It definitely would be pretentious of us to ignore the impact so far felt from the Covid-19 pandemic which is now an emergent global health concern. Hundreds of thousands of dear lives across the world have been lost since the disease broke out in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, China. It has suddenly, with a force still mysterious today, spread across the world and in the process, thrown human life in a catastrophe, knocked down national economies, lifestyles, thought systems, etc.
National lockdowns have been imposed in various countries, including Zimbabwe, as one of the measures to stop the spread of the virus. And a national lockdown means a lot of things for different people or governments.
The compilation below, mixed in terms of language, contains voices speaking from different places and perspectives as they examine the mystery of the pandemic. We aim to produce subsequent short Survivors Will Tell compilations to capture through literature the depth of crisscrossing waves of emotions evoked by this disease. Yet as we read, we still urge everyone to make sure they are not hygienically reckless in these trying times, and to have hope.
The emotions and tones herein expressed are deep and different – despair, love, confusion, cultural revelation, etc. The writers’/poets’ observations inspire a reader to stop and think twice about the implications of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly the nationwide lockdowns imposed by some governments. The inquiry of these pieces goes beyond the mere lockdown. What is it, and if it were a letter, what’s inside it?
Feel the words.
CONTENTS
Hapana Chakaoma - Patrick Hwande
Uchidarikwa Nezvimwewo Iwe! - Tinashe Muchuri
Ndanga Ndisingachazviziva - Tinashe Muchuri
Survivors Will Tell A Story - Brighten Muvindi
Forbidden Moves - Edwin Msipa
Masasi EpaLockdown - Edwin Msipa
Lockdown - Cranium Simpleton
Ndiani Ungandivudzavo - Tafadzwa Moyo
In The Dungeon - Greyton K Muzangaza
Mudzimba - Manu Mhike
What A Bully! - Moira Marangwanda
Tsika Dzedu - Oscar Gwiriri
Mashoko - Jurgen Namupira
Zambuko Riripi - Tamutswa K Muzana
HAPANA CHAKAOMA
Ungazotadze neiko kugeza maoko
Iwe uchigeza dhorofiya?
Ungazotadze nei kuvhara mhino
Iwe uchivhara jere?
Ungazotadze nei kuhetsurira muhapwa dzako
Ndedzekukwereta here?
Ungatadze nei kugara mumba mako
Ingawani makonzo arimo?
Sei muchida kungobata maoko
Kunge dzenyu nzeve ave marindamusoro chete?
UCHIDARIKWA NEZVIMWEWO IWE!
Nhasi izuva remakumi maviri kubva vanhu zvatanzi tigare mudzimba segonzo mhini mubako uye kuti tisagara setakavungana sembeva rerudzi rwembeva yemharo.
Hanzi pakukwazisana tichengetedze nhano dzekutarauka kwaambuya nemukuwasha kana muroora navatezvara. Zuva ranhasi, musi weSvondo, vanhu vazhinji veZimbabwe vainge vachifanira kunge vari kuvonga, kunamata, kurumbidza nekukudza Musiki wavo. Asi sezvo kusingafaniri kuunganiwa vaifanira kunge vari mudzimba. Kune makereke ane mari zhinji asinganetseki hawo pokuunganira uye akatenga pekunamatira asivo kune dzimwe kereke dzisati dzawana pekunamatira.
Nhasi ranga riri bishi kuparadza nzvimbo dzavo dzekunamatira. Vakanzwa guhu rekuti Profiti Fred vaparadzirwa tende ravo. Naivo vakaona kuti chekumirira hapana. Pane kunge vachifanira kutakura mabhaibheri, vange vakatakura mapinjisi, mascrewdriver, sando dzezvinyanga, mapiki nemafoshoro pamwe nemigwara vachizviparadzira matende avo.
Zavirira reshoko reruparadzo ravasvikira ndokumhanya kundoparadza matende. Handina kunzwa rumbo rwekutenderera Jerusarema rusvingo ruchizodonga. Handina kuona mabvi ari pauriri seaDaniel wemuBhaibheri apo kwainge kwasvika guhu reshoko rechiga chekunamata mambo.
Ndashaya rutyo rwanyura mushamwari dzaJesu. Yanga ichingori bishi kudongedza matende. Adonha matende nhasi! Adonha ose matende! Hapana achakamira. Ndanzwa vamwe vachivhunzana. Zvikanzi nyika yaparara, yasvika kumagumo. Umwe ndokuvhunza achiti zvino runo zvarwava rwetatu zvichiitika zvino inoguma seiko? Iyo inoguma here imi muchiziva? Zvakwanzi ndiBaba voga vanoziva kuguma kwayo nyika? Hapana wapindura. Rutyo rwuri mumutendi runotyisa rutyo rwekutyorwa kwemarumha etende achivhunwa nechikatapira. Zvichida vanoona havo.
