NguKristin Christman
Ukuba sinokubona uSuku loMama
Emhlabeni wonke jikelele,
Apho oomama babehlala khona imini yolonwabo,
Apho oomama baziva befanelekile,
Siza kubona ntoni kanye kanye
Ngoko oomama banokuqonda
Ukuba ubomi babo bubalulekile kwaye
Iimbono zabo zilumkile?
Abafazi baseSudan bebengayi
Akatswe ngenxa yokunxiba ibhulukhwe.
Umoya wabo ubunganyanzelekanga;
Babebaleka, batsibe, bacule, baze badanise.
E-Arabia siya kubhiyozela
Akukho kuphuthaphutha iintombi;
Baza kuqhuba iimoto zabo ngeengqiniba zingenanto,
Bonisa amaqatha phantsi kweengubo.
Njengemitha yegolide yokukhanya kwasekuseni
Uchukumise iingalo zelanga elangeni,
Amaqhaga eenwele ezimdaka ezibethwa ngumoya
Ukusuka kwizikhafu kunokuqhawuka.
Kwaye akukho tyala lobuxoki kubafazi
Ukutsala izandla zamadoda,
Ngokungathi izandla zingamaxhoba
Ububi lobufazi.
Endaweni yokubopha abafazi edyokhweni, xelela
Kufuneka bazifihle,
Amadoda angenako ukuzeyisa
Uza kunxiba ihandcuffs ngaphandle.
Kwaye iingcinga zamaWahhabi eziqinileyo ngathi
Njengoko izilingo zimdaka-ziqatywe
Ingajika, ibheke phezulu
Til abafazi babehlonitshwa.
Sasiva ukuwohloka kweenkolelo ezinyulu
Linda phezulu esibhakabhakeni
Ukwamkela amadoda aqhekekileyo
Iintliziyo zobomi obungenakubalwa.
Kuba umfazi akayi kubona ingqiqo
Kubundlobongela okanye ukusetyenziswa
Ngeebhombu, ukudubula, usizi nokufa
NoThixo njengesingxengxezo.
Kwaye e-Afghanistan
Ukudubula kweemoto kunye neziqhushumbisi
Ngokuchasene nabasetyhini abasebenza
Amalungelo abo ayeza kuphelelwa ngokukhawuleza.
Abantu base-Irani ngecala labo baya kwenza
yalela intuthumbo kunye nodlwengulo
Yamabanjwa kunye nokuphelisa ukuxhatshazwa
Abafazi, amaxhoba entiyo.
Kwaye oomama basePakistan banikela
Ukuzalwa kuya kuba noncedo
Ngamanesi amanene emhlabeni wabo
Ngubani okhe waya esikolweni kwaye waqeqeshwa.
Kwandula ke njengoko iintsana zabo zazikhula ngeminyaka
Baya kufumana uvuyo lukhula
Ukusuka kumabala okudlala, izilayidi, kunye neendawo zokujima zehlathi,
Ukusuka ekuqubheni, ii-roller blades.
Njengolutsha oludinga i-adventure
Ungabheneli kwimidlalo enogonyamelo;
Endaweni yoko baya kufunda i-gymnastics,
Iparashute, ukutyibiliza, ukukhwela, kunye nokutyibiliza.
Kwaye njengabantu abadala ngaphandle kokukhangela
Injongo ephezulu, ubomi obulungileyo,
Bangabophelela uthando lwabo kwizinto ezingenabundlobongela
Isenzo ngaphandle kokruthakruthwano.
Ezantsi emazantsi eCongo abasetyhini bebeya
Zikhusele kwingozi eyingozi;
Oonyana nabayeni babo abazange banyanzeliswe
Ukuxhwila, ukubulala, ukuphatha izixhobo.
Amasiko anyanzelisa umfazi
Yamkele intlungu yeqabane lakhe
Iza kutshintshwa iiselfowuni ukuya
Mxeleni nibaleke.
Yaye izivuno zokutya zaziza kuthabathel’ indawo izityalo zemali
Ngoko iintsapho zazinokutya,
Kwaye abafazi babengayi kukutya okuseleyo
Kubantu kodwa kunye nabo.
