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Mai Vane Shungu/Mother is bitter

Enlarge poem

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvavakakutakurai kwemwedzi mipfumbamwe
Vachimedza mushonga inovava neinoera
Kuti musasvodzwa
imi dzokono rushamhu shwete kumusana kwavo

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvavakakuendesai kuchikoro
Vakauitai akadzidza pane vamwe
Kuti muzvirove dundundu pakati pavamwe
Imi dzokono moti pfungwa dzavo ndedzepwere!

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvakakupai upenyu hwakanaka
Nhasi mozvirova dundundu pane vamwe
Muchidada somakakosha kuvadarika
Zvakadaro, moti pfungwa dzamai ndedzendumure

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Mukoma, dai urini mukoma
watotanga rwendo iyezvi
unyoro huno
wandoonana namai
vakafa vane Shungu dzavo idzi
Ungwarire
Kufamba rwendo rusina magumo
kana kurarama upenyu hwenguruve
Inoimba rumbo risina magumo
inorara nokufamba ichiimba
Ichidya kuimba
Makapfeka tsvina namarengenya

Mukoma, mai vane shungu
Mai vane shungu, mukoma!

Translations

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
She is bitter that
She carried you for nine months
Swallowing bitter herbs
So you cannot be a still birth
In turn you beat her

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
She is bitter that,
She educated you
Making you a learned person
So you can stand among other people proud
In turn you liken her thoughts to that of a kid!

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter brother
She is bitter that,
She provided you with a better future
Today, you stand proud among other people
Bragging, you are important than them
After all that, you equal her reasoning to that of a toddler!

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
But brother, if you were me brother
You should have set out on a journey
Right now as I speak
To see mother
Because if she dies with this bitterness
Beware,
To start a destination less journey
Or to start living the life of a pig
That always sings an endless hymn
It sings in its sleep, while walking
And even when feeding
Brother, wearing sooty and dirty clothes.

Brother, mother is bitter
Mother is bitter, brother!

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Tinashe Muchuri

Featured Poem:

Kazwi/ This voice

Enlarge poem

Arevavi ati vuya rivuye riri vuya rakanaka
Kazwi kanodembatemba
Kazwi kanoshaura
Kazwi kari murwiyo
Kazwi kanodetemba
Karwi kanoratidzira

Kasiye kazwi ako
Kasiye kaende
Iwe, Kasiye iwe
Kasiye kafambe mumwanza usina riva kana muteva
Iwe Kasiye kaende kazwi ako
Kasiye kapararire
Kasiye kafambe
Kasaita mafirakureva
Kana kuva mufa ndareva
Iwe, iwe, iwe
Kasiye kazwi ako
Kasiye kafambel
Kasiye kapararire

Wapindwa neiko iwe?
Zvowokabingira kazwi ako wakabitira uta nemiseve!
Iwe, iwe, iwe,,
Kasiye kazwi ako karudunyuke kuti rudu, rudu, rudu seshinda yamadhoiri
Kasiye kazwi ako
Asakabwitira iwe
Kasiye
Zvichida ndiko kazwi kakamba mugore riya musango
Paakashedzera pakati pemhukahuru dzakaita sana nzou, shumba, nyati namvuu
Idzo kwakumuseka
Asi mufaro ukazozadza sango rose mamvuramachena atushuka

Kasiye kazwi ako, ndati kasiye
Kasiye katambarare
Zvichida ndiko kaye kaNhengure gore riye
Paakaudza dzimwe shiri kuti zizi harina nyanga
Dzimwe shiri dzikamutyira kuti achatungwa
Asi muzinda weshiri ukazofara
Nhengure aruma mambava azizi
Kasiye kazwi ako
Iwe, ndati kasiye
Kasiye kasvike uko nekokoko
Kasiye kafambe zvinyoronyoro
Kasiye kamhanye
Kasiye kanyahwaire
Siya kukahwandira wakabipitira gidi iwe
Kanda pasi bonda iro
Kasiye iwe
Kasiye kafaranuke
Kasiye
Kasiye kaende kosekose
Kasiye kapinde muhana iyo neyeyo
Kasiye kapinde munzeve idzo nedzodzo
Kasiye kapinde posepose
Kazwi ako
Murarami nokusingaperi

