Anginyamalalanga (I haven't Disappeared)

Paul Casey performs Anginyamalalanga - at the 17th Poetry Africa festival in Durban, 2013. Poem first published in THE SHOp (Ireland) and in New Contrast (South Africa), and later in 'home more or less' (Salmon Poetry, 2012).

Filmed and Directed by Raven © 2013 http://ravenimage.weebly.com/

Anginyamalalanga by Paul Casey

Hawu Afrika, uwafihlile kuphi amaphupho ami?

Gogo, wamathemba ami

Angilalanga nawe izolo

Awuzange ubone imibuzo emehlweni ami?

Ngiyamangala ngani ukhohliwe ngami

Anginyamalalanga

Hawu mfowethu, asibonanga ukukhanya kwenyanga okufanayo kanye?

eZambia, nezindlovu ezincane

Mfo, besingemuny'e Swaziland?

Sibonga inkanyezi ekuqaleni kwakho

Sisi, umqumbuthi wakho, utshwala benthando yakho

Abuzange buqabule izinyawo zami echibini lenhlabathi phansi eMalawi?

Baba, ndlela yami, asinukanga utshani bokufulela emuva kwemvula?

Phansi eBotswana, kushisa shi?

Anginyamalalanga

Hawu Afrika, mhlawumbe, ukugug' akumemezi

eLesotho, lapho iziNkulunkulu zezintaba ziqeda ukukhala

Ukhulume ulimi lomlilo, elidala iBaobab

Noma, eAzania, iphi leyondoda yomlungu, leyonhlanya-emhlophe ngeke ikubone

Isacabanga ngekhanda layo

Hawu iAfrika, uthando lwakho, lunyamalala njeng'amafu

Anginyamalalanga

Angisanyamalalanga

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I haven't disappeared (Anginyamalalanga) by Paul Casey

Africa, where did you hide away my dreams?

Grandmother of my hopes

Why do you not greet me?

Did you ever see the questions in these eyes?

I wonder why you forgot me

I haven't disappeared

Brother, didn't we see the same moonlight once?

In Zambia, with the small elephants

Bro, weren't we together in Swaziland?

Where we praised the star of your beginning

Sister, your brew, the beer of your love

Did it not kiss my feet with the sands of lake Malawi?

Father, my path, did we not smell the thatch after the rain?

Under the fresh heat of Botswana?

I haven't disappeared

Africa, maybe, old age doesn't announce itself

In Lesotho, where the mountain Gods end their tears

Where you spoke the old fire language of the Baobab

Or, in Azania, where that white man, that lunatic who will not see you

Still thinks with his head.

Africa, your love disappears like the clouds

I didn't disappear

I still haven't disappeared