Ubumnyama obubandayo obunyanzela amadoda athile
Ukubulala ngenxa yemigodi exabisekileyo
Bangatshintsha babe ukukhanya ukuze babone
oko kunyoluka kuyingozi.
Iyintoni na inzuzo yobutyebi
Xa yonke loo nto isetyenziselwa yona
Ngaba kuthengwa imipu eyongezelelekileyo yokwenza amafutha
Imfazwe yobutyebi emfazweni?
Ubundlobongela eNigeria,
Ukubandezeleka macala onke
Ukususela ekunqongophelweni kokutshutshiswa, akukho
Ukukhuselwa kwamalungelo oluntu;
I-oyile ichitheka kwimibhobho emidala ukuba
Abaniniyo abayi kucoca,
Ukushiya umhlaba ongcolisa amanzi namanzi
Abantu bomthonyama abaswele kakhulu;
Ubuhlwempu kunye nokungabi namakhaya
Nokubanjwa okukhohlakeleyo okungenasiseko
Loo ndawo iwaka kuluhlu lokufa,
Akukho zilingo ezifanelekileyo okanye ukukhusela;
NgoMhla woMama ukuba oku konke
Utshintshe ngokupheleleyo,
Sisenokumisela imikhwa elungileyo kwaye
Hayi imijikelo eyehlayo.
E-Indiya akukho mfazi uya kwenza
Fumana iasidi ebusweni bakhe
Kumadoda aziva ephakamile
Kodwa bathotywa yintiyo.
Kwaye abantu baseMzantsi Korea abazange bavume
Ukunxanelwa utywala
Ukubulala, ukudlwengulwa, nokukhuthuza
Kwaye uthathe i-toll ye-morbid.
Ephakamileyo eNepal abafazi aba
Yiba nezakhono zokulamla
Ayinakugcinwa kwiingxoxo zoxolo ezikhokelwayo
Ngamadoda axoxa nje.
Kwaye abaphilisi basetyhini abanakuze
Baxulutywe ngamatye ngobugqwirha babo.
Iindlela ezipheleleyo zinyanga nangaphandle
Amanani, iitshathi, neegrafu.
Ngelixa ulwazi lwezonyango lwe
Umzimba unokuba ulungile,
Ukungakhathaleli ngokupheleleyo
Ishiya izikhewu kwingqiqo yethu.
Kanye njengokuba umlamli emelwe kukuba
Asizisombululi iingxaki zethu nge
Ukuhla iibhombu kunye nemijukujelwa phantsi
Ukucima umlilo ongenabubele,
Ixhwele alinako ukulungisa ukugula
Ngokuzisika nje
Inxalenye yomzimba ukuba
Unomkhuhlane, amafutha, okanye igawuthi.
Kuba iingxaki zehlabathi azinakwenzeka
Zilungiswe ngokubulala ubomi,
Kwaye iingxaki emizimbeni yethu ziyafuneka
Ngaphezu kweziyobisi neemela.
Ukukhathazeka kunye nobudlelwane, ixesha
Kwindalo okanye emsebenzini,
Imvakalelo yokuba sibanjiswe ngandlela ithile,
Amaphupha ethu obomi aphangiwe:
Zisenza njani ezi zinto kuthi
Ngaba akanampilo okanye akanabubele?
Ngaba zikhupha okubi kakhulu kuthi
Okanye usizisele uxolo lwengqondo?
Inkqubo yonke kufuneka iqwalaselwe
Ukubona ukuba yintoni ebangela ukuba yintoni
Okanye iingxaki ziya kuba njalo
Hlala udidekile.
Kwiintshaba, njengesifo,
Ziimpawu: kukho undonakele.
Lungisa into ebacaphukisayo kwaye
Uya kwakha ubuhlobo obuqinileyo.
Ngaphesheya kolwandle eMexico
Akukho mfazi unokuxhomekeka
Phezu kwendoda yakhe ngenxa yobutyebi bakhe
Okanye ngokuzihlonela kwakhe.
Mfazi ngamnye wayenokukwazi ukuqesha
Uncedo ngaphakathi ekhaya.
Oomama abahluphekayo akufuneki banakekele abantwana
Izityebi kodwa zikhulisa ezazo.
