Thursday, November 6, 2008

Black cottons

Let me tell a story of my people.
Faithful soldiers who vowed to serve their leader’s
Even if it meant to their own demise.
I am not saying anything about Shaka’s regiments,
Neither am I saying something about Xhosa warriors who fought
I the frontier war, but had nothing to produce as trophy out of it.

Their assuppers were busy showing fake heads to the world.
In their concocted story they said it was our king’s head.
Tshawe speak to your people and let them know the truth.
We were fighting a just war to defend our land against the invaders.

No, I forgot.

There is nothing that you can tell your people Tshiwo.
My people were fighting your own war,
and it so happened that it was the concocted war.
I am talking about Umendi which forced our soldiers to a barren war.
In that Barren Indian ocean our forefathers died.

What did they die for? Tell us.
Died for the piece of promised land in Constantia.
With your constatina you forget that we were there and we saw you betray us.
Sold us to fight the white men’s WORLD WAR two.
Yet you still believe we can warship you for your wisdom.

What wisdom there is in a tyrant?
To me you are just like them, A master without slaves.


I am so sorry that even my story mentions nothing of the unrewarded heroes.
Of the land of Kuntu who fought in such bad conditions.
Yet it was Amerika who was praised for her contribution to the war.
I say, We were like the man who tried to build a house in the wilderness.
Only for him to be cheated by wild animals who asked for help while they knew that next day the man will be out in the cold.

Let us celebrate our soldiers who fought a White man’s war.
We cannot only celebrate the vessel they boarded "Umendi" while we know
Not a single soldier who died there.

1 comment:

SEMBENE said...

The title of the Poem was influenced by a title from one of Tupac Shakur's songs which is a symbolism of the unrewarded struggles of the black people.