He points the wrong
Wants to see the good coming in the right way
This wailing voice
This voice in airwaves
This voice in song
This voice in poetry
This voice in demonstrations

Let this voice free
Set this voice free
Hey, set it free
To travel in a path without traps
Set it free, hey
Let it spread all over
Set it free to travel
For it not to die for expression
Or to have no freedom after expression
Hey, hey, hey,
Set this voice free
Free to travel
Free to spread

Hey, what gets into you?
Why are you blocking this voice?
Why blocking it with bow and arrows?
Hey, hey, hey,
Let this voice roll over like the doilies twine
Set this voice free
Don’t suffocate it
Set it free
Maybe this is tortoise’s voice in the jungle that year
That year it called out to bigger animals
The likes of elephant, lion, Buffalo, and hippopotamus
And they looked down upon it
But the whole jungle was full of joy when the white waters sprouted out

Set this voice free
Let it go
Hey, let this voice free
Maybe its nhengure’s voice that year
That year it exposed King Owl
And other felt for it
But the whole bird kingdom celebrated
After Nhengure pecked on King Owl’s fake horns
Set this voice free
Hey, set this voice free
Let it reach all corners of the world and beyond
Let it be free to walk slowly
Let it be free to run
Let it be free to stealthily walk
Stop lurking for it brandishing guns
Stop hiding carrying logs
Set it free
Let it be happy
Let it go
Let it reach everywhere
Let it free to enter into that heart
Let it free to enter into those ears
Let it free to enter everywhere
This voice
The survivor of all seasons

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Kazwi/ This voice by Tinashe Muchuri

Download the audio file

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Zimbabwe

Biography

He is a performing poet, actor, writer, based in Harare, Zimbabwe. His poems appear in the following anthologies, Jakwara reNhetembo (2008), State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean Poetry (2009), War Against War (2010), Visions of Motherland (2010), Daybreak (2010), Defiled Sacredness (2010), Mudengu Munei (2010) and several international journals and magazine.

He also contributes to Writers International Network Zimbabwe blogspot under the column, ‘The Regular Writer’, Wealth of Ideas and Izimbabwe. He featured in the following films: Tanyaradzwa, I want A Wedding Dress, NyamiNyami and the evil eggs, Playing Warriors, The Husband, and it the following Television dramas: Suburb D, New Dawn, and Tiriparwendo. He performed poetry at platforms such as NGO events, Harare International Festival of the Arts, Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, Dzimbahwe Arts Festival, Chimanimani Arts Festival, Arts Alive International Johannesburg, SADC Poetry Festival in Botswana among others.

Tinashe Muchuri

Zimbabwe

Biography

He is a performing poet, actor, writer, based in Harare, Zimbabwe. His poems appear in the following anthologies, Jakwara reNhetembo (2008), State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean Poetry (2009), War Against War (2010), Visions of Motherland (2010), Daybreak (2010), Defiled Sacredness (2010), Mudengu Munei (2010) and several international journals and magazine.

He also contributes to Writers International Network Zimbabwe blogspot under the column, ‘The Regular Writer’, Wealth of Ideas and Izimbabwe. He featured in the following films: Tanyaradzwa, I want A Wedding Dress, NyamiNyami and the evil eggs, Playing Warriors, The Husband, and it the following Television dramas: Suburb D, New Dawn, and Tiriparwendo. He performed poetry at platforms such as NGO events, Harare International Festival of the Arts, Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, Dzimbahwe Arts Festival, Chimanimani Arts Festival, Arts Alive International Johannesburg, SADC Poetry Festival in Botswana among others.

Mai Vane Shungu/Mother is bitter

Enlarge poem

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvavakakutakurai kwemwedzi mipfumbamwe
Vachimedza mushonga inovava neinoera
Kuti musasvodzwa
imi dzokono rushamhu shwete kumusana kwavo

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvavakakuendesai kuchikoro
Vakauitai akadzidza pane vamwe
Kuti muzvirove dundundu pakati pavamwe
Imi dzokono moti pfungwa dzavo ndedzepwere!

