The Prison PoetIn 1910, the Reverend Isaac Wauchope, later a hero of the SS Mendi disaster, was found guilty of fraud after "doctoring" the last will and testament of one of his parishioners. His guilt was always questionable and he received no financial reward from the "crime". In prison, Wauchope wrote a series of poems. These were later published in the Xhosa-language newspaper Imvo. They are the first prison poems published in Xhosa.
Ingcamango Ebuazimeni
No. 1
Akuko Nkanga idubula ingeti
1. "Ndeza ndise emhlabeni,"
Watsho u Yobi mhla ngenzingo
"Ndeza ndize, ndomka ndize,"
Yinyaniso yodwa leyo
2. Ubutyebi ngamagqabi,
Ngamampunge ka mampunge;
Bubaleka ngamapiko,
Njenge ntyantyambo ye Nkanga
3. Ubulumko buyatshitsha
Akudlula amadala,
Bupelelwa ngamaxesha
Kwakuvela ke amatsua
4. Ubunzwana buyafana
Nal' ulusu lo Mblangala,
Lukutuka lube mdaka
Lukwelele elwe Nyhwagi
5. Ukulunga - ububele-
Bubulala umninibo;
Kwabe lizwe bubudenge,
Ilungis' alina mvuzo.
6. Otembele enyameni
Olandela ihlabati,
Uzipembel' emoyeni
Waka pezu kwe ntlabati
7. Ubutyebi, ubulumko,
Ubunzwana, ukulung,
Kukutenga inyaniso,
Kukunga tengisi ngayo.
8. Inye into ema imi
Kukutwala Umnqamlezo
Kukukolwa e Nkosini;
Kukufela inyaniso.
9. Xa sinaye u Msindisi
Akukonto singenayo,
Zakkupela ezintsizi
Sakungena ebomini.
10. Akufika ongu Myeni
Eputuma umtshakazi,
Sakumkaulel' emafini
Sizinzwana nenzwakazi.
I.W.
Tokai, 17.3.10
Ukhaka ka 'mphetu
No. 2
1. Wahlatywa umkosi kwatiwa "Zimkile!"
Apum' amadoda epet' izikeli
Wetet' umntu wat "Valan' amazibuko."
Kwapum' amagora kwimizi ngemizi,
Wayeko no Khaka ka 'Mpethu.
2. Bafika utshaba selubalindile
Luxhobe lwavela ngamehlo - lutimba
Nanko ke uKhaka ka 'Mphetu - Yinile!
3. U Khaka ka 'Mphetu sesika Mnyalusa,
Etimba ku Ngqika apose ku Ndlambe
Atimbe ku Ndlambe apose ku Ngqika
Unjalo U Khaka ka 'Mphetu
4. Ngoena Satana u Khaka ka Mphetu
Oratshi likulu laduba izulu
Ongumbambanisi, utsbaba lwabantu
U Mhendi u Mtyoli I Xok' elikulu.
Unjalo u Khaka ka 'Mphetu.
Tokai 17 July 1910 I.W.
Ingcamango Ebunzimeni
No. 3
Imitunzi Enelanga
1. Ngubani ezweni ongena zintehaba?
Ongati ehamba ab'ebhekabheka?
Ongati ehleli ab' elindel' indaba?
Ongat elele ab' epenspena?
2. Lipuma, litshona, kusihlwa, kusiss,
Umelwe lixhala, upetwesinqhala,
Uzam' amacebo okusiaindisa,
Equlwe ngamehl' omasiza-mbulala.
3. Utunga epuma efuna inqabe,
'Tyolwana likoyo ngu Mtunz onelalnga,
Ogqira beseza, bamp' awokuqaba,
Zibe isanuse sihlab' izimanga.
4. Upata kugxota intsizi ngotywala,
Aqonde pakati ukuba weyele;
Zivele inzingo amwel' amatyala,
Ziti ke intshaba "Inkomo Yeyele."
5. Wumbi ke wayama ngentaba yezono
Agqove epuma kwintlondi ngentlondi
Kuxa ke sbanjwe ngu Mtyoli ngengono
Emhlute ubuntu, wampanga nentloni.
