Nations's Bounty. Nontsizi Mgqwetho

      Mgqwetho urges blacks in the western Cape, who have received coolly Marshall Maxeke’s assertion that the time is right for action, to seek a better dispensation.

       6 The poet of the ford

      1Ink, leave me to sleep.

      Last night I tossed and turned

      and fell asleep at dawn.

      Why was that? Au! The ford.

      2Au! Leave me to sleep. 5

      Maxeke’s idea of a ford’s got us going,

      we raised our heads from despair

      as if we’d already crossed over.

      3Speak out, Cete! Someone called for the fords to be blocked

      so those in the Cape couldn’t cross: 10

      they’ll spoil it all, because everything’s fine

      as long as they’re sleeping like springboks.

      4Speak out! I say Nomgcanabana’s father’s

      a lightning bird taken to dance

      at Lupindo’s place, where it’s fed, 15

      and when it’s full it goes off with Baldy.

      5Speak out, Nqhini, with all your might!

      I say go and we’ll follow you,

      those in the Cape hear your voice

      and ask “Where is the ford?” 20

      6Speak out, Cete! What more can I say?

      It strikes me this thing will be seen

      to come good, since it’s gently fanned

      by men who iron out problems. Au!

      7Speak out, Cete! I say live long, 25

      son of Piliso, death isn’t pretty:

      everything’s ugly under the sods.

      The ford’s nothing like a lifeless lump.

6 Imbongi ye Zibuko

      1Ndiyeke ndilale wetu No Inki

      Andilalanga pezolo kude kwasa

      Ndipetwe ngumva ndedwa

      Wani wetu? Au! we Zibuko.

      2Au! Ndiyeke ndilale wakwenz’ ukwenza 5

      U Maxeke wavela ne Zibuko

      Zapakam’ intamo sesincamile

      Sanga sesiwela kanti asikaweli.

      3Teta Cete! Wat’ umntu valani

      Ama Zibuko angaweli Amakoloni 10

      Kuyakonakala kuba kube kusa

      Lungile xana elele ngokwa mabhadi.

      4Teta! Nditi u Nomgcanabana u yise

      Yimpundulu ekolis’ ukuxentsa kwa

      Lupindo apo itululelwa kona ze 15

      Yakuhluta imke no Mkutuka.

      5Teta! Nditi hamba Nqhini

      Sokulandela, teta kuti gongqo

      Inkaba ayeva wena Amakoloni

      Linye izwi lawo liti lipina Izibuko? 20

      6Teta Cete! Ndisateta ntonina ngati kum

      Kuzakuvokoteka nje, kuba lento iza

      Kakuhle kuba itiwe c’u zinqeberu

      Zamadoda avutiweyo wona, Au!

      7Teta Cete! Nditi mpilo nde nto 25

      Ka Piliso akuko kufa kuhle

      Konke kumkongolo pantsi kwe soyi

      Izibuko aloyamene nganto no Duladula.

      8Speak out! I say a man’s tossed under

      a mound, well fed, 30

      without a good word

      from the speakers over his grave.

      SHAME!

      9Speak out! Because we are at the ford.

      We know of no one concerned at that, 35

      we don’t know why they were suddenly restless,

      we know of no one who’d treat us as brainless,

      we know of no one who’d bar our Cape sympathies.

      10Speak out! I say to you in the Cape:

      take after your grandmothers, 40

      act fearing no one,

      for you’ve stolen no one’s property.

      Die-as-one, indeed!

      You’ll be people too. Wake up!

      Rise up to the ford! The ford. 45

      8Teta! Nditi indoda ilahlwa pantsi

      Kwe ndunduma ihluti kungeko 30

      Nebalana enganconywa ngalo

      Ziziteti pezu kwe dlaka layo.

      SHAME!

      9Teta! Kuba tina sise Zibukweni

      Asazi mntu ungaba nesitukutezi yilonto 35

      Asazi ukuba yintonina le basuke bangenwe kuzuza.

      Asazi mntu ungasenza abaswel’ ukucinga

      Asazi mntu ungasinqandayo ebu Kolonini betu.

      10Teta! Nditi kuni Makoloni ndini

      Fuzani Onyokokulu, niti ukuba 40

      Niyayenza into niyenze ningoyiki

      Buso bamntu kuba anibanga nto

      Yamntu. Umfelandawonye bo!

      Noba ngabantu nani. Vukani bo!

      Pakamelani Izibuko! Izibuko. 45