Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Chris Magadza

BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

In the rising hopes
Of the morning
When the robin
Greets the new day
With melody and chirp
And the painted sky
Delights the soul
And warms the land;

When the wise and the poor
Exchange civilities
And innocent children
Make merry
In the blessing sun;
Call me Stephen.

But
In the sombreness of the night
When the darkness
Smells and exudes evil,
When the hyena’s eerie laughter
Teases death;
And nature’s night sentry
Calls
Whoo, Whoo goes;

When haunting spirits
Connive on my being;
And rob me
Of the poor man’s only gift.
Sleep;

When I see
My father’s hand
Reaching for me
To take me
From this abyss;
I am Ndapota


Harare, 2000
Close

BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

In the rising hopes
Of the morning
When the robin
Greets the new day
With melody and chirp
And the painted sky
Delights the soul
And warms the land;

When the wise and the poor
Exchange civilities
And innocent children
Make merry
In the blessing sun;
Call me Stephen.

But
In the sombreness of the night
When the darkness
Smells and exudes evil,
When the hyena’s eerie laughter
Teases death;
And nature’s night sentry
Calls
Whoo, Whoo goes;

When haunting spirits
Connive on my being;
And rob me
Of the poor man’s only gift.
Sleep;

When I see
My father’s hand
Reaching for me
To take me
From this abyss;
I am Ndapota


Harare, 2000

BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère