 Sounds of a Cowhide DrumImisindo Yesigubhu Sesikhumba Senkomo by Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali NOOK Book eBook Barnes Nobleby Mbuyiseni Oswald MtshaliMbuyiseni Oswald MtshaliOriginally published in 1971 by Lionel Abrahams Renoster Books, this book quickly became a classic of South African literature, but has been unavailable for many years. This new edition carries a simultaneous isiZulu translation of the poems, and a new foreword by Nadine Gordimer.9781431404438Dr Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Southern Africa English Academy Poetry Award in 1971, the London Poetry International Award in 1973 and the South African Lifetime Achievement Literary Award SALA from the Department of Arts and Culture in 2007. He taught at the New York City College of Technology and is founder and deputy headmaster of Pace Community College in Jabulani, Soweto. Having worked in the United States for many years, Mtshali returned to South Africa and now lives in Soweto.Imisindo Yesigubhu Sesikhumba SenkomoCopyright 2012 Mbuyiseni Oswald MtshaliISBN: 978-1-4314-0443-8of the dawn from the sky.drives the masters sheepinto the veld.and spill the dewon a cutters tableA lamb strays awayenchanted by the marvelsof summer morningrebukes the eweWoman! Woman!Watch over the child!The sun wings upon flaming petalof a sunflower.Umalusi nomhlambi wakheUmalusi omncaneuqhuba izimvu zikabasi wakheezikhipha esibayeniezelukela eqeleni.Izinyawo zakhe ezingacathulelwangazikhahlela utshanizichithe amazolonjengamadayimaniesetafuleni lomsiki.Izinyane lidukela kudelikhangwe ubukhazikhazibasekuseni behlobo;ithethisa imvukasiMfazi! Mfazi!Qaphela ingane!Ilanga lishaya amaphikoezihlandla ezivutha salangabilikajongilanga.He perches on an ant heapto play the reed fluteand to saluteand dreamily asks,O! Wise Sun above,Will you ever guideme into school?Uqhwakela esidulini sezintuthwaneukushaya igekle lomhlanga,ashayele indesheniizingane zomlimiziya esikoleniabuze sengathi uyaphupha,Maye! Wesihlakaniphi seLanga laphezulu,Uyongiqhuba nininami ngiye esikolweni na?I will tell it to my doctorI will tell it to allas I sit on a matof woven grass and beads;and dry monkey bonesand rattle the eardrums.like a priest giving a blessingto a soul seeking solace.to boil the pot of herbs,and brew a Love potionas strong as a mules milk.whose eyes are myopic with misery;and this world wink a smile,and dandle me like a devoted mother,and smother me with affectionI have never known before.Ngiyokutshela inyanga yamiNgiyokutshela konke lokhuinyanga yami,ngihlezi phezu kwecansielelukwe ngencema laphothwa ngobuhlalu;namathambo omile enkawuashwabanisa ikhanda lamiakhehlezele ezigujini zendlebe.Ngiyolalela izwi layolihaya amahubo avusa amadlingozinjengomfundisi enikela izibusisoemphefumulweni okhanukela induduzo.Ngiyoyicelaingibilisele ibhodwe lamakhambi,ingithakele iNtandoenomfutho ofana nobisi lomnyuzi.Ngiyolunikezaonamehlo afifiyela ngomunyu;bese lomhlaba ungicishelaiso elisasimoyizeloungigone njengomama onesisa,ungenze isimungumungwana ngesiheengingakaze ngisazi nakadeni.Umfana osemjikelweniKancane Kancane uyanyakazaphambili emuva, phambili emuvabese uyasheshisa masinya, masinyangokushwiza uya phezulu, naphansi.Ihembe lakhe eliluhlaza sasibhakabhakalibhakuza emoyeni weshowenjegekayiti elinimanikiniki.Umhlaba uyanyonteka sasizunguluzwaneImpumalanga iba yiNtshonalangaiNyakatho iphenduka iNingizimu;izikanekiso ezine zomhlabazihlangana phakathi ekhanda lakhe.We! Mama!Ngavelaphi na?Ngiyoligqoka nini ibhulukwa elide na?Waboshelwani ubaba wami na?Uyobuya na?Portrait of a loaf of breadLook back to the rolling fieldswaving golf-topped wheat stalksmowed