Jikinya by Musaemura Bonas Zimunya

Also Read

 

While metals roar and flame

heads and feet smell of burning

men enthuse about commanding Death

and a sad wind ululates across the raped land

Dance, Jikinya, dance

Eyes of you surprised round-nuts

as for a moment the rainbow around your head vanishes

into mist surrounding pedalling limbs

trembling belly and bosom in rising smoke

as you dance to the rhythm of thunder

and gorge howling at the Zambezi water

as stars hawk-eyed and vulture-beaked

tear the drums with unrelenting frenzy

the restless song bubbles in tears

and life bleeds all over the land

Dance, Jikinya, dance

as the figures of fate

battle roll, scramble and roar

with the tones of Babel

in a frantic search for the exit

Tamba Jikinya naBaba

though your knees cut

your breath stabs

your feet are blistered

your back peels

and your face is a mirror of horrified shadows