6. Wozimela pina kwi Liso lo Mgwebi?
Ohleli kwi Trone enkulu emhlope?
Umhlaba upandla ungena magumbi?
Sidlokov' isono ubambe igope.
7. Wozifihla pina lakutsh' ixilongo
Lomkosi wo Mdali omkulu wezulu?
Uhlalele nina pesu kwamsbhongo
Usidepisela usens' isisulu.
8. Pezul'esulwini hlapo ikaya
Lesinwesintshaba, onggongwe sihendo
Ulapo umhloba wabon'a Mosiya,
Imvana ka Tix' eyahlahla umendo.
9. Pum' ebunyameni l yisa ekukanyeni!
Qubala ikaka umise nge kohle!
Funsela pambili uy' emnqamlesweni!
Ushiy' imitunz' enelanga yegono.
I.W.
Amahlat Apelile
No. 4
1. Iminyanya yimimoya
Yabadala abafayo,
Kuyaxhelwa xa kunqulwa,
Iyabonwa ngamatongo.
2. Bayenzela amidini,
Bayibekele nenyama
Iyangena esindlwini,
Yens' umtamo xa kumnyama.
3. Amakhubalo e Ntloni,
Osintlanga nomihlabela,
Okuhlamba nge ntelisi,
'Be be khwisa, be Khafula.
4. Okusel' imit' erara,
Ukugxot' amashwangusha;
Berudiswa bekutshiswa,
Ngo Siyaxi bamagqira.
5. Osingqiti nobulunga,
Kude kuse ko Ma-Mlambo,
Zonk' esonto siyalingwa,
Siti Bantu kolu hambo.
6. Kuk' ihlati elikulu,
Elaxelwa ngu Ntsikana,
Kuk' Ogwaleba likulu,
Owafela iutsizana.
7. Low' usendla s' namanxeba,
Uli Hlati likupela,
Lew' unyawon'namanxeba
Weza apa wasifela.
8. Lahla ezo Puludyas!
Pos' eGqili emlanjeni,
O Ma-Mlambo - lomskasi,
Eso nyoka sese msini.
9. Ndisa kuwe Tixo, Bawo,
Nqaba, Hlati lama Kolwa,
Bawo xa ndigodukayo,
Ungamgxot' unyana wako.
I. W.
Uzalo olutsha
No. 5.
1. Isimanga sezimanga
Usalo oluteha!
Okwamanzi ukuzalwa,
Kunye nook Moya!
Ati umntu sele mdala,
Abuy' azalwe!
Sele nendlu nabantwana,
Abuy' abelekwe!
2. Anga zalwa nange gazi,
Intw' enexabiso.
Ibe ngala-ngala amanzi,
Angasiwe liso.
Inge ntando yay' inyams,
Le siyitandayo,
Ingabi yiyo neyomntu,
Ibe yeka Tixo.
3. Makazalwe yilo Ntando
Yo Mnini nto sonke,
Makalaulwelolo Tando
Lubatanda bonke,
Mazidlul' intw' ezindala
Zonke mazibe ntsha,
Makapel' onk' amanyala
Endlela zokufa.
4. Isibhalo Ezingowele
Windikanyisole,
Uz' u Moya Oyingewele
Unditandazele,
Ati oway' endifele
Andinyamezele,
Wena Bawo undisele
Mawundixolele.
5. Ndingumntwana ntlokhubeka
Yiba kkufupi kum,
Ndiyimfama ndelahleke
Haribe ke pambi kwam
Ndiyafile ndiyahexa
Mandixaswe Nuwe,
Ndohle ndiwe wakushanxa
Ndisondese Kuwa.
I.W.
Wauchope, I. "Incamango Ebunzimi No. 1", Imvo Zabantsundu, August 20, 1912
Wauchope, I. "Incamango Ebunzimi No. 2", Imvo Zabantsundu, August 27, 1912
Wauchope, I. "Incamango Ebunzimi No. 3", Imvo Zabantsundu, September 23, 1912
Wauchope, I. "Incamango Ebunzimi No. 4", Imvo Zabantsundu, October 29, 1912
Wauchope, I. "Incamango Ebunzimi No. 5", Imvo Zabantsundu, November 5, 1912 |
