MP Mkhize Da Bee is a poet based in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. This young poet has extensive writing and performance experience. Highlights of his career have been performing with veteran South African storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, performing at the Africa Cup of Nations and at the ANC’s 101 Years Celebration.
Spotlighting Pan-African Poetry
Biography
Hambo Lwam' Olumnyama
Hambo lwami kant unjuni?
Hambo lwam’ engathi awufani nolwabanye, bengihlezi ngibezwa
Engsondelene nabo nengi bathandayo bethi basathatha uhambo bebuye
Bejabule, kanti wean hambo lwami unjani?
Kodwa Hambo lwami kulungile.
Hambu lwam’ olumnyama,
Hambo lwami ngabe kukhona yini engakwenzanga ohambeni lwami?
Hambo lwam’ ungidumazile,
Hambo lwam ungiphoxile,
Hambo lwami awunaqiniso, sungaze ujikele mina ngingumhambu wakho,
Kodwa konke lokho hambo lwami kulungile.
Hambo lwam’ olumnyama,
Kodwa hambo lwami kulolu hamb’ olumnyama nakangaka, akuseveli
Nomthombo kwngiphuze ngiphumule ohambeni olungena qiniso,
Kodwa ubani ongaletha ukukhanya?
Kodwa ngubani ongangikhipha ogibeni?
Akusekho kujika sengize ngangena ohambeni olunenzondo nonya! Kant’
Wena hambo lwami unjani?
Kodwa hambo lwami ngabe mangithi d undu kuleyantaba ngyokunbona yini ukuthanya?
Hambo lwami ekuboshweni kwami ngabona iqiniso lalingasekho kuwe.
Hambo lwami nasekushoneni kwesalukazi sami imancane nalapho iqiniso
Lalingasekho, hambo lwami ngingumhambi wakho ngiphathe kahle hambo
Lwami.
Translations
In this poem, the poet openly and candidly shares his life story and the ups and extreme downs he has experienced. He wrote this poem while behind bars convicted for a wrong turn he wishes he could take back. “Hambo Lwam’ Olumnyama” means my dark journey. He hopes his peers can learn from his mistakes.
MP Mkhize Da Bee
Featured Poem:
Ngyilanga lanamuhla
ngyilanga la namuhla
ngikhuphuka ezintabeni, ngehlel’ emfuleni, ngzokhuluma ngemsebe, suka
osebeni lomfula ohambayo, uzohamba,
hlala laph’ okhona namuhla usuku lwakho lokuphumelela, moni shintsha,
impilo yakh’ ingaphezu kwakho konke okudingwa impilo yakho,
ngyilanga, ningabe nkosi, nikhumbuzane ukuba mincane iminyaka
esoyihamba ngaphezu komhlabathi kune sizoyiphila ngaphansi,
ngaphansi kobu donsa nabo kanzima sebephumelele udonsa kanzima bengeke
bekudonse kunzima, kodwa njenge nkunz’ ima noma kunzima, nosathan’
enzima,
ngosathane nzima,
ngomkhuleko singaba nzima noma kunzima,
wena ungabi nonya yifa wedwa ungafuni ukufa nabantu abaningi ngephutha
lakho, inculaza ithatha indawo.
hlala ngentombi musa ukuba nomusa uvul’ amathanga, valamathanga,
kusasa uzokhala ngelanga elikhetha amabala,
langa lami belingelihle
ngyilanga lanamuhla
mina ngyilanga la namuhla
okwenkondlo bey’hluza, mqondo sobala ndaba zosuku zizozwakala ngami,
Noma ungaval’ izindlebe mina ngikhuluma nenhliziyo.
Bebek’ imhlangano engenanduna, bephenduk’ izinduna, amajaji
bekuthethisa amacala, behlephulelana ngawe befakazelana, bekuphendula
ihawu labo, wena egameni lenkosi ungabalisi ungabalwisi, kwabadlulile
emhlabeni kumdali ubonge ukuphila, ngoba ukuphila kukodwa nje
kuwumcebo wabaphilayo.
Translation
When directly translated the Zulu term that the poet keeps repeating “Ngyilanga lanamuhla” means that I am today’s sun. The poet wants to be the light that guides the youth into making the right choices. He gives advice on education, unprotected sex, and alcohol and drug abuse. He uses his personal experiences as an example of what could go wrong when decisions are not well thought out.
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Biography
MP Mkhize Da Bee
Biography
MP Mkhize Da Bee is a poet based in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. This young poet has extensive writing and performance experience. Highlights of his career have been performing with veteran South African storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, performing at the Africa Cup of Nations and at the ANC’s 101 Years Celebration.
Hambo Lwam' Olumnyama
Hambo lwami kant unjuni?
Hambo lwam’ engathi awufani nolwabanye, bengihlezi ngibezwa
Engsondelene nabo nengi bathandayo bethi basathatha uhambo bebuye
Bejabule, kanti wean hambo lwami unjani?
Kodwa Hambo lwami kulungile.
Hambu lwam’ olumnyama,
Hambo lwami ngabe kukhona yini engakwenzanga ohambeni lwami?
Hambo lwam’ ungidumazile,
Hambo lwam ungiphoxile,
Hambo lwami awunaqiniso, sungaze ujikele mina ngingumhambu wakho,
Kodwa konke lokho hambo lwami kulungile.