AmaWayuu aseColombia
Ungaphila ngaphandle kwe alarm
Ezo ntsapho ziya kutshatyalaliswa
Ngemingxuma evela kwiimbumbulu zeembumbulu.
Ngabantu abaphuma kurhulumente,
Amapolisa kunye nezigebenga zabucala,
Bathabathele ngokwabo unxweme ukuze bafumane amathambo
Amafutha kunye neziyobisi ezithutyeleziswayo.
Kwaye usebenzela amalungelo oluntu kumazwe
Njenge-El Salvador
Ayinakujoliswa ngamaqela
Ngubani na ozuza lukhulu emfazweni.
Emva koko kumbindi wePacific apho
Abemi bomthonyama basentlungwini;
Ukhutshiwe kumhlaba ongcwele lowo
ngoku ipropathi ye-navy,
Abafazi bomthonyama baseHawaii babeza
Buyela kutyelela umhlaba
Oothixo noothixokazi bamandulo
Uvavanyo-luqhunyiswe ziinqwelomoya zase-US.
Iityhefu ezikwiZibuko lasePearl zalahlwa
Njengenkunkuma yasemkhosini
Ngaba zonke ziya kucocwa ukuze iintlanzi zikwazi ukuphefumla
Kwaye ubuhle abucinywanga.
Kwiivenkile zase-US sibona imiqolo
Yeemagazini kwiiracks
Yabafazi abanganxibanga iimpahla zokuqubha
amathambo e-pubic kunye namabele.
Besingazogquma mfazi kwaye
Bonisa amehlo akhe kuphela,
Ungamtyhili ukuba abonwe ngabantu bonke;
Inyama enexabiso eliphantsi, ubomi obuthoba isidima.
Kwaye zonke iiklabhu ze-strip ziya kuhluthwa,
Abafazi babo banikwe imisebenzi,
Izikhundla zesidima esikhulu,
Ayisebenzi kwiislobs ezinobuso obubini.
Siyakuqaphela ukuba abafazi nokuba
Ifihliwe okanye ibonisiwe
Yiba neentliziyo kunye neengqondo ezifakwe emanzini
Kwiindlela zenkcubeko ezinendlela enye.
Nobulumko obubotshiweyo belizwe lethu
Ukususela kwiinkcubeko ezazikhululekile
Ngaba uya kuzivusa, isipho
Kubo bonke abantu.
Oomama baseLakota kunye noDiné
Uya kuqonda ekugqibeleni
Ubomi bosapho ngaphandle kokuphelelwa lithemba,
Ukudakumba, ukuzibulala.
Ubudlelwane obugcweleyo nendalo, umoya uvuselelwe,
Kwakhona bahlali,
Akukho kuhlukana nentliziyo,
Umoya, ingqondo, umzimba.
Iphelile indlala, kungekho ntlupheko.
Ithuba lokufumana kwakhona amalungelo,
Akukho mfuneko yokuphendukela ekuseleni nakwiziyobisi
Xa intsingiselo ibuyile ebomini.
∞∞∞
NgoMhla woMama siya kuqonda,
Qinisekisa ukulingana
Phakathi kwesini, ubudala, kunye neklasi,
Emsebenzini, kwiintsapho.
Siza kuhlawula i-waitress, utitshala, umongikazi,
Kwaye unobhala, naye,
Umvuzo ongaphezulu kakhulu kunabo bathe
Thengisa izixhobo, iziyobisi kunye namafutha.
Kuba ukuthengiswa kwezixhobo kwakuya kubhencwa
Njengemidlalo yeshishini lokuzingca
Ukungasombululi kodwa ukutyhala imfazwe
Ngeenzuzo njengenjongo.
Kwaye indima emnyama yotywala ekufeni,
Uninzi lokubulala,
Kuya kuvunywa ngokuqinisekileyo kwaye
Ukuthengiswa kwayo akucetyiswa.
Siza kunceda abangenamakhaya, sondle amahlwempu,
Kwaye ungalindeli iklasi enye
Ukubonelela iimfuno zabantu abaphezulu
Ngelixa iimfuno zabo zidlula zingafezekiswa.
