THE RAIN IN THE VELD by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali

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He dripped like an unpreened cat 

tossed by a prankster's hand 

into a tubful of icy water 

chilling the bones and setting 

the marrow into an unsalted broth; 

licked the laughing lips 

jellied by a cold mucus

flowing from an unwiped nose. 

To be a young capering cowherd 

with an empty billycan buckled to the belt 

and driving a homeward-bound herd 

of robust cows with hides steambathing 

blood-gorged ticks, and frisking calves with 

nostrils spurting steam jets, O! so cavorting carefree.