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvakakupai upenyu hwakanaka
Nhasi mozvirova dundundu pane vamwe
Muchidada somakakosha kuvadarika
Zvakadaro, moti pfungwa dzamai ndedzendumure

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Mukoma, dai urini mukoma
watotanga rwendo iyezvi
unyoro huno
wandoonana namai
vakafa vane Shungu dzavo idzi
Ungwarire
Kufamba rwendo rusina magumo
kana kurarama upenyu hwenguruve
Inoimba rumbo risina magumo
inorara nokufamba ichiimba
Ichidya kuimba
Makapfeka tsvina namarengenya

Mukoma, mai vane shungu
Mai vane shungu, mukoma!

Translations

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
She is bitter that
She carried you for nine months
Swallowing bitter herbs
So you cannot be a still birth
In turn you beat her

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
She is bitter that,
She educated you
Making you a learned person
So you can stand among other people proud
In turn you liken her thoughts to that of a kid!

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter brother
She is bitter that,
She provided you with a better future
Today, you stand proud among other people
Bragging, you are important than them
After all that, you equal her reasoning to that of a toddler!

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
But brother, if you were me brother
You should have set out on a journey
Right now as I speak
To see mother
Because if she dies with this bitterness
Beware,
To start a destination less journey
Or to start living the life of a pig
That always sings an endless hymn
It sings in its sleep, while walking
And even when feeding
Brother, wearing sooty and dirty clothes.

Brother, mother is bitter
Mother is bitter, brother!

Featured Poem:

Kazwi/ This voice

Enlarge poem

Arevavi ati vuya rivuye riri vuya rakanaka
Kazwi kanodembatemba
Kazwi kanoshaura
Kazwi kari murwiyo
Kazwi kanodetemba
Karwi kanoratidzira

Kasiye kazwi ako
Kasiye kaende
Iwe, Kasiye iwe
Kasiye kafambe mumwanza usina riva kana muteva
Iwe Kasiye kaende kazwi ako
Kasiye kapararire
Kasiye kafambe
Kasaita mafirakureva
Kana kuva mufa ndareva
Iwe, iwe, iwe
Kasiye kazwi ako
Kasiye kafambel
Kasiye kapararire

Wapindwa neiko iwe?
Zvowokabingira kazwi ako wakabitira uta nemiseve!
Iwe, iwe, iwe,,
Kasiye kazwi ako karudunyuke kuti rudu, rudu, rudu seshinda yamadhoiri
Kasiye kazwi ako
Asakabwitira iwe
Kasiye
Zvichida ndiko kazwi kakamba mugore riya musango
Paakashedzera pakati pemhukahuru dzakaita sana nzou, shumba, nyati namvuu
Idzo kwakumuseka
Asi mufaro ukazozadza sango rose mamvuramachena atushuka

Kasiye kazwi ako, ndati kasiye
Kasiye katambarare
Zvichida ndiko kaye kaNhengure gore riye
Paakaudza dzimwe shiri kuti zizi harina nyanga
Dzimwe shiri dzikamutyira kuti achatungwa
Asi muzinda weshiri ukazofara
Nhengure aruma mambava azizi
Kasiye kazwi ako
Iwe, ndati kasiye
Kasiye kasvike uko nekokoko
Kasiye kafambe zvinyoronyoro
Kasiye kamhanye
Kasiye kanyahwaire
Siya kukahwandira wakabipitira gidi iwe
Kanda pasi bonda iro
Kasiye iwe
Kasiye kafaranuke
Kasiye
Kasiye kaende kosekose
Kasiye kapinde muhana iyo neyeyo
Kasiye kapinde munzeve idzo nedzodzo
Kasiye kapinde posepose
Kazwi ako
Murarami nokusingaperi

He points the wrong
Wants to see the good coming in the right way
This wailing voice
This voice in airwaves
This voice in song
This voice in poetry
This voice in demonstrations