down by the reapers scythe,bundled into sheavescarted into the millKneaded into mountains of doughto be churned by rollersand spat into pans as red hotas Satans cauldron.Brought to the café,warmly wrapped in cellophaneby Eat Fresh Bread! bakery van;for the waiting cookto slice and toastto butter and marmaladefor the food-bedecked breakfast table.Whilst the labourerwith fingers caked with mudwet cement of a builders scaffoldmauls a hunk and cold drinkand licks his lips and laughsMan can live bread alone.Umfanekiso womgxusha wesinkwaBheka emuva emasimini eginqikaebhakuzisa izihloko ezisagalufu zikakolozigencwa isikela lomvuni,zaboshwa izinyandazathuthelwa esigaywenizagaywa zacoliswa zaba ngufulawa.wacabaywa wazintaba zenhlamayagaywa yimshini egoqayoyakhafulelwa emapanini ashisa okubomvunjengewondi likaSathane.Bese silethwa ekhefi,sigoqwe ngeplastiki safudumezwayiveni yakwa Yidla iSinkwa esiSha!laphoke umpheki elindeleukusisika asithoseasininde ngebhotela newolintshijamusibekwe etafuleni eliphuphumangokudla kwasekuseni.Laphoke isifukuzi sesibenziesineminwe ebhixwe ngudakalosimende omanzi wesitebhisi somakhisidlavuze umthamo wesinkwanesiphuzo esibandayobese sikhotha izindebe sihlekeUmuntu angaphila ngesikwa Kuphela!The washerwomans prayerTo my mother-in-lawraw, knobby and calloused.like a bean skin soaked in brine.For countless years she has toiledto wash her masters clothessoiled a lords luxuries.In frost-freckled mornings,in sun scorched afternoons,she has drudged murmurless.One day she fell and faintedHer mouth a foaming spoutgushing a gibberish.Good Lord! Dear Lord! She shoutedWhy am I so tormented?How long have I lamented?Tell me lord, tell me O Lord!My child! Dear child! she heard,Suffer for those who live in gilded sin!Toil for those swim a bowl of pink gin!Thank you Lord! Thank you Lord!why I must carry this task.Umthandazo kamama wewashingiEka mkhwekazi wamiBheka izandla zakhezihuzukile, zimagqobholo zinezikofu.Bheka ubuso bakhenjengobhontshisi ocwiliswe emanzini anetswayi.Iminyaka engebalwe efukuzaegeza izingubo zikabasi wakhezingcoliswe ukunethezekakwesitatanyiswa.Ekuseni okufocozwe isithwathwa,nezintambana zelanga elivutha bheuzikhandla efukuza engati vu!Langa limbe wawa waqulekaekhathele.Umlomo ukhihliza njengombhobhougobhoza ukuhhemaNkosi eLungile! Sithandwa seNkhosi!Kungani ngihlushwa kanjena?Kunini ngikhala ngimbongoza?Ngitshele Nkosi, Maye! Ngitshele Nkhosi!Mntanami! Ngane ethandekayo! wezwaHluphekela labo abahlalaEbucwazicwazini segolide lesono!Fukuzelela labo ababhukudaEmcakulweni wejini ebomvana!Ngiyabonga Nkosi yami! Ngiyabonga Nkosikungani kufanele ngithwale lelijoka!A snowfall on Mount FrerePuffed up peakswere a Kit-Kat loafcovered with unsweetready for aproned sunshineTrees saggedunder the back-breakingflour bags of snow.they cursed and waitedfor sunraysto lift their burden.The weak-eyed sunpeered through the curtained skyon to the papery whiteness.She blinked;to fetch her reading glasses.Mud huts sproutedon the vastness;a rash of blackheadson the heavily powderedUmkhithiko phezu kweNtaba yaseFeleyaIzicongo zimumethezingumgxusha kaKiti Katizambozwa ongemnandiushukela osaliqhwa;olinde ukukhanya kwelanga eligqoke ifaskotialibenge.Izihlahla zazivokomelezigqumangaphansi kwaphula iqoloamasaka kafulawa ayiqhwa.Ephelelwa ngumoyaaqalekisa alindaukhuthi iphakamise umthwalo.Ilanga elimehlo abuthakathakalalunguza esibhakabhakeni esivalwengamakhethiniphezu kobumhlophe obusaphepha.Lacwayiza;laselibuyela emuvalayolanda izibuko zokufunda.Amaqhugwane odaka afufusakudedangendlale weqele;afana nomqubuko wezinsunsumbaeqholwe kakhuluebusweni bengkosikazi.Red wide-horned cowsplonked belly-deep in quiltlike