance to the soundless beat of my heart pounding inside my chest you move your body to the acoustic rhythms of my poetic music. in my sleep dream like a summer flower dancing to the whirl wind’s gentle blows you flow with grace on the dance floor. in my sleep dream the marbles of your eyes are glistening your sweet lips are glazed to kiss success a simple dimple smile stretches the corners of your face to frame surging emotions. your face glows towards the new dawn of glory winning is the only song that gives your heartbeat a rhythm to dance your passion sets the stage on fire. in my sleep dream you sway your hips deep and swiftly the tips of your dress follows after your choreographed body movements your every move twist turn and spin is performed with excellence. when you are done you bow your head to honour the glaring crowd that has just been bedazzled by the magic of your wonderful performance. during my sleepless nights the echoes of your dancing footsteps are the lullabies that knock me down to sleep drowning me deeper into the flowing river of my dreams the high and low rhythms of your heartbeat pump up oxygen into the lungs of my life you have so much soul to offer your dance inspire the living.
32
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
you invite me to dance with you on the liquid surface. my sea of fears is roaring the waves of chaos and confusion are screaming public panic to step up to the challenge sweeps me off my feet yet you invite me to step upon the water floor and look it’s amazing i am not sinking i am floating above the restless wrestling waves of the ocean of life i’m swimming in a pool of storming water yet my dreams are not drowning in despair. in my sleep dream when you dance on the wooden floor you wake me up to a new dawn of success yawning you open the door to endless possibilities you escalate my dreams to infinite realities in my sweet sleep night dream my head above the clouds is roaming my feet glued firm to the floor standing my ground i am head over hills in love with you. deep in my fast beat snoring sleep when you dance you rock the dance floor of my dreams wait there’s a hard knock at the door i must wake up and open the door i must have been deep dreaming all along i open the door and guess wh?t it’s you! the dancing figure in my sleep dream i must now be really dreaming deep in my sleep dreams please wake me up!
33
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
uhuru gurus (freedom masters) we salute heroes we honor warriors we celebrate victories the legacies of our legends defy the atrocities of our oppressors our present rises from a past that was meant to break us apart apartheid (apart-hate) a weapon of my race distraction but by the force of mass black power we dethroned the kingdom of colonialism our freedom-kingdom come was not cheap. easy-come. simply-done. we laboured the pain of life and death to give birth to our liberation the emancipation of a black nation from the tree planted in the grassroots of the struggle we harvest fruits of our freedom the legacies of our today defy the sufferings of our scarlet yesterdays we fought our fierce battles the moral combats against racial immoralities we ran the full length of our freedom marathon and we have championed our liberty we have mastered our freedom the chronicle of our history declares our victory to the whole wide world community as we celebrate our triumph we salute our heroes and we honor our warriors the struggle era is over we have championed our liberty we have mastered our freedom
34
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
sweet and short (love letter poem 4 chokie) at first glance i was embraced by the warmth reflected on your face you gave to me a charming heart warming smile that i still even remember today i must agree when the wise say: first impression never fades and first flattery lasts forever my eyesight was not blind when i saw you for the first time your comely ebony beauty was glowing all over my face. chokie cocoa chocolate brown skin sweetness of life there’s a fine thin line between love and friendship and i can’t keep a perfect balance between the two. chokie cocoa chocolate smooth brown soft skin coconut cheese cream cake custard vanilla mint flavored ice cream the girl in my dreams let me keep it simple. sweet and short. beautiful dark brown girl sweetness of life out of the cocoon i am in love with you. i think now you should know that my feelings for you are no longer a secrete hidden (they shine up like stars in the sky) it is no longer forbidden for me you to love it is no more a taboo for me you to admire the doors of my heart are wide open and i’m flooding you with raving waves of my ocean of emotions drowning you into the deep of my passion. words spoken cannot be reversed love unspoken can never be cherished a heart fearful to love perishes love not spoken in bundles of beautiful words and clothed in silky garments of faithful deeds fades the affection of a dear heart. for an unquenched thirst irritated throat and a rain-dry desert deserted thoughts there’s in you a wet well to water this drought. amidst the mist of infatuation emotions run loose passions run wild and i’m so easily confused but lollipop candy girl a sip kiss of your sweet lips should be enough to make
35
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
