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The following two poems are by Dumisa, expressing his love to his wife ‘Alakhe Wam’ (My Alakhe), and ‘MaMtshawe’ (the one from the Tshawe clan). In both poems, he also describes the beauty of his wife. In the first one, he finishes by saying, “my friends always say, where did you get her from?” In the second poem, he says, “listen to the song of my heart.” That song is a love song for his wife.

ALAKHE WAM

Ukukuphefumla kwam Isibambiso esibungelosirha Imvakalelo yokuphila kwam Ntombi yaseMaTshaweni Alakhe wam!

Ungekabikho kum Ubom bam bebuyintshazo Gramzakazi lam! Mathanga ziqulubandini! Uyazi ndibanjwa phi!

Mehlo akho sithandwa Enza myakalezo omnandi kum Ziqulubana zakho sithandwa Zenz’ ingoma emyoli kum Kuzizimuncumuncu ukuba nawe

Andisajong’ esibayeni Andisajongi ebuhlanti Oko ndathi ndabanawe Wendela kum kanye Oontanga bam bayabuzana Wamfumana phi?

NguDumisa Julius Mpupha

MAMTSHAWE!

Oloyi! Makwedini! Oloyi zintwazana! Yivani ndinixelele Ndinivise ingoma yentliziyo yam

Mna ndakheth’ ukukhetha Ndakhetha phakathi kwezinye EMaTshaweni ndabona hotyazana Elikumila ngathi zange lidalwe

MamTshawe wena wazi ntomb’ asemzini Indod’ ibanjw’ ethunjini Kub’ indod’ imathumbu-thumbu Wafudumez’ ithumbu kuba shush’ ezingubeni

Hayi nam ndiyateveta Ndithetha endikuvayo Kushukuma umhlaba endimi kuwo Wakutshwuza lawo mehlo

Umfaz’ olivil’ ufa yindlala Ukondliwa komfaz’ akungacephe Mfazi wam MamTshawe Owaguqayo emva kocango

Ndim indod’ ethamsanqelekileyo Kuba undolatha phakathi kwamadoda Mna ndikucofe ngathi uyinaliti Cofi cofo cufu!

Ndithetha ngawe nje ndiyazi Mna ndiphum’ emkhosini Ndiyindoda yasengwatywini Kodwa undibambe ndabambeka

Qhakancukazi lam Ndiyakuthaaaanda!!