Chandishamisa kuungana kwevanhu munguva yekusaungana! Ko ndiyani avaongorora zvavanga vachibatirana marata nemapango ematende avo ekunamatira? Ko, ndiani anga achiona kutauraukana kwavo pakushandidzana basa? Ndiyani? Ko, zvaitirwei izvi zvekuunganidza vanhu panguva yekusaungana? Kuti ndizvo zvichagumisa nyika vanhu vatapurirarana chigwere ichi? Chii nhai? Ko, ndini aniwo ndinongononota zvandaona? Uchidarikwa nezvimwewo iwe!
NDANGA NDISINGACHAZVIZIVI
Na Tinashe Muchuri
(Poem also appeared in the Kubatana.net newsletter)
Kudya pamwe nemhuri
Kusati kwasviba
Ndanonotswa nekumirira ZUPCO
Kunzi baba tiitireivo ngano
Dad ndiverengereivo
Bhuku raBaba vaRudo
Ndiimbirei rwiyo
Ndanga ndichazviziva here
Kumuka ndichidya bota nevana
Kumira papoto ndichivakangira dopiro
Iye COVID-19 kundidzosayo
Hadzisi ndangariro
Asi ndiwoka mararamiro murokudhoni
Kana chiso chamai mwana ndanga ndichachiva here
Icho chavo chaicho chisina poda podo
Kana iro vhunzi ravo risina miredzveredzwa
COVID-19 herevo!
Kundipa zvose nehave handichina.
SURVIVORS WILL TELL
What can this really be?
That shuts doors
Dismisses social company
Disrupts all journeys
And with your hands you have to be careful!
What can this really be?
That has travelled
By road or by air
And greeted every street
Every suburb and village
With a firm handshake!
And how will we really be?
With fresh graves
And vacant streets and plains
And narrower stomachs!
The survivors will tell a story
Full of horror and sorrow
Without text or texture or context
As they start life all over again
Remembering moments life became delinquent
The days when death was a daily routine!
FORBIDDEN MOVES
By Edwin Msipa aka Black Mampara
(Facebook: Edwin Msipa)
Many are home,
Some frying chips,
Children seeing Papa,
Papa seeing Mama.
Am at home,
Asking myself this:
Where is she?
Is she happy?
Is she eating?
Is she sleeping?
With who?
Who is with her?
Caressing her?
Am love sick,
What about her?
For several days,
She’d been out,
Out on business.
Now caught up in the lockdown,
Down in Azania,
I am down.
I say now,
"Love!
Keep it safe,
Yours is preserved,
Time will tell,
Covid-19 will fall."
MASASI EPALOCKDOWN
Na Edwin Msipa aka Black Mampara
''Uum, vakadzi nevana mukunyanya kudhaivhira nekurara pamaSofa. Ndomaitiro enyu kubva kare nhai? Manji makuvara, next time ndotenga esimbi."
LOCKDOWN
(Zimbabwean poet & musician based in Malawi)
Lock down your mischief during this lockdown
We cannot afford a double, triple death
Abuse not the word lockdown
Abuse it not!
Dance, yes; sing, yes; try to cry, that’s okay;
Play and pray.
But abuse not this lockdown
Or turn it into an evil excuse
Devil! Devil! Devil!
Do not turn this lockdown into a haven of evil.
NDIANI UNGANDIVUDZAVO?
Ambuya
Nhasi zvakwakati zii kudai
Guta guru kuita sepafiwa, zvadii?
Kuti dzangu zheve dzadzivira?
Handina mahwi andiri kuhwa,
Kana ngarimoto dzinosidhuruma handidzihwi.
Ko, iyo mitsindo yavanhu yaindepi?
Kuti vari kundinyenyeredza?
Zvino ndingabva ndaramwiwa nenyika yose!
Guta rose kushaya umwe ungandiitiravo tsiye nyoro?
Ko zvino vakandinyenyeredza ndinoraramirepi?
Evo! Zvimwe nyika yaguma!
Dai yaguma ndahwazve kutinhira kwakarebwa
Handiti dai zvino ndavavo munyika itsva?
Handiti dai ndavazve nomuviri mutsva?
Kana meso angu deno asvinudzwazve!
