Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
Contacts: +27 11 693-4939 Tel: +27 83 766 7763
E-mail: caroline.setsiba@gmail.com Or caroline@directalk.co.za
4 Gemsbok Road, Greenhills, Randfontein, 1759 – P.O. Box 174, Randfontein, 1760
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I USUALLY SQUEEZE MY TEA BAG
After enjoying my nice cup of tea
After enjoying the sweetness and
Smoothness of the velvet feeling tea
After enjoying the aroma
From a slow and steady brew
Bringing golden brown strength that’s subtle
Tickles my taste buds and bubbles
Of saliva splash and bust
Like ferries flanking their
Dance delivering slickly skiing
Tackling the taste with tact
Drools trapped on tongue
The last sip and swallow are reason
Why I usually squeeze my tea bag
24/01/2015 18h25
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LIKE BIRDS SINGING PRAISES TO THE SUN
In the rise of the morning
They bask
Like birds singing praises to the sun
They have arrived in Mzantsi
Africans in migration
Africans in the diaspora
At the setting of the sun
They landed
Like birds singing praises to the sun
Over the fence on the boarders of Mzantsi
Africans in motion
Africans at the dusk of the day
In the heat of the midday sun
Shadows unidentified
Like birds of a feather flocking together
With us, pressures the pulse of a time-bomb
African foreign notion of take-over
Africans broad day light rob us of Mzantsi
24/01/2015 19h00
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NTULI KA NTU
Wena Ntuli ka Ntu, Ntulikazi, like Dust
The substance God used to create his artwork
Wena Ntuli ka Ntu you ulululate ulululate
Correlatively with corrugated iron
Uncrease the essence of spoken word from
The rubble, phase in mantra from
The diaspora for the
Consciousness of the African Renaissance
With hammer and chisel in
Rhythm and rhyme of ripples of
Dust particles that choke the workshop
Awakening rusted minds with sandpaper
Reigniting the cut and thrust of
Public discourse
Contrast adversity and lethargy with
Surrealism that dance and clap in
Esprit de corps for the people
The plethora of sculpture illustrates the
Diversity and dynamism which is
So integral to philanthropy and Building the Nation
Bring to life brains buried in
Loud silence through your mannerism
Carved on a tree whose legs you
Amputated, the memento of our history
Grind voices on stone to
Preserve generations past and present
The statue of hope bears your name
Blisters in your hands are
A discourse from a laudable speech
Ntuli I ulululate and salute you as
A living ancestor of this age
Wena Ntuli ka Ntu
24/01/2015 20h32
An ode to a son of the soil, an African intellectual, an Avant Garde, Professor Pitika Ntuli for being an inspiration, contributing to the building of social cohesion and Nation Building through his art works.
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AFRICAN MADONNA
Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
Can somebody vouch me now with a smile
And say “yes” here is this woman
She is the African Madonna
She goes around all laden with diamonds and gold
She is a credit to her family
She upholds the honor of her family
She is phenomenal
She feeds life with her milk of human kindness
From her breast firm as the mountains of Maluti
Blessed of all human species
Strong and tough in substance, created from the bone of dust
Can somebody vouch me now with a smile
And say “yes” here is this woman
She is the African Madonna
Her lips, a sweet sparkling wine cool from the cellar
She is like fresh honey, men stick to her
Her voice is like sounds of sea waves at dawn
Calming the day about to be birthed
Can somebody vouch me now with a smile
And say “yes” here is this woman
She is the African Madonna
Her love red as a rose with thorns
Shielding it from abuse
Her heart white like lilies covered in morning dew
Her presence powerful but tender like blue violets in bloom
Can somebody vouch me now with a smile
And say “yes” here is this woman
She is the African Madonna
Elegance covers her body as she sways
Her hips from left to right
Her beauty so innocent like a new-born infant
Her confidence explodes and renders you frail
Can somebody vouch me now with a smile
And say “yes” here is this woman
She is the African Madonna
Her crown of wisdom glitters with solutions
And resolutions from evolution to creation
She begins with passion and brings to perfection
That which she lays her handy hands on
Shrewd in thinking and very articulate in content
Trust her and cross your heart she never disappoints
Appoint her queen and anoint her with royalty
She is the African Madonna
Can somebody vouch me now with a smile
And say “yes” here is this woman
She is the African Madonna
20/09/2013 05h30
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GOOD MORNING
Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
So pure and innocent is the morning
Like a new-born infant
Before it yields its first cry
Before the birds begin to sing
Before the rattle of the engines
Before the mind begins to travel in trouble
Before the bare shepherds’ feet print
The dew that sleeps upon the grass
The air fresh with clean aroma
The stars like kings rejoice, enjoy the space
While time for their day sleep nears
Oceans speak in their multitude of voices
Keeping life alive in the dead quiet
Of the morning, good morning!