Hambo lwam’ olumnyama,
Kodwa hambo lwami kulolu hamb’ olumnyama nakangaka, akuseveli
Nomthombo kwngiphuze ngiphumule ohambeni olungena qiniso,
Kodwa ubani ongaletha ukukhanya?
Kodwa ngubani ongangikhipha ogibeni?
Akusekho kujika sengize ngangena ohambeni olunenzondo nonya! Kant’
Wena hambo lwami unjani?
Kodwa hambo lwami ngabe mangithi d undu kuleyantaba ngyokunbona yini ukuthanya?
Hambo lwami ekuboshweni kwami ngabona iqiniso lalingasekho kuwe.
Hambo lwami nasekushoneni kwesalukazi sami imancane nalapho iqiniso
Lalingasekho, hambo lwami ngingumhambi wakho ngiphathe kahle hambo
Lwami.
Translations
In this poem, the poet openly and candidly shares his life story and the ups and extreme downs he has experienced. He wrote this poem while behind bars convicted for a wrong turn he wishes he could take back. “Hambo Lwam’ Olumnyama” means my dark journey. He hopes his peers can learn from his mistakes.
Featured Poem:
Ngyilanga lanamuhla
ngyilanga la namuhla
ngikhuphuka ezintabeni, ngehlel’ emfuleni, ngzokhuluma ngemsebe, suka
osebeni lomfula ohambayo, uzohamba,
hlala laph’ okhona namuhla usuku lwakho lokuphumelela, moni shintsha,
impilo yakh’ ingaphezu kwakho konke okudingwa impilo yakho,
ngyilanga, ningabe nkosi, nikhumbuzane ukuba mincane iminyaka
esoyihamba ngaphezu komhlabathi kune sizoyiphila ngaphansi,
ngaphansi kobu donsa nabo kanzima sebephumelele udonsa kanzima bengeke
bekudonse kunzima, kodwa njenge nkunz’ ima noma kunzima, nosathan’
enzima,
ngosathane nzima,
ngomkhuleko singaba nzima noma kunzima,
wena ungabi nonya yifa wedwa ungafuni ukufa nabantu abaningi ngephutha
lakho, inculaza ithatha indawo.
hlala ngentombi musa ukuba nomusa uvul’ amathanga, valamathanga,
kusasa uzokhala ngelanga elikhetha amabala,
langa lami belingelihle
ngyilanga lanamuhla
mina ngyilanga la namuhla
okwenkondlo bey’hluza, mqondo sobala ndaba zosuku zizozwakala ngami,
Noma ungaval’ izindlebe mina ngikhuluma nenhliziyo.
Bebek’ imhlangano engenanduna, bephenduk’ izinduna, amajaji
bekuthethisa amacala, behlephulelana ngawe befakazelana, bekuphendula
ihawu labo, wena egameni lenkosi ungabalisi ungabalwisi, kwabadlulile
emhlabeni kumdali ubonge ukuphila, ngoba ukuphila kukodwa nje
kuwumcebo wabaphilayo.
Translation
When directly translated the Zulu term that the poet keeps repeating “Ngyilanga lanamuhla” means that I am today’s sun. The poet wants to be the light that guides the youth into making the right choices. He gives advice on education, unprotected sex, and alcohol and drug abuse. He uses his personal experiences as an example of what could go wrong when decisions are not well thought out.
Hambo Lwam' Olumnyama
Hambo lwami kant unjuni?
Hambo lwam’ engathi awufani nolwabanye, bengihlezi ngibezwa
Engsondelene nabo nengi bathandayo bethi basathatha uhambo bebuye
Bejabule, kanti wean hambo lwami unjani?
Kodwa Hambo lwami kulungile.
Hambu lwam’ olumnyama,
Hambo lwami ngabe kukhona yini engakwenzanga ohambeni lwami?
Hambo lwam’ ungidumazile,
Hambo lwam ungiphoxile,
Hambo lwami awunaqiniso, sungaze ujikele mina ngingumhambu wakho,
Kodwa konke lokho hambo lwami kulungile.
Hambo lwam’ olumnyama,
Kodwa hambo lwami kulolu hamb’ olumnyama nakangaka, akuseveli
Nomthombo kwngiphuze ngiphumule ohambeni olungena qiniso,
Kodwa ubani ongaletha ukukhanya?
Kodwa ngubani ongangikhipha ogibeni?
Akusekho kujika sengize ngangena ohambeni olunenzondo nonya! Kant’
Wena hambo lwami unjani?
Kodwa hambo lwami ngabe mangithi d undu kuleyantaba ngyokunbona yini ukuthanya?
Hambo lwami ekuboshweni kwami ngabona iqiniso lalingasekho kuwe.
Hambo lwami nasekushoneni kwesalukazi sami imancane nalapho iqiniso
Lalingasekho, hambo lwami ngingumhambi wakho ngiphathe kahle hambo
Lwami.
Translations
In this poem, the poet openly and candidly shares his life story and the ups and extreme downs he has experienced. He wrote this poem while behind bars convicted for a wrong turn he wishes he could take back. “Hambo Lwam’ Olumnyama” means my dark journey. He hopes his peers can learn from his mistakes.
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