things pretty clear as the gap between our breathing life is too short and as the eyes blink so must we think and decide delay makes a heart despair. chokie cocoa chocolate smooth brown soft skin it is because of the love that lays hidden deep inside my heart that i dare to take such a risky step that might crack and break our dear friendship i suppose to try and to maybe loose is better than to blues and wonder what could be the future for us together. chokie cocoa chocolate smooth brown soft skin words of love spoken deep from the heart make the bosom warm inside these words once spoken out of my mouth they cannot be swallowed back appreciate and cherish the one who dares to love in you the whole of you without any doubt in mind. chokie for you my love at first sight was not blurred your first impression never fades in my mind that first flattery will last forever you have made an exclamation mark (!) if and when it happens don’t forget to mark the date our lips kissed for the first time “the first kiss is always the sweetest” sweet and short simple and straight forward a stupid cupid shot a love arrow right to the middle point of my heart now i am in love with chokie my cocoa chocolate smooth brown soft skin sweetness of life
36
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the sweetness taste of life i have tasted the sweetness taste of life from the sting of a wild honey bee the passion of life from a scorpion’s poison the freedom to roam the open land whilst confined in prison my infancy breastfeeding milk was from the nipples of a lioness i have tasted the sweetness of joy in the sourness of a painful sorrow my greatness is in the small moments of today’s little acts of kindness it’s a beautiful wonder to witness the blossoming of happiness amidst the weeds of sadness like love cures hate courage is bravery in the face of magnitudes of fear as the light conquers the night life overcomes death and joy within is the sugar that sweetens the taste of life i have tasted the passing sweetness of life in the lasting passion of my pain and that is the syrup therapy of my life
37
Tsepo Gumbi
8
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
mo’ than life
you are the lily of joy in the valley of my miseries you are my summer sunshine ray through the darkest grey clouds of my sadness mo’ than life’s disturbances you are the mantra that i and i like to chant for the meditations of a quite mind your voice sings to me songs of hope peace and happiness mo’ than dry seasons of life you are a crystal clear liquid wet drop that wets my desert dry throat when my saliva river has ceased to flow mo’ than frailty of old life you are the strength that nurtures my growth the wisdom that lectures knowledge to my youth perfection is what you desire of me one with you content and complete i become mo’ than stars bright your words shine like narrow beams of light in the darkest nights of my dreams you ignite in me a spark of hope you are my spring of joy the wind that stirs my wings to fly beyond life that can be swallowed by death bellow you are: mountains high rivers deep horizons wide a pleasure without measure my treasure for life
38
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
imbokodo (the rock) a poem written for unknown strong woman to a strong shoulder that carriers the weight of the weak to a strength that lifts the weary above their barriers to a spark that illuminates our bleak miseries to a stone that crushes to dust the bones of the beasts to a clenched fist of the feminist legend there is much more than this poem can pen down imbokodo the rock of liberty the corner stone that shapes a nation’s destiny woman of courage strength and resilience fearless without fleeing you are a no coward in a crowd of timid characters you speak the word of truth as it is you tackle the buffalo-bull by its thorny horns you harvest to your nest a sweet taste of nectar from a venomous sting of a wild mamba-bee money does little less to make life twice as happy about you liberty lady there is much more than these penned lines imbokodo liberty lady rock my destiny
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the quest i am the headmaster of my own state of mind i am the subject of my own character i’m not a cluster of a certain culture i’m not an object of your illicit pleasure i don’t affiliate under any crooked structure i defy the norms and refuse to conform i don’t shelter under the shadow of another man’s wings the lord is my shield his wisdom is my shepherd however small i may look from your tall twin watch power-towers i am all great in my heart i am on a quest to reclaim my liberty and rediscover my lost identity i am the arch-architect of my own designed destiny the engineer of my own fate i’m skyhigh living in the free mental state the quality of my character is of the best you can put me to the test i have conquered the worst i resist performing the daily operations of my life according to the stale patterns of this modern fast paced life style i brand new my self-identity and beef up the muscles of my self-esteem never underestimate my ability to achieve i am something great inside my quest is to quench my longing thirst for a life truly lived to the ultimate
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
just a twinkle little thought eye picture frame ur image inside my spinning imagination and immediately i get a kick of xcitement u enter-tain my pain pouring ur laughers in2 my pot of sorrow flushing the tears of/f my eyes in2 the river of joy a thought of u in my mind xcites my brain cells tickle my feelings tease my emotions enter-tain my brain pains and arouse my sleeping passions just a twinkle little thought about u is big enough to punch hope out of my dull soul u activate my dormant faith u ignite a glint of fire that glows within my whole-being u make me believe in something greater than the all universe u r the bright night smile of the stars and the moon u r the warmth of the sun smelting the wrath of winter u r the spring of summer blossoming in september & u in the side pocket of my vivid memory i will always u 4ever treasure just a twinkle little thought about u is a big enough brain-spark to ignite xcitement inside my dull skull the smell of ur perfume intoxicates my concentration astray and swayed out of the way i can’t th!nk str8 when u r around
