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Isabella Motadinyane

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Work Shire

I ran away
skipping the border
and met a man
who said Yorkshire
England is luxury
job seekers
go for it
small heaven
identify yourself
with Yorkshire
stop laziness
money buys no neatness
men at Tsitsikama
say goodbye to your blankets
in Jo’burg
when you are told to come tomorrow

© Translation: 2007, Ike Mboneni Muila
From: Bella
Publisher: Botsotso, Johannesburg, 2007

Work Shire

Work Shire

Kana ka sega phefo
ka ralla dinaga
ka rakana le monna
are Yorkshire
England kwa moroba
tiro emo batla mabogo
ka e bona
ka e tshwantshanya
le small heaven
nare yena ke Yorkshire
tlogela botsoropa wena
bothakga gabo rekwe
banna ba kwa Tsetse Tsitsi
mesong ba sadisa dikobo
kwa Jo\'burg
ba bolawa ke more kom

© 2007, Isabella Motadinyane
From: Bella
Publisher: Botsotso, Johannesburg

Isabella Motadinyane

Isabella Motadinyane

(South Africa, 1963 - 2003)

Isabella Motadinyane was born in 1963 in Mofolo Central, Soweto. She completed classes up to Grade Five in her formal schooling. She studied piano at the so-called ‘Five Roses Bowl’ and attended dance and acting classes in Jozi. As a result of creative writing forums she wrote the poem ‘One Leg In’, which contains the phrase “die is mos botsotsos” (these are stretch denim pants). The phrase af...

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Work Shire

Isabella Motadinyane

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Work Shire

I ran away
skipping the border
and met a man
who said Yorkshire
England is luxury
job seekers
go for it
small heaven
identify yourself
with Yorkshire
stop laziness
money buys no neatness
men at Tsitsikama
say goodbye to your blankets
in Jo’burg
when you are told to come tomorrow

© 2007, Ike Mboneni Muila
From: Bella
Publisher: 2007, Botsotso, Johannesburg

Work Shire

I ran away
skipping the border
and met a man
who said Yorkshire
England is luxury
job seekers
go for it
small heaven
identify yourself
with Yorkshire
stop laziness
money buys no neatness
men at Tsitsikama
say goodbye to your blankets
in Jo’burg
when you are told to come tomorrow

© 2007, Ike Mboneni Muila
From: Bella
Publisher: 2007, Botsotso, Johannesburg

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