famished bed bugs:some snorted steamy defianceto the scowling sky.Birds huddled helplesslyagainst the whiplashing wind;and raised their frozen feeble voicesin protest to the skulking sun.No tribesmenin their heartless hutsby the vast white sea.They cringed like drowning gorillaschained in cold steel cages.Izinkomo ezinkone ezimponde zindezingamanxe zathi shi ngezisu ekhwilidininjengezimbungulu zilambile:ezinye zathimula umzabalazo wentuthuziyiqondise esibhakabhakeni esiswacile.Izinyoni zaqoqana zidinga usizoekuvikeni umoya qwane owawuzikhwisha;Zaphakamisa amaphimbo abuthaka aleleungqoqwanezikhononda elangeni elalinyukubele.Ngisho nokuthi khasha emadodeni omuziaphumele phandle.Ayevaleleke engodingasithebeniemaqhugwaneni angenamazikokudedangendlale wolwandle olumhlophe.Ayeveva njengezimbuzimawa ziminzaZixhakwe ngamaketango ezitokisini ezibandayozensimbi.Through sleep-curtained eyesI peered through the frosty windows,Go away! Cold wind! Go away!Cant you see we are naked?ankles manacled,Oh! Dear Sun!Wont you warm my heartwith hope?Amadoda AsemaketangeniIsitimela sama sathi nsiesiteshini sasemaphandleniNgamehlo avalwe ngamakhethini obuthongongalunguza efasteleni,ngabona amadoda ayisithupa:amadoda ayegundwe ashewulwabonke ubuqotho bobuntunjengezimvu ziqeda ukugundwazimpongoza emoyeni ovuguza uhlaba,Hambushone! Moya obandayo! Hambushoneawuboni ukuthi siqunu na?Akotela esitimeleniNgezinyawo ezingacathulele,Izihlakala zinkonkwe ngozankosiamaqakala exhakwe ngamaketanganjengezindingilizi zensimbi zezinkomoemadeleni.Zethuswa ngumnyango ongunoxhaka.Enye yamadoda enekhandaliphucwe labamsulwa njengezambaneyahlebela ilanga liphuma,liyiso elibomvu lisulwa amanikinikiesaliduku lamafu,Maye! Sithandwa seLanga!ngeke yini ufudumeze inhliziyo yamingethemba na?Isitimela saqhubekanendlela yaso engayindawo.to build a wallswith milestone,the tree legged poton earthen floorPhakathi kweqhugwana lami lakwaZuluLingumtapoongenazinyosi nayinyeukuthi zakhe izindongangezitini zegolide loju.Ngumgede okusabalele kuwoitshe lokugaya,amagula amasiizinkamba eziphuphuma utshwalaamacansi okulala encema nekhwaninezigqiki zokucamela ikhandaizikhumba zembuzi ezishukiwezaboshwa ngezifasoezintungwini zomtholozafuswa zabamnyama bhuqe yintuthueqhubuka emalongweni acabayiweavutha ngaphansikwelimlenze ntathu ibhodweeligxunyekwe emhlabathini ongasindiweukuze ngipheke idokwe lami.Reapers in the mieliefieldFace furrowed and wet with sweatbags tied to their wasp waists,women reapers bend mielie stalks,break cobs in rustling sheafs,then toss them in the bagsand move through row upon row of maize.Behind them like a tanker,a dust raising tractorpulls a trailer,driven by the pipe puffing manflashing tobacco-stained teethas yellow as the harvested grain.He stops to pick up bagsloaded by thick-limbed labourersbrown with dust.The sun lashesthe workers withthe red-hot rod;they stop for whileto wipe a brine-bathed browand drink from battered canbubbling with malty maheu.Abavuni ensimini yombilaUbuso buswacile bumanzi ngumjulukoamasaka aboshelwe okhalweni lomnyovuAbavuni besifazane bagoba izinhlanga zombila,bahluba amakhasi ahashazayo ezikhwebubese beziphonsa emasakenibehamba phakathi komugqwa nomugqa wombila.Emuva kwabo, njengesithuthi samasotshaugandaganda obhenguza uthuliudonsa inqodlana,ushayelwa yindoda ephafuza inqaweisineke ngamazinyo anindwe ngugwayiAsale ephuzi njengezinhlamvu zombila ovunwayo.Uyama uthatha amasakaalayishwa izidlakela zezisebenziezigqoke amavesti abhakweabansudu yizikhokho zothuli.Ilanga liabhaxabulangensimbi eshisa yababomvu tebu;Bayama bathi khwimilili isikhashanaUkusula izinhlonze ezigezwe ngamanzi anetswayibaphuza ngomshumbu ofocokileeliphuphuma