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
in your deep thoughts at night in your deep thoughts at night ghosts snore inside your head evil gods recite poetry in your thoughts the devil’s dogs gnaw their teeth deep into your brittle sleep dirty spirits voodoo dance you witchcraft art demons haunt you in your thoughts all night dark shadows hunt for your soul for you there is no rest at all in your deep thoughts at night there are no lullabies to lubricate your dreams there is no soft sweet sound to snooze your head there is no comfort ground to slumber your exhausted body and rest your worry weary mind frightening nightmares drive you nightmad now really your sleep is doodklaar so you wake up and you work the thorns and weeds of the wild infertile land your fragile hands toil the hostile soil job hip-hopping hoping to reap a bit better life kaalfoet you walk the streets kaalgaat in your deep thoughts at night there are no fairy lullabies to decorate your dreams there is no place to hide your nakedness when reality confronts you with the truth you seek refuge in lies of your own self-deceptions there you want to escape reality then you fall slave to a series of illusions and hallucinations in your deep thoughts at night there are no holy lullabies to consecrate your dreams there are no angelic beings to sing you hallelujahs it is a halloween knight season parasitic vampires want to suck your blood juice the greamreaper ghost master is out to harvest your ripe soul
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
and so you wake up you work the thorns and weeds of the wild infertile land your fragile hands toil the hostile soil job hip-hopping hoping to reap a bit better life but rude daylight poverty strips you naked bare feet you walk the streets bare bodied there is no place to hide your nudity when reality confronts you with concrete truth in your tight sleep at night deep in your dark thoughts you are wide awake as if it’s midday light because there are no lullabies to lubricate your dreams no angelic beings to sing you hallelujahs and no fairy tales to decorate your night dreams you’re sleepless and tired of slumbering consciously wide awake and so you wake up…
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
comic therapy colorful hues of my witty humor makes life hilarious delightful and delirious when i crack a joke i make you to crack a smile that wreck the wrinkles on your face i clown your frowns ‘til your sadness falls down i drown you into your own tears of joy my comedy is a remedy to your misery i joke so to choke life out of your worries i suffocate all of your sufferings so you can enjoy your life’s blessings to live is a blast of bliss i’m pleased to entertain your pain away whenever you’re sad i’ll make you be glad with my comic therapy don’t fret cheer up b’happy when to live is a blast of bliss intrinsic joy blossoms spontaneously
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
monotonous routine 1
2
3
4
the enslavement of the individual continues daily detention by the multimedia-tainment the mind bound by captives of non-action enslaved by the tele-visual vain vision empty brain void without sound mind artificial intelligence virtually amplified the mind is played like a like a toying toy tossed up and down round and around spinning like a yoyo it is the mind made mad the brain insaned by media junk freethinking shrunk to tv box thinking the society is crime saturated sex obsessed morally deficient explicit overt sheer peer pressure to indulge in illicit teen-pleasures most youth devotedly indulge themselves when fantasy distorts the frequency of reality insanity is inevitable when little brains are all tattooed cartoons there’s attention deficiency toward school books void brain dull skull empty head don’t let your child’s brain be a media-junk trash bin we need the mind over media press pressure the brain over mass press power the individual mentally emancipated form monotonous tv viewing routine
45
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
y? must eye b selfish there’s 1 heart lots of love & just 1 me but there’s just so many of u eye don’t know wh?t m eye supposed 2do or who? of u m eye supposed 2 choose all of u want the whole of me u don’t want 2 share me m all only 4 1 of u alone at a time all the time u r beautifully selfish even though u know within my 1 heart there’s lots of love more than any 1 of u 2 keep alone because eye care 4 all of you eye don’t want 2 scare even a single 1 of u away neither do eye want 2 hurt ur beautiful hearts people such as u r rare & scarce l b a fool 2 loose or choose even a single 1 of u many makes me merry m happy wh?n there’s plenty y? must eye b selfish (like all of u) & choose only 1 whereas eye can have more & all if u cannot have ur cake at home & eat it all alone then the best is 2 share it with others remember there’s just only 1 me with 1 heart & lots of love 2 share m not selfish eye love 2 share no man is an islet content & complete a male’s appetites are as vast as the green of the 4rest but 4ever some choose 1wife4life (beautiful selfishness!)