Let this voice free
Set this voice free
Hey, set it free
To travel in a path without traps
Set it free, hey
Let it spread all over
Set it free to travel
For it not to die for expression
Or to have no freedom after expression
Hey, hey, hey,
Set this voice free
Free to travel
Free to spread

Hey, what gets into you?
Why are you blocking this voice?
Why blocking it with bow and arrows?
Hey, hey, hey,
Let this voice roll over like the doilies twine
Set this voice free
Don’t suffocate it
Set it free
Maybe this is tortoise’s voice in the jungle that year
That year it called out to bigger animals
The likes of elephant, lion, Buffalo, and hippopotamus
And they looked down upon it
But the whole jungle was full of joy when the white waters sprouted out

Set this voice free
Let it go
Hey, let this voice free
Maybe its nhengure’s voice that year
That year it exposed King Owl
And other felt for it
But the whole bird kingdom celebrated
After Nhengure pecked on King Owl’s fake horns
Set this voice free
Hey, set this voice free
Let it reach all corners of the world and beyond
Let it be free to walk slowly
Let it be free to run
Let it be free to stealthily walk
Stop lurking for it brandishing guns
Stop hiding carrying logs
Set it free
Let it be happy
Let it go
Let it reach everywhere
Let it free to enter into that heart
Let it free to enter into those ears
Let it free to enter everywhere
This voice
The survivor of all seasons

Kazwi/ This voice by Tinashe Muchuri

Download the audio file

How does this featured poem make you feel?

  • Amazement (0)
  • Pride (0)
  • Optimism (1)
  • Anger (0)
  • Delight (1)
  • Inspiration (4)
  • Reflection (2)
  • Captivation (0)
  • Peace (0)
  • Amusement (1)
  • Sorrow (0)
  • Vigour (1)
  • Hope (0)
  • Sadness (0)
  • Fear (0)
  • Jubilation (0)

Mai Vane Shungu/Mother is bitter

Enlarge poem

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvavakakutakurai kwemwedzi mipfumbamwe
Vachimedza mushonga inovava neinoera
Kuti musasvodzwa
imi dzokono rushamhu shwete kumusana kwavo

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvavakakuendesai kuchikoro
Vakauitai akadzidza pane vamwe
Kuti muzvirove dundundu pakati pavamwe
Imi dzokono moti pfungwa dzavo ndedzepwere!

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Shungu dzavo vanoti
Zvakakupai upenyu hwakanaka
Nhasi mozvirova dundundu pane vamwe
Muchidada somakakosha kuvadarika
Zvakadaro, moti pfungwa dzamai ndedzendumure

Mukoma, mukoma wangu
Mai vane shungu
Mukoma, dai urini mukoma
watotanga rwendo iyezvi
unyoro huno
wandoonana namai
vakafa vane Shungu dzavo idzi
Ungwarire
Kufamba rwendo rusina magumo
kana kurarama upenyu hwenguruve
Inoimba rumbo risina magumo
inorara nokufamba ichiimba
Ichidya kuimba
Makapfeka tsvina namarengenya

Mukoma, mai vane shungu
Mai vane shungu, mukoma!

Translations

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
She is bitter that
She carried you for nine months
Swallowing bitter herbs
So you cannot be a still birth
In turn you beat her

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
She is bitter that,
She educated you
Making you a learned person
So you can stand among other people proud
In turn you liken her thoughts to that of a kid!

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter brother
She is bitter that,
She provided you with a better future
Today, you stand proud among other people
Bragging, you are important than them
After all that, you equal her reasoning to that of a toddler!

Brother, my brother
Mother is bitter
But brother, if you were me brother
You should have set out on a journey
Right now as I speak
To see mother
Because if she dies with this bitterness
Beware,
To start a destination less journey
Or to start living the life of a pig
That always sings an endless hymn
It sings in its sleep, while walking
And even when feeding
Brother, wearing sooty and dirty clothes.

Brother, mother is bitter
Mother is bitter, brother!

Comments

Your email address will not be published.