Kana kudai ndichinzi ndiri mutadzi
Handiti dai ndapfuvura napadare rokutongwa?
Kana kudai ndichiyuwira muvivi romoto!
Zvino ihwi rangu zvarakashoshoma
Nesimba nderokugombedzera!
Regai ndingodanidzira, zvimwe ndingawana rubetsero:
"Ndino-okumbiravo rubatsiro hama dzadiwa!
Ndino-okumbiravo ruyamuro kune vanondihwa!
Ha-akuna ungandivudzavo here zviri kuitika nhasi!"
Mupurisa
Gogo nhasi muguta hamuna vanhu,
Vanhu vagere kudzimba kwemavhiki
Nyika iri kugwisana nedenda rarura pasi rose
Nyika yakavhagwa, makambani akavhagwa,
Saka hakuna unotendegwa kufamba-famba,
Kana kuvungana samakwai
Hunzi tigeze mavoko nesipo nhambo dzose,
Tisabatana mavoko pakumhoresana,
Kana kubata meso nemuromo.
Kuhotsira nekukoshora tizviitire mukati megokora
Kuti tikunde Corona muhondo yedu.
Ambuya
Wazvita hako muzukuru.
Saka pakashaya wakandinyeuriravo?
Usiwe ndaizvizivirepi zvose izvi?
Zvino isu tichapona nei mavhiki ose iwayo?
Ko zvino iwe unotsvakei muguta?
Mupurisa
Ndiri mupurisa mbuya,
Tiri kufamba tichitarisa vanotyora mitemo.
Tinenge tichikurudzirazve ruzhinji
Kuti gutevedzere nemo-nemo zvose
Zvinodiwa pakugwisa Corona.
Regai hangu ndimboita basa mbuya!
Ambuya
Zvakanaka muzukuru!
Heede! Seka zvako mwana waChizuva!
Hoo, korona yavuya nhasi ndiyo yavavona?
Nhamo nematambudziko zvakati tsvemete nesu havazvivoni?
Ko iko kuzoita zvinhu zvavo pachavo!
Vanoti isu ndisu tisingavurawi nekorona 'yo?
Chete kusiri kufa ndokupi?
Takafa kare!
Gwazvino zhara ichativurayazve!
Vhiki nhatu dzose vanoti tinopona nei?
Rega nditsivame zvangu pano,
Ndikaziya vachangondiworeravo ipo pano!
IN THE DUNGEON
By Greyton K Muzangaza aka The Lone Poet
Painful are the dark days
And long nights too.
In the scary & deep dungeon
Like political prisoners
Hunger tortures
Our already thin beings
Dirty buttocks shrink
Dry mouths crack
Like they are of anthill-clay
Helplessly we grope
In the dark dungeon
Hiding away from the monster
That wears a horrible crown
And wields a sharp sword
Who will conquer it
And take off its crown?
MUDZIMBA
Na Manu Mhike
Zviri mudzimba umu
Varume kuita zvimumumu
Ziso remudzimai neremuramu
Ummm dai chachipfuura ichi chikamu
Zviri mudzimba
Zviri kudzimba
Unozvitakura kunge mukadzi ane mimba
Mutoro wacho worema rakundiperera simba
Zviri mudzimba panguva yeCorona
Baba kutamba mahumbwe navana
Mai kurova guhwa navana
Munhu wese arikuita kunge asina kukwana
Vashaiswa mukana
Ana Mainini nayo Corona
Varikutukwa pavanofona
Nharembosha irikugara namai vemusha
Zviri mudzimba panguva yeCorona
Zvizhinji hatisati takambozviona
Iri ndiro gore reminana
Gore rezvishamiso namakunakuna
Iri ndiro gore rezvidzidzo
Zviri kwauri
Kuputsa kana kuvaka zvitsidzo
Pamwe zvese zvapera ticharidza yemufaro miridzo!
WHAT A BULLY!
Governments blaming each other,
Secrets exposed?
Churches now houses for predators
As schools become monuments of history.
Hospitals and clinics busier the market place;
Busybodies spread rumours in murmurs.
I hear the children crying of hunger.
I see husbands and wives sharing soul-sapping jabs.
The home turns prison.
Worldwide, the lockdown is a bully!
All because of you coronavirus
Phew, what a bully!
TSIKA DZEDU
Heya, munozocheuka bako manaiwa,
Kana tichiita tsika dzedu
Munozviita vanamuzvinanjere wani,
Tarakasima kutsoropodza maitiro edu,
Muchizviita vangwaru vedzidzo nechizvinozvino,
Kana marohwa nechirwere mozoti vhurumuku,
Ko, kupata kwedu hamuzokurangarire sei?