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
star of the sky in the mud hopes perish fantasies vanish fabric of feeble wishes wither redeye tears fall from your fallen star within teardrops water the crude rude forms of your reality your happiness succumb to life’s disastrous tragedies star in the mud of hostile daily realities dropped from the glamorous milky-way galaxy pulled down by the military force of gravity truth is a ruthless tutor facilitating torturous processes of inner growth star in the rusty mud your hope suffocates under extreme pressure of scarcity insufficiency perpetuates your state of poverty streams of your living dreams are a dead sea by the skeleton desert star in the mud your fragile future is being fractured in the womb of the present wounded by harsh realities of now and the past fancy dreams and fairy wishes would never you carry to success unless the extreme mix of poverty and reality paves a way star in the dirt mud of blood tears and red dust the fruits of your labor sweating blood are rotten sad star trapped in the pain of addiction lost your fresh breath of wealth to illicit seductions your destiny is destitute because of prostitutes star stuck in the thickness of mud when are you going to rinse yourself from shame and polish your fame and shine back to your successes the sky is too dark without glints of your starry glory star of the sky what made you star in the mud star of the sky in the mud i still believe you can rise and shine again
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the terror of horror is battling in the territories of my mind my world is torn apart in torture from young i have seen them all suffer the worst of war hunger and starvation erupts my anger blood boiling i strive to live through thorns and broken bottles i toil the desert soil under the hostile eye of the sky searching for oil to moisturize my sun dry skin clenched fisted punching economic poverty with an empty stomach stamina bare feet skip-hop jumping barbed wired fences trying to keep my hope pumping some inspiration but my optimism is stretched to a breaking point my strength is spent in vain my sweat drips for no gain tears on my dry chicks rain pain hope is infertile life is sterile my fragile dreams are barren wishes a thought about the morrow is a burden of sorrow my soul is a hollow abyss of despair and desperation my dehydrated body a coffin housing a dead spirit the oil in the lamp that enlighten my darkest knights is severely depleted i perish in pitch darkness my conceived dreams vanish my existence like a dead dry leaf withers to dust the ashes of what used to be a flourishing life blown away by passing winds of useless time like a slip stream i slip away and fade my soul in slow erosion motion demise my dreams in slow erosion motion vanish my life in a sluggish motion slowly but certainly wearing away these are the end days of light fading at the end of a dim tunnel
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
defy the norm. refuse to conform you are the revolution scientist for this lost generation reconstruct your mind. reengineer your thoughts your thinking tank is the revolutionary engine for this lost generation reconstruct your mind. reform your thoughts the development of this nation evolves from ideas contained in your imagination reengineer your thoughts. transform your mind our mottled culture needs radical restructuring defy the norm. refuse to conform reconstruct your mind. reengineer your thoughts the revolution of this lost youth generation evolves from what is within your imagination alter the mind to modify reality change in thinking is change in living revolt! norms and customs are mundane rebel and refuse to conform riot and resist restraining traditions and customs zabalaza! protest! riot! rebel! toi-toi! yell! stomp! mosh! push! pull! fight! don’t stop till you reach the acme those on top will never keep us down we are the uprising the youth generation transmuting prophesies into reality we are formidable unstoppable and unbreakable
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
belittle my superiority i will battle you till i break you apart oppress my people we will obliterate your government neglect the poor god will strike you down talk me small i will walk even taller i will step you down i won’t stop till i crush you to dust no authority limits my freedom no power intimidates my strength i am the governor of myself your flawed claws of law will never rule over me your constitution needs my circumcision scissor come i invite you to enter my initiation academy be my scholar i will qualify you with a degree of liberty you’ll be the dean of your own school of thought the master of your creativity like a sculptor you will craft your own destiny
50
Tsepo Gumbi
9
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the lone line