amahewu anemvubelo.Ukoma sekuqedwe nya ngemizuzwana nje!Amadoda ahlwitha amasakanjengemiqamelo enezimpapheThirst slaked in seconds,men jerk bags like feather cushionsand women become prancing wild mares,soon the days work is doneand the reapers will rest in their kraals.Abafazi baphenduka amahhashikazieqhobosha engaka gitshelwaNgokushesha umsebenzi wosuku usuphelileAbavuni sebeyophumula emakokosini abo.is like an oven baked breadsteaming under a cellophane cover.The cow cutsthe shiny coatwith the tongue as pink asthe sole of a foot.The calf sways on legsfilled with jelly and custardinstead of bone and marrow;to suck the teatsof its mothers udder.Inkonyane esanda kuzalwaInkonyane isanda kuzalwaifana nesinkwa esiqeda kubhakwa ewondiniSishunqa phakathi kwephepha elisigoqile.Inkomazi isikaumhlapho ocwebezelayonjengengane yenzaeswidini lethofingolwimi olubomvananjengengqakala yonyawo.Inkonyane intengezela ngemilenzeegcwele ujeli nokhasitadiesikhudleni sethambo nomkantsha;Iyayenda yendaiyoncela imibeleyebele like nina.in the claypot of passionHis cry to his assassin brothers:But you shall never rule this land!Ukuzalwa kukaShakaUkukhala kwakhekwafana nokwewundlulidabula intamoyebhubhesikazingoba wayengenayise.zabilisa igazi lakheokhambeni lobumba lomhlahlosiogijima emithanjeni yakhe.Inhliziyo yakhe yasikwa yafananesihlangu senkabiukuze iphambe ithibe isitha.Amadlozi alolongaimisipha yakheayenza izingqotho eziqinenjengegxolo lomtholoehlaba njengengameva omqokolo.Amehlo ayeyiziketeketeezakhanyisa ezigodini ezimnyama zakwaZuluWabona izinkonjane ezimhlopheziza ziwela ulwandle.Ukukhala kwakhe kubafowaboababili bemsocoza wathi:Maye! NingangibulalaKepha ngeke nilibuse lelizwe!A roadgangs cryroar like guns in a battle fieldas they tear the street.Puffing machines swallow the red soiland spit it out like a tuberculotics sputum.Business-bent brokers hurry past;women shoppers shamble tiredly, shooing theirstragglers stop to stareas the ruddy faced foreman watches menlifting a sewerage pipe into a trench.as a murmurin a rhythm of ribaldrythat rises to a crescendo,Abelungu ngodam Whites are damnedBasibiza ngoJim They call us a Jim.Isiqubulo sabagqomi bomgwaqoIzibhobhodla zamafosholo ezigubhagubhazibhodla njengezibhamu enkundleni yempizidabula ziqhekeza isitalati.Imishini ehevuzelayo igwinya isibomvuisikhafule njengesikhwehlelasophethwe yisifo sofubaOsomabhizinisi bezimali bashesha badluleAbafazi athengayobayatatabuka bekhathele ukuqhubaabatotobi bayama babhekeImfolomani ebuso bobumvu klebhu iqaphe lamadodaaphakamisa ipayipi lamanzi elifaka emsileni.Siqalanjengokungundaza nokuhhomuzelakusuke emlonyeni kuye komunyenjengesihayo esisanhlambaesinyuka siyoshaya esicongweni;Abelungu ngodamBasibiza ngoJim.The rain in the veldHe dripped like an unpreened cattossed by a pranksters handinto a tubful of icy waterchilling the bones and settingthe marrow into an unsalted broth;licked the laughing lipsjellied by cold mucusflowing from an unwiped nose.To be a young capering cowherdwith an empty billycan buckled to the beltand driving homeward bound herdof robust cows with hides steaming bathingblood-gorged ticks and frisking calves withnostrils spurting steam jets, O! so cavorting carefree.Imvula eseqeleniWayeconsa njengekati elimadlakadlakalintshingwe ngesandla sesigangiebhavini ogcwele amanzi ayiqhwaagodolise amathambo ashubiseumnkatsha osamhluzi ojiyile ongenatswayi;kukhotheke izindebe ezihlekayozashubiswa ngamafinyila abandayo Agxiza ekhalenielingasuliwe.Ukuba mncane kugqanqulise umalusiobophele ishumbu lakhe elithegepe ebhandenieqhuba umhlambi oqonde ekhayaizinkomazi zitshakadulaizikhumba zishunqa umusi oshisayoimikhaza iqanse isuthi