Poem

Zolani Mkiva

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Original language

son of the soil

son of the soil

son of the soil

I do not have perfumed lips
But I speak the truth

I do not have cat eyes
But I can see the true colors of the universe

I do not have donkey ears
But I can hear what make sense and what is a nuisance

I do not have a dog nose
But I can smell and distinguish between carbo-monoxide & oxygen

I do not have a big heart
But I do have passion for love and I love people

I do not have soft hands
But I can deliver my people from shame

I am the son of the soil
Like daughters of the land

I am the filament of freedom
I am the pistil of peace
I am the calyx of consciousness
I am the corolla of peoples cause
I am the pollen of prosperity
I am the anther of amicable solutions

I am the stem of our society
The son of the soil

Publisher: First published on PIW,

Zolani Mkiva

Zolani Mkiva

(South Africa, 1974)

Zolani Mkiva was born into a poor Xhosa family in Idutywa, South Africa. The family belongs to a renowned line of orators and imbongis (folk poets), and Zolani Mkiva himself grew up to become one of the most famous imbongis of his time. There is no formal training for would-be imbongis: it is a natural gift one inherits from one’s father, who inherited it from his.

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Poems of Zolani Mkiva

son of the soil

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son of the soil

I do not have perfumed lips
But I speak the truth

I do not have cat eyes
But I can see the true colors of the universe

I do not have donkey ears
But I can hear what make sense and what is a nuisance

I do not have a dog nose
But I can smell and distinguish between carbo-monoxide & oxygen

I do not have a big heart
But I do have passion for love and I love people

I do not have soft hands
But I can deliver my people from shame

I am the son of the soil
Like daughters of the land

I am the filament of freedom
I am the pistil of peace
I am the calyx of consciousness
I am the corolla of peoples cause
I am the pollen of prosperity
I am the anther of amicable solutions

I am the stem of our society
The son of the soil

son of the soil

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