between the two opposite sides of the road of life there is a thin white line in between i am on the edge of loosing my mind at an early age stage i’m living on the extreme edge of disaster on the verge of loosing my sanity to keep my sanity i would rather disengage and walk on the pavement side of the road of life one lone soul stroll-rolling up and down without a definite direction to a predefined destination scratching the face of the earth’s surface searching for a place where the soul can nest in peace speaking voiceless to a mute self solitary detained inside a chaotic mind listening to inner confusions and complains of a completely complicated life feeling cold needing a warm hold tides are high and times are hard hold me tight old friend i am frightened and fatigued in mind anxious and timid in heart life is sour i’m all alone in a long day every hour of the day drowning my sorrows in an orgy of drunkenness lethal liquor momentary cure for my inner sadness brandy turns my misery into comedy foolishly i laugh at myself but the loneliness never fade i am on the extreme edge of disaster on the verge of loosing my sanity loneliness is driving me mad crazy woe this lone sadness woe the solitary isolation woe the excruciating exclusion woe the repulsive rejection woe loneness who can escape me? between the two opposite sides of the road of life there is a thin white line in between
51
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
and the lonely live on the extreme edge of disaster between the opposite sides of the road of life serene sanity and instant insanity there’s a thin white line in between i choose to walk on the pavement side dormant and disengaged my mind safe neither sane nor insane
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
if you be youth if you be youth deviate from juvenile forms of destruction purge yourself from iniquity repent from delinquency pursue righteousness the fear of supreme deity is the beginning of wisdom the beginning of wisdom is the journey to your freedom escalate your reality to the level of your dreams gravitate your dreams to the level of reality in between you’ll strike a perfect realistic balance in your youth blossom never let the sun dawn on your arse rise before the yawn of each new dawn be authentic duplicate the one within yourself project him to the world to see wining is within your effort’s reach the world may doubt you but you have to believe in yourself have fun run wild like a child think once twice before you leap youth let the light of the truth guide you through and thorough
53
Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
taxi to the city of gold my eyes were wide open my mouth with no words that can be spoken the morning darkness broken by the rising of the sun in the taxi to the city of gold i clenched myself next to her tiny figure her brilliant head hairless her face pitch ebony beauty simple pimples popping there & there but never disturbing this subtle image of beauty i popped out my mobile accessory and said excuse me (dear) lady may i have your digits please she slightly smiled at me (my timid heart laughed silently) butterflies flapped their wings in my stomach [it’s tough t2 b a guy!] i got her mobile contact she eyed me enchanted (at least i thought) the next traffic light i jumped out off the taxi xcited like m high on xtacy
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
the hope in her child’s dreams she sank deep into the emotions of despair her fainting hope fading into invisible air her heart grieves as she perceives life to her is unfair she bleeds her tears into a tank of hopelessness she cries her prayers to the open sky of a deaf god her pleasure is soaked in the river of her eyes’ pain her shame is covered with sympathetic blankets of public pity she weaves her comfort fabric with fantasy threads she hangs her child’s dreams on a thin swing string yet she hopes for a good life for her child she takes refuge under a refuse bag shelter poverty greets her good morning with yellow teeth smile each day she has to strive to survive hunger and starvation but when the sun declines his light the night rises and falls on the same poverty plight and when tomorrow dawns she has drowned even deeper into a misery tank now her tears are flooding her poverty stricken face she cries her prayers to the open sky of a deaf god for grace but again the widow weeps her eyes in vain the window of heaven’s door is closed she is slowly swallowed by a swarm of gloom clouds but she never ever abandons the hope in her child’s dreams and she never did abandon the child and his dreams i am her child and the words of this poems are the dreams of my hope the hope in her child’s dreams the burden that she never abandoned i am the hope in her eyes’ dreams
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Tsepo Gumbi
BOTAKI BOOK PROJECT
a woman’s bruised face a woman’s bruised face is like a butterfly with broken wings a beautiful rose planted in mud a bee with rotten honey you strike a woman you knock a rock so don’t worry man just beat harder she’s too strong it wont make her cry hit while anger is steel hot unleash the best of your raging fist of furry don’t worry about her pain man she’s rock strong man is your hand itching? just beat the bitch if you’re a man enough you wont punch like a sissy woman if love can make you weep what can stop it to make you bleed victim of romantic violence domestic silence will destroy you break loose standup and free yourself when you love someone you wont let them hurt you no matter how is your face bruised you are beautiful inside don’t let anyone take that one away from you but remember if it make you weep it can also make you bleed when love hurts your heart hates when your heart operates on anger you can easily murder
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