Ndinokunzwai zvangu muchingoti
Gwede Gokwe chakati chino,
Heya, Gokwe ichiri yechinyakare nhai?
Tisiyei tigare nechinyakare chedu,
Imi mirizikai nechizvinozvino chenyu,
Asi o-o nevari pasi, muchapera chete!
Imomo mukuseka nekusema tsika,
Hamusimi here makange moti maku
Muzvipatara muchichecheudzisa vanhurume?
Ko, kupata kwemaShangani maikudini zvamaivatsoropodza.
Nhasi uno zvamazvivharira mudzimba,
Muchitinyaudza kuti tisabatane maoko,
Ndimi here mochengetedza nhano
Kubva pane mumwe nemumwe munhu,
Kusvika pakuti gorogoje zvitoro nemafekitari,
Ko zve, tsika yeChikorekore munoidini,
Zvamaiti vakasara muchinyakare,
Apo vaiomberana vakati ambuyawasha uko, mukuwasha ukoko?
Mhoresanai kani, mbundiranai zvenyu zviye,
Ko, munotyei vanhu vechizvinozvino,
Vakagoka tsika svinu nekuvhurika kumeso?
Itai tione kana mukasapera naCovid-19.
Saka imi tsika dzemuno munozodzirumbidza
Kana dzapembedzwa nemabvakure?
Chadzakanakira chinozoonekwa nevatorwa chete,
Mozopakurirwa chamagara munacho muruoko?
Inga makaoma, ndimi vangwaru chaivo,
Regai isu tigare nekupata kwedu.
MASHOKO
NaJurgen Namupira
Mukuru wangu Tuku ndokubva ashaura Pakare Paye,
Zvikanzi Hakuna Gehena Riri Nani.
Nhaka tiri kungoti Hear Me Lord,
Tozeza Corona
Tsano, murume waNeria vakafa nayo.
Hupenyu Hwavo Waive Mutserendende,
Ndine Mubvunzo ini
Tiudzei imi vari kumhepo, Todii?
Vamwe vati tiri Kushingirira Kurapa Corona,
Corona isu tirikupedzwa nemasaisai erunhare.
Zvakuda imi vari nyika dzimu, Pindirai!
Tiri mubindu kuhwanda icho chirwere,
Kushuwira dai chapera
Asi Masimba Mashoma
ZAMBUKO RIRIPI?
Ndinongoona dima,
Gomba iri ndizienda nakuenda,
Ndinongorangarira ndichitanga kuteremuka,
Ndohataira mweya wopera ndobata kamudzi,
Pondoti ndichinyemwerera ndiye pwaka,
Rwendo rwekuwa rwuya rwotangazve,
Ndongonamatira kuti dai ndawira pane tumvura.
Kuvhura nzeve pasi rose inongove zhowezhowe,
Nyenze dzototeererawo ruzha kubva kuvanhu,
Kuteerera dzimudzangara rave banga,
Rinobamura moyo,
Asi risingasudurukiki pariri nekuti ungaputirwe nedima,
Vana vevanhu vofa seunyunyu,
Hwatswatitswa neruoko rwemucheri wedendende,
Nhamo yefodya yave mwana pane yemwaka uno!
Inhamo uchitakaira nekunge wavachando,
Muteto yekumarinda yose yakakandwa munarunde,
Zvekurara mumba mako mudzimai achinina nhunzi hakuchina,
Zvekuti vana tezvara varevewo musariridzwa zviya hakuchina,
Nekuwonekanawo nehama uri mubhokisi vachikuninira maoko hakuchina,
Kana kufukurawo imba yako kuti vawone kana wakavhara muromo,
Kwakungoraswa sembwa,
Wako mweya uchidzembereka,
Njere dzevapenyu dzichiritaira mumisoro,
Hameno tinosvika sei kumagumo?
Imwe neimwe nyika yobwandira vayo,
Vasi vayo yobata nekumarovambwa,
Tumari twavekupiwa vobwo,
Iwe mutonhorwa wotomira nezvako,
Kusaziva kuti kana guti racho rikasarira kuvatorwa hapana chimuko,
Rwendo rwekuwa izienda nakuenda,
Mheremhere haiperi,
Kwave kumirira patichawira,
Dai tikasawira paruware,
Tingawomerapo tose
****
THANK YOU FOR READING. LET’S MEET AGAIN IN THE NEXT INSTALMENT. FEEL FREE TO SEND YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS.
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