Oomongameli bethu, amaqabane abo angenza njalo
Hayi ilokhwe yomyili wezemidlalo;
Endaweni yoko bahlawula umvuzo oncumisayo
Umthungi olambileyo, ohluphekayo.
Yaye amadoda nabafazi babegcina
Intlonipho efanayo.
Amantombazana ayengayi kulimaza kwaye abeke phantsi amakhwenkwe;
Amakhwenkwe akanakuchaswa ngamantombazana.
Abafazi babengafuni ukukhonza ngaphantsi
Amadoda nakweliphi na ibandla
Okanye i-mosque okanye indlu yesikhungu ngokungathi
Umoya wabo wawunexabiso elincinane.
Ukanti abasetyhini abaziinkokeli bangenza njalo
Ukuzuza amandla hayi kuba
Iimpawu zabo ezikhohlakeleyo zithabathel’ indawo indawo
Inkathalo, uvuyo, nothando.
Kuba emsebenzini abantu babeza
Khokela ubomi bedemokhrasi
Kwaye unganyathelwa ngumphathi:
Uzwilakhe obandayo, ukuzifihla okufudumeleyo.
Kuba ukuba siyidemokhrasi
Kodwa plod ukusebenza yonke imihla
Kwi-fiefdoms yobukhosi
Ngelizwi eliphantsi kunye nomvuzo,
Singenza njani ke ngoko ukuba namava
Imvakalelo yokuba sikhululekile,
Apho ilizwi ngalinye linexabiso kwaye
Sikhathalelwa ngokulinganayo?
∞∞∞
NgoMhla woMama ukukhathalela kwethu abantwana
Ayinakuphoswa phakathi
Ukupheka, izitya, ukuhlamba, kodwa
Fumana uzuko olufanelekileyo.
Yaye ukukhulisa abantwana kwakuya kujongwa
Njengeyona ndima ixabisekileyo ebomini,
Ukufuna uthando olungapheliyo kunye nexesha,
Ukunikezelwa komphefumlo.
Besingazukubakhulisa abantwana bethu
Lalela amandla ngaphezu kothando,
Betha, bangxolise, kwaye ubalawule ukuze
Faka uloyiko kuthi.
Indlela esibaphatha ngayo ngoku iya kukhokelela
Kwiziphumo zexesha elizayo;
Ukuba sifuna abantu abadala abanothando ngoko
Ukuqala ngathi kuyavakala.
Ukuba sifuna amadoda athande abafazi bawo
Kungcono sibathande oonyana bethu,
Kwaye bangabakhulisi ukuba bazithiye
Ngaphandle kothando, uvuyo kunye nolonwabo.
Kuba ukuba inkwenkwe ifunda ukubala
Ngokolawulo loloyiko,
Akayi kubona enye indlela ngaphandle kwayo
Ukulawula xa emdala.
Phezu komfazi wakhe, phezu kwabahlobo bakhe,
Ipateni iya kuba nzulu;
Uya kubalawula bonke abasemzini
Kwaye abo bezinye iinkolo.
Ukuba ufunda ukuba isimo sakhe kunye
Ubutyebi bakhe bubalulekile,
Uya kuzama kuphela ukucinga amandla
Uthando novuyo azibali.
∞∞∞
NgoMhla woMama ubomi buya kuba ngaphezulu
Ngaphezu kwexesha lomsebenzi kunye nemisebenzi yasekhaya:
Sonke singaba nexesha lezinto zokuzonwabisa, izilwanyana zasekhaya,
Kwaye zasendle ngaphandle.
Besingazokohlula usapho
Ilungu ngalinye libhekisa kwi
Umsebenzi owahlukileyo, isikolo, kunye
Ukuhlangana kwakhona hayi ngaphambili
Kubuhlungu xa ekugqibeleni befika
Ukudinwa ngenxa yeentsuku zokudinwa,
Ngamandla amancinci othando,
Akukho ntlantsi yokuhleka okanye ukudlala.
Izikolo zaziza kuvulwa kamva kwaye
Nika abantwana ubuthongo obufunekayo,
Endaweni yokuphila imihla udinwe
Njengeebhetri ezingatshajwanga.
