March 2020
This is not just a poem,
But it might be a story about the problems,
That we face in a system,
Of a young generation born in freedom,
Who are victims of social issues,
That have led us to sink to the bottom of the society,
Like the value of the bond note…
This is not a speech,
And I’m not trying to preach,
But this is our time to speak,
Because we are the ones with the reach,
We are done with being called kids who weep,
For jobs, for money, for love,
They even say we cry for meat,
At social gatherings where food and beer is free
This is not a story, but is a message,
That we are not a generation to blame,
We are trying to rekindle the flame,
That our peers have lost in shame,
I know everywhere the story is the same
Drugs, alcohol, parties and crime that’s the ‘fame’
Being different and standing out is for those that withstand the pain
This is not a sermon but it’s a window to see that pain
The pain of lost opportunities,
The trauma of losing those close to us,
The stress of looking for money and food everyday,
Young people are crying njengamabroiler akhala
from the day ephuma eqandeni until engena epanini (shwaaaaaa)
This is not about frustration,
Yes, everyone is lost in a state of depression and desperation,
But we are saying this is our statement,
We now know that stress is an inevitable temptation,
But we are going to fight it like it’s a disease.
This is about healing, how despite the heartbreaks,
The wounds in body and soul we still have feelings,
Despite the critics, the cynics and the ignorant,
Our smiles are ever winning
This is about our health,
Despite the empty pockets, the empty pots and empty shops we are satisfied.
Despite empty stomachs, we are psychologically, emotionally and physically wealthy
This is a story about hope, that as we stand here today we can show,
That we can share what we saw to those that sent us to see,
That we gonna tell them that we have seen the light,
Not the light we see when ZESA comes back after load shedding, no!
But we gonna tell them that we have seen the light
That comes through when we are sitting in the shade of the Tree of Life.
By Constentine Mpofu
