Ayanda Billie works as a quality inspector in the motor industry in Uitenhage. His first book of poems was Avenues Of My Soul (2006). He is influenced by the haunting voices of South African poets like Ingoapele Mandigoane and Mafika Gwala, European poets like Lorca and Pessoa , and jazz music, particularly Zim Ngqawana. His isiXhosa poems record the chilling hours of the modern worker on the factory floor.
Spotlighting Pan-African Poetry
Biography
Kwahla namhla
Kwahla namhla
Lajika lasinikela
Umva ilanga lasekhaya
Lichul’ ukunyathela
Liyokuphumla phesheya
Kwentab’ ezikude
Libeleke konina bejingxela
Kwasa ekuseni
Xa imphondo zankomo
Kwenyuk’ amaxhala
Kwabaxhelenga kwimizi
Mveliso ngobuninzi
Ixhala lokutsala idyokhwe
Kuxhozulwen’ imikhala
Kushiyeke ithambo
Kukhanywa ukubila
Kwebunzi lenu emilonyeni
Yezinye izidalwa
Kushiywe imiqala
Yentsana zenu
Yome nko
Kwasa kwahla
Ulilel’ emazinyweni
Ingoma engenasingqi
Isingqi ikubetha kwentliziyo
Ithemba ikukukhanya kwenkwenkwezi
Kwisibhakabhaka esimnyama
Sobusuku obude.
Ayanda Billie
Featured Poem:
Amandla akho msebenzi
Amandla akho msebenzi
yinzuzo kwabaphosa imali
engxoweni evuzayo,
bonwabile benoyolo
yingeniso oyenzayo
mihla nezolo
Imali ziindonga
phakathi kwabo nawe
wena uyimbongolo
abangafuni nakuva isikhalo sayo
esibenzela isithukuthezi,
bona behleka begigitheka
Amandla akho msebenzi
yinzuzo nakubantwana babo
nesizukulwana esingekaliboni ilanga,
noxa esakho sisajonge enkalweni
loomhla kogwetywa indlala
kuntyiloze nemicelu emakhayeni enu
Iintliziyo zabo zilukhuni
okwelitye legolide engacolwanga,
isizathu ikukunyoluka kuzele inkohlakalo,
kusombiwa ngomntu umhlaba
libebomvu igada ligazi lakho.
Translation:
Your power worker
It is a gain to those who throw money
Into a leaking sack
They are happy, they have joy
With the income you generate
Every single day
Money is hills
Between you and them
You are a donkey
They do not want to hear its cry
A cry that creates boredom
They are laughing and giggling
Your power worker
It is a gain to their children too
Even to the generation that has not seen the sun
Yours is looking at nothing
The day poverty is doomed
Umcelu bird will rejoice
Their hearts are hard
Like the stone of gold that has not been crushed
The reason is that their greed is full of ruthlessness
They are digging the earth with a human being
Leaving muddy stones soaked in blood
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Biography
Ayanda Billie
Biography
Ayanda Billie works as a quality inspector in the motor industry in Uitenhage. His first book of poems was Avenues Of My Soul (2006). He is influenced by the haunting voices of South African poets like Ingoapele Mandigoane and Mafika Gwala, European poets like Lorca and Pessoa , and jazz music, particularly Zim Ngqawana. His isiXhosa poems record the chilling hours of the modern worker on the factory floor.
Kwahla namhla
Kwahla namhla
Lajika lasinikela
Umva ilanga lasekhaya
Lichul’ ukunyathela
Liyokuphumla phesheya
Kwentab’ ezikude
Libeleke konina bejingxela
Kwasa ekuseni
Xa imphondo zankomo
Kwenyuk’ amaxhala
Kwabaxhelenga kwimizi
Mveliso ngobuninzi
Ixhala lokutsala idyokhwe
Kuxhozulwen’ imikhala
Kushiyeke ithambo
Kukhanywa ukubila
Kwebunzi lenu emilonyeni
Yezinye izidalwa
Kushiywe imiqala
Yentsana zenu
Yome nko
Kwasa kwahla
Ulilel’ emazinyweni
Ingoma engenasingqi
Isingqi ikubetha kwentliziyo
Ithemba ikukukhanya kwenkwenkwezi
Kwisibhakabhaka esimnyama
Sobusuku obude.
Featured Poem:
Amandla akho msebenzi
Amandla akho msebenzi
yinzuzo kwabaphosa imali
engxoweni evuzayo,
bonwabile benoyolo
yingeniso oyenzayo
mihla nezolo
Imali ziindonga
phakathi kwabo nawe
wena uyimbongolo
abangafuni nakuva isikhalo sayo
esibenzela isithukuthezi,
bona behleka begigitheka
Amandla akho msebenzi
yinzuzo nakubantwana babo
nesizukulwana esingekaliboni ilanga,
noxa esakho sisajonge enkalweni
loomhla kogwetywa indlala
kuntyiloze nemicelu emakhayeni enu
Iintliziyo zabo zilukhuni
okwelitye legolide engacolwanga,
isizathu ikukunyoluka kuzele inkohlakalo,
kusombiwa ngomntu umhlaba
libebomvu igada ligazi lakho.
Translation:
Your power worker
It is a gain to those who throw money
Into a leaking sack
They are happy, they have joy
With the income you generate
Every single day
Money is hills
Between you and them
You are a donkey
They do not want to hear its cry
A cry that creates boredom
They are laughing and giggling
Your power worker
It is a gain to their children too
Even to the generation that has not seen the sun
Yours is looking at nothing
The day poverty is doomed
Umcelu bird will rejoice
Their hearts are hard
Like the stone of gold that has not been crushed
The reason is that their greed is full of ruthlessness
They are digging the earth with a human being
Leaving muddy stones soaked in blood
Kwahla namhla
Kwahla namhla
Lajika lasinikela
Umva ilanga lasekhaya
Lichul’ ukunyathela
Liyokuphumla phesheya
Kwentab’ ezikude
Libeleke konina bejingxela
Kwasa ekuseni
Xa imphondo zankomo
Kwenyuk’ amaxhala
Kwabaxhelenga kwimizi
Mveliso ngobuninzi
Ixhala lokutsala idyokhwe
Kuxhozulwen’ imikhala
Kushiyeke ithambo
Kukhanywa ukubila
Kwebunzi lenu emilonyeni
Yezinye izidalwa
Kushiywe imiqala
Yentsana zenu
Yome nko
Kwasa kwahla
Ulilel’ emazinyweni
Ingoma engenasingqi
Isingqi ikubetha kwentliziyo
Ithemba ikukukhanya kwenkwenkwezi
Kwisibhakabhaka esimnyama
Sobusuku obude.
Wow am so proud of you Mr Billie…