igaziamankonyane ayatshakadulaAmakhala awo atsakaintuthu yamanzi eshisayo engagqize qakala.a great wall builder IzindongaUmuntu ungumakhiomkhulu wodongaUDonga lwaseBheliniUDonga oluKliwulayo lwaseJelusalemaUDonga oluKhulu lwaseShayinakodwa-ke udongaolungaqhekezeki nakancaneluzungezwe umsele wamanziogeleza ngokwesabaokake inhlinziyo yakhe.olungenawo amafasitelaokungenisa umphefumulokushaye ishowe.olungenawo umnyangowokungenisa phakathi uthando luzihambela.Excerpted from Sounds of a Cowhide Drum by Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali. Copyright 2012 Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali. Excerpted by permission of Jacana Media Pty Ltd.The shepherd and his flock,Umalusi nomhlambi wakhe,I will tell it to my doctor,Ngiyokutshela inyanga yami,Umfana osemjikelweni,Portrait of a loaf of bread,Umfanekiso womgxusha wesinkwa,The washerwomans prayer,Umthandazo kamama wewashingi,A snowfall on Mount Frere,Umkhithiko phezu kweNtaba yaseFeleya,Amadoda Asemaketangeni,Inside my Zulu hut,Phakathi kweqhugwana lami lakwaZulu,Reapers in the mieliefield,Abavuni ensimini yombila,A newly-born calf,Inkonyane esanda kuzalwa,The birth of Shaka,Ukuzalwa kukaShaka,A roadgangs cry,Isiqubulo sabagqomi bomgwaqo,The rain in the veld,Imvula eseqeleni,Izindonga,Pigeons at the Oppenheimer Park,Amajuba ePakini kaOppenheimer,A voice from the dead,Izwi elivela kwabafileyo,The birth of our daughter 28.2.69,Ukuzalwa kwendodakazi yethu 28.2.69,A brazier in the street,Imbawula esesitiladini,An old man in church,Indoda endala esesontweni,The day we buried our bully,Ilanga esangcwaba ngalo isichwensi sethu,A lost coin,Inkence elahlekile,Ukushona kwelanga,This kid is no goat,Lelizinyane alisiyo imbuzi,Riding on the rainbow,Ngigibele uthingo,Phezulu naphansi,Always a suspect,Umsolwa njalo,Ungasondeli otshanini,The chauffeur shuffle,Ubushudushudu bukamshayeli,Ogwini lolwandle,A drunk in the street,Isidakwa esitaladini,The moulting country bird,Inyoni ebuzayo yasemaphandleni,The song of sunrise,Iculo lokuphuma kwelanga,Umvukuzi,Portrait of an old pair of shoes,Umfanekiso wezicathulo ezimbili,Two chimney sweepers,Abashaneli ababili bakashimula,The face of hunger,Ubuso bendlala,If you should know me,Ukuze wazi mina,Intake night Baragwanath Hospital,Ubusuku bokwemukelwa esiBhedlela sasebhalakwana,On drowning sorrow,Ukugwilisa usizi,Nightfall in Soweto,Ukuhlwa kobusuku eSoweto,At heavens door,Emnyago wasezulwini,Ibhokisi lomngcwabo,The watchmans blues,Umzwangedwa kanogada,The detribalised,Asebelahle phansi ubuhlanga babo,Ngiya emsebenzini,Ukwebuza Kwami,White City Jabavu,A ballad of Eloff Street,Isihayo sase-Sitaladini iLofu,Umnumzane wendlu,Just a passer-by,Umdluli nje kuphela,Ozankosi,At a snails pace, please!,Njengokutotoba komnenke, sicela ngesihle!,My shadow, Courage,Isithunzi sami uSibindi,An abandoned bundle,Umgodlana ontshingiwe,Death The Tart,Ukufa-ngunondindwa,Ride upon the death chariot,Gibela phezu kwekalishikazi lokufa,Thoughts before sleep,Imicabango ngaphambi kokulala,Dirge for my passing years,Inkondle-sililo yokudlula kweminyaka yami,Amagoduka at Glencoe Station,Amagoduka esiteshini saseGilonko,Sounds of a Cowhide Drum,Imisindo yesigubhu sesikhumba senkomo,book by dianne stewartbook by blanche la gumabook by barry sergeantbook by fred khumaloA stepping stone in the process of documenting and conserving South Africas huge diversity of ...A stepping stone in the process of documenting and conserving South Africas huge diversity of insect life, this guide provides a concise overview and descriptions of representative insect groups and their ecology in broadly different habitat types. The pictures were ... 