The peace of souls and spirits uncorrupted
The joy and sadness of the moment
Of expectations of the new day
Pregnant with the unknown
Silence and stillness of the morning
Scares obstacles and hindrances
Prayers smoothly reach the Almighty
The brief sweet feeling of you and nature
Alone in short time space
The feel as you take the first breath
after your eyes open
your body awakes
Is greater than worldly wealth
The heartbeat throngs gently
Like drops of milk from the cows breast
After morning milking
So pure and innocent, good morning
9/10/13 5h05
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Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
HLENGIWE IVY VILAKAZI
Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
They call me names
Hlengiwe Ivy Vilakazi
Sudden dead silence as I enter the room
Hello friends! I greet
Hello, they reply with a smile on their lips
A curse from their eyes
I approach the seat in their proximity
Chairs quickly become vacant
One after the other
I go to dish up as usual
I find there’s only one set of crockery
That is reserved for me
The rest brought their own
Hlengiwe Ivy Vilakazi
They call me names
The transporter no longer will fetch me
Out of the blue car is overloaded
Ironically I have been replaced by someone
I walk down my crowded home street
People suddenly vanish into thin air
Both adult and child take a dive
Behind the tree, behind the wall
Behind the curtain they peep
Their whispers so loud and deafening
At home my brother hugs and welcomes me
My mother is disgusted and leaves the room
For they call me names
Hlengiwe Ivy Vilakazi
One thing I am sure of is
Something has to end, my life or the stigma
Nelson Mandela once said
“ there comes a time in life when
You either submit or fight”
This is that time to make a choice
Ending my life is submitting
Ending the stigma is fighting
I went to church and said
“Pastor pray for me”
She said “no child go home wash
And comb your hair like you used to”
That night I had a dream
About a world of people renewed
Their minds were clear their hearts pure
The discourse had shifted
The air filled with love
they held hands, thoughtful for one another?
I jumped awake from the nightmare
Washed and combed my hair like I used to
On the mirror I saw me
Alive and beaming with hope
Then I did the best thing for myself
I laughed out loud in celebration
Hugged myself
Now listen carefully! I commanded
My name is Hlakaniphile Inspiration Victorious!
Echoes of my laughter rippled, reached out
And touched the feeble and indignant
The infected and affected
Hopeless Ignominious Vanquished
A first smile since their status
From their bedsores they rose
Their feet stood them up strong
As they spread out their arms
To join the chain of victory
The smell of death fled out the window
We have life, we are victorious
Call us new names like
Heroic Illuminate Vanguards
HIV can be beaten
We together we stand and stay positive.
10/10/13 10H10
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Whisky, Whisky Old Friend
Oh whisky whisky
Old friend indeed my whisky
Gently there when I’m in need
Smelly filling air so sweetly
Pouring into my cup so velvety
I lift with hope so highly
My world glowing and sparkling
One kiss and downing greedily
Aah! The chills run the spine speedily
My brain awakes and sharpens explosively
Feels like a new world amazingly
I deserve to reward myself amply
If I’m sunk in fathoms of you whisky
I feel an avalanche of peace swiftly
28/02/2012 16h25
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Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
BAYEDE NKOSAZANA EMHLOPHE
Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba
Bayede mfazi womlungu, nkosazana emhlophe
Wena wendlovu!
Wena ondlebe z’khanyilanga!
You stopped the blood river from flowing
Once again, and let truth be told
White woman unmasked a white terrorist
After black on black violence
A clash of nature they said
White good prevailed against white evil
The world was shaken
The earth went trembling
Gloves were off
He Bafazi!
The blood of freedom impis was boiling
Mouths of graves of martyrs opened
Waters of the oceans and rivers heated up
The stars appeared dimmed by shock at broad daylight
The moon peeped behind the sun
Greyed and aged
Rainbow colors separated from each other
The sun almost melted at midday
Voices of leaders growled like wounded lions
Negotiations came to a halt
At the brink of that which, had been avoided
Repeating like history
The giant rose and speaked (spoke)
Mandela! uMadiba, Sopityo, Vela be mbentsele
uNngqolomsila, uHem hem
like Jesus Christ calming the seas
and they obeyed
so rippled the wave of calm
over the country
siyabulela ntomb’emhlophe
wena owendlebe zikhany’ilanga
ikomanisi, ibomvu, u Chris Hani lizawulala ngoxolo
ngesenzo sakho kroti legorhakazi
bayede m’fazi womlungu, nkosazana emhlophe
wena wendlovu!
12/02/2013 8h30
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Poetry Anthology - Sikelela ka Kheswa-Setsiba,
