Gudo guru petamuswe
Pamakasvika sekuru takapemberera tikaita mabiko
Dzedu nyemwero nzeve nekunzva. Tikati havano
Sekuru vedu vauya nemanyautsamukanwa. Tikati
Sekuru vauya nerusununguko. Vauya
Kuzosimudzira vazukuru. Takaunganira sekuru
Kuti vatiudze nyaya dzinovakamusha. Nyaya dze-
Pasichigare nengano. Nyaya dzerudo kuti isu
Vazukuru tiwanewo. Nyaya dze-
Kuti tese tisimukirewo tiite savo sekuru
Sekuru vakatimbundira neavomaoko mahombe. Isu ndoku-
Tambarara tikati tadiwa nasekuru. Tirizvedu
Pakati pemafaro sekuru ndokutanga
Kutisvina sehembe nyoro. Kuti tichifema
tatadza. Tichiridzamhere ndopatoona
shavi rasekuru regudo kutipfacha
kusvika. Nechingu vachidiki homwe dzevazukuru dzose
dzazunguzwa ndokupera. Inga sekuru votiita
makwayi ivo vavegava. Sekuru vaitanyoka yapinda
muchikwere chine huku. Sekuru
votiangosimudza musoro ruoko pahuro. Abvunza mubvunzo
banga pamoyo. Aonesesa maziso
tuchu hanzi waonazvisizvako. Achema
nekurwadziva hanzi yatove mhandu. Avadenha
vodzorerwa kwamusikavanhu. Zvino tavekuona kuti sekuru
vakwegura vakabatauroyi. Sekuru vedu wakachekerwa
nyora dzekuba. Iwo moyo wavo
vakaora nechemukati. Kuora semuti wapfukutwa
moyo. Ivo mahobi avo sekuru gudo
akahwandisa umhondi.
Maziso avo anopenya rufu neutsinye
Kuita utsinye hwenyoka inoruma chaisingadye
Kuita hwenda inoruma akaitakura. Kuzofarisa
Senhunzi yaone ndove. Idzo nhafu
Dzavagudo dzekutotemerwanyora. Weduwe
Vedu sekuru umbimbindoga ndehwejongwe. Jongwe
Rinoda kurira rega muchikwere
Maoko avo akazara ropa revazukuru
Iri ndiro riye shavi reruokorurefu. Havaone kuti
vakwegura. Maziso adzoka mumahobi avo
Idzo njere dzapwa setsime muchirimo. Sekuru vedu
Havazivi kuti vanengegudo. Parinokwira
Mumuti gotsi rinengerakashama kumhandu inemuseve
Havaone manyekenyeke emoto arikuuya
Ava ndivo sekuru vaye vatakagamuchira nemaoko ese
Imi sekuru kani. Akurumanzveve
ndewako. Iyi iyambiro kubva kuvazukuru
Chisingaperi chinoshura. Yenyu
Nhambemutambe regai ichanaka. Chiregai
Zvekutamba nedhaka pasina mvura. Vane
Ruzivo vakavayambira vakati. Gudo guru peta
Muswe pwere dzigokuremekedza.
Written by. David W
Mwanaka. 2012
Old Baboon, fold your
tail.
When grandfather arrived we rejoiced and celebrated
With our smiles ears and listening. We said here is-
Our grandfather who has come with delicious foods. We said
Grandfather has come with our freedoms. He has come to
Uplift his grandchildren. We surrounded grandfather
So he told us stories to build up families. Stories from
Long ago and of fables. Stories of love so that us
The grandchildren, we would find love. Stories of
Success so that we could succeed like grandfather
Grandfather embraced us in his huge hands. We became
Complacent saying, grandfather loves us. When, in the
Middle of this happiness, grandfather started to
Squeeze us like wet clothing. Such that, to breath,
We couldn’t. When we mourned loudly, we discovered the
Baboon’s spirit of our grandfather was to crash us before
We had arrived. In no time our pockets were turned inside-
Outside, and emptied. It seems grandfather has made us into
Sheep. He was the wilddog. He has become a snake in
The hen’s shelter, with the chicken inside. Grandfather
Killed everyone who raised his head. Ask a question?
And you are knifed at the heart. See too much? Eyes are
Gorged, for you saw what was not yours to see. Cry
From the pain?
You are an enemy. Provoke him?
And you are
Send back to the creator. We now see that grandfather
Has witchcraft in ageing. In our grandfather, it is cut
Into his skin the mark of corruption. His heart is
Decaying in the insides. Decaying like the tree, from
The insides. His deep forehead is like the baboon’s,
Hiding cruelty. In his eyes shines death and cruelty.
Like the snake’s cruelty, biting what it doesn’t eat.
Like the lice that bites its host. He is too excited
Like a fly that has found a mound of cow dung. His greedy is
Like the baboon’s, a mark cut into the skin. My, oh, my
Grandfather’s
dictatorship, is like a cock’s. The cock
That wants to hear, only its crows in the hen’s shelter
His hands are full of the blood of his grandchildren
This is the spirit of huge hands. He doesn’t realize he
Is old. Eyes have shriveled into his deep forehead.
His brain has dried, like a winter’s pool. Grandfather
Doesn’t realize he is like a baboon. When it climbs
Into the trees, its back is exposed to the enemies’ arrows
He doesn’t see the ferocious flames of the fire coming
This is the grandfather we received with open arms
Grandfather, please! Anyone who advises you is your
Friend. This is the warning from your grandchildren.
Anything that doesn’t end is sacrilegious. Your
Delicious food; let it go, whilst it is still tasty. Don’t
Play with soft clay where there is no water. Those with
Wisdom have warned you, saying. Old baboon fold your
Tail, so that little children would respect you.
Translated by
Tendai R Mwanaka