Endaweni yeemvavanyo nezohlwayo
Iisayizi zeklasi ziya kuba zincinci,
Kuba ukufunda kuyakhula xa uthando lunexesha
Ukunceda abantwana aboyikayo bazive bebade.
Ngosizi olungaka, intiyo engaka,
Umbuzo akufanele uyeke:
Kufuneka ukuba izifundiswa ngokunjalo
Ngaba siyayigqitha intswelo yethu yoxolo?
Kuba ngelixa undoqo wolwazi unako
Yenza imimangaliso kwihlabathi lethu,
Kufika indawo apho ixesha elininzi leklasi
Kwaye umsebenzi wasekhaya awunangqondo.
Ngoko ixesha leklasi liya kunqunyulwa phakathi;
Abantwana babekwazi ukuphumla
Uze ungene emijelweni, utsibe amatye;
Khwela amahashe, xhuma, kwaye ukhwele.
Kwaye abo bantwana bakhetha isikolo ngakumbi
Ungahlala ngolonwabo
Ngoncedo lootitshala, iklasi, iiklabhu, kunye nejim,
Isiqingatha sosuku sifunyenwe simahla.
Kodwa ukuba ukukhanya kwenkululeko
Uphelelwe yimihla yabantwana,
Ngaphambi kwexesha elide i-zest yokunyamekela
Kuba ukufunda kuyaphela.
Kuba ngeli lixa abo basweleyo izikolo banokuba nazo
Ukunxanelwa kakhulu ukufunda ngentando,
Xa izikolo zixakile
Umthwalo omninzi unokusigulisa.
Kwaye ngelixa sihlawula imali eninzi kumashishini e-inshurensi,
Sinokuba nempilo engcono
Ukuba izinto ezinje zinokuba njalo.
NgoMhla woMama ubomi abuyi kuba
Ugqatso lokuzingca lomvuzo,
Kumabanga, inzuzo, amanani, kodwa
Ixesha lokukhathalela kunye nokudlala.
Kwaye ngaloo mini babeza kwenza abantwana bethu
Yiba ngaphezu kwee-cogs kumavili
Oko kuguqula indawo yentengiso yehlabathi
Kwaye sebenzela izivumelwano zabanye.
Ukusukela imilinganiselo engafanelekanga
Yiba ngokubaluleka,
indawo yomkhosi, ulawulo,
ukunyoluka, ubutyebi, namampunge.
Kuba xa iimfuno kubantwana kunye
abantu abadala bangqina kakhulu
kwaye endaweni yovuyo nothando ngoxinzelelo
Ubulumko bethu bujike baba luthuli.
Kwaye ngelixa ijika lentsimbi linyuka
Isiko lethu lingabonakala livakala,
Kodwa xa ukugqithisa kukhokelela kwintlungu
Sitshona phantsi.
∞∞∞
Emva koko ngequbuliso eYurophu yonke
Iindawo ezingcwele zamandulo zadilizwa
NgoMama woMhlaba uThixokazi uya kwenza
Ulungile, ungathintelwa.
Kwaye uMama woMhlaba wayeza kuthatha indawo yakhe
Ngaphezu kwabo bonke abantu,
Ayixhomekekanga kwizinto ezibuhlungu
Yezithixo ezenziwe ngabantu.
Singabuqonda ubuhle be
Umhlaba ngaphandle kwamabala
Ukugrunjwa kwabantu, imigodi,
Noohola beendlela ezineendlela ezininzi.
Siya kuwaphepha amandla eathom
Kwaye namafutha eefosili, nawo,
Zithiye ityhefu yazo ebulalayo kunye
Iintsalela zabo ezimbi.
Ngaphambi kokuhlasela umhlaba weArctic
Bangasibuza ukuba bubulumko na
Ukwembela amafutha efosili akhoyo
Unobangela wokunyibilika komkhenkce.
Ngaphambi kokwakha indlela entsha
Okanye ivenkile okanye indawo yokupaka,
Bangasibuza ukuba sinomdla omnye
Indawo yokuhlala eyonakele ngakumbi.
Abemi esinokuthi bajike
Ukukhula ukuya kwisayizi encinci:
Akukho Thixokazi ebenokusimisela
Ukuphila ngelixa zonke ezinye zifa.
NgoMama woMhlaba njengoThixokazi thina
Wakhwaza ngokunyanisekileyo
Mhle kakhulu loo mhlaba
Ukonakalisa nokuhlambela
Ngeebhombu negazi labo bangene
Ukusukela imfazwe engacocekanga,
Kholelwa ukuba injongo yabo ihloniphekile kunokuba
Umhlaba abawungcolisayo.
Umzobo kamama nge
Iinyembezi zisihla ezidleleni zakhe,
Owabele ngesibindi unyana wakhe
Ukudlala isingqi segubu lemfazwe,
Singayipeyinta loo nto ukuze sityhile
Ubulumko bentliziyo yakhe
Ekwazini ukuba umntwana wakhe makahlale
Kwaye kungekhona ngenxa yemfazwe ukusuka.
Oonyana babengayi kubhaliswa okanye
Bhalisela imfazwe
ukuphulukana nayo inkululeko yabo
kutyholwa ukulwela.
Ukukhonza emfazweni ngamandla ngaphakathi
Isizwe esibizwa ngokuba sikhululekile,
Uhendelwa ukuba ubhalise kunye nezibonelelo
izidanga zasekholejini,
Uphantsi kunohlanga oluzidlayo
Kufuneka ehle ngokungenazintloni
Ngelixa ejongela phantsi izithembiso
Yenkululeko ekugqibeleni.
Kuba yintoni na ukulunga kokwenene kunokuza emfazweni
Ukuba iphinda isebenzise intiyo
Kwaye ifundisa ngobuxoki izifundo ukuba
Iintshaba zethu zifanelwe likamva lazo?
Ukuba sifunda ukuba iintshaba
Abaswele kuzisola,
Izazela zethu azisihlaba nanini na
Sibulala ngamandla onke.
Ukuba sifunda ukuba iintshaba
Ayinakuqondwa
Kwaye asiyi kufana nabo
Ukuba besima ezihlangwini zabo,
Ngoko asizukwazi uthando lukaMama
Kubantwana bakhe bonke.
Soze sifunde imbono kwi
Isibhakabhaka xa ujonge phantsi:
Phezu kwethu sonke, iziphoso zethu kunye namandla ethu,
sixabana njani
Omnye nomnye emva koko sibanga ukuba silungile,
Enye ayichanekanga;
Ukubona bonke ubuthathaka bethu
Njengeziphoso zokudibana nothando,
Ukubona ngentiyo kuloyiko,
Kwaye ngaloo nto ukungathembi.
Ukuba abantwana bayaqhatha, basebenzise iziyobisi okanye baxoke
Umama useyabona
Ukulunga kubo kwaye kutheni
Iingxaki ezinjalo ziyavela.
Ukubulala okanye ukothuka ngemipu ye-taser
Yandisa nje uxinzelelo,
Xa eyona nto ifunwa lixhoba kakhulu
Ngaba luthando noxolo.
Ukubaqhushumbisa, ukubathiya, akuncedi nganto;
Kungcono ngomonde
Ukubakhokelela elangeni ngobubele;
Kuba nabo baneziphoso njengathi.
Ukuqinisa imfazwe, kholelwa kwintiyo
Kukunyelisa kuye,
Umama woMhlaba uthixokazi ongu
Ngoku ityunyuziwe ngaphaya kwawo onke amazwi.
Ewe, amakhadi kunye neentyatyambo zithetha kakhulu,
Kodwa kuya kuthetha okungakumbi
Ukwabelana ngeplanethi apho uthando lwalulawula
Kwaye ubuhle, uvuyo, kungekhona imfazwe.
De kuvele iziganeko ezinje
Ndiya kuyazi loo mini yoMama
Ngaba intuthuzelo enzulu
Ihlabathi alihambanga ngendlela Yakhe.
UKristin Y. Christman ungumlobi we ITaxonomy yoXolo. Unezidanga zesiRashiya kunye nezolawulo lukarhulumente eDartmouth, Brown, kunye neDyunivesithi yaseAlbany. https://sites.google.com/site/paradigmforpeace
