A poet’s vision transcends boundaries
Of time, distress, despair and devastation,
Of pettiness, pretenses and pampered pranks,
It carries counsel and clarion calls,
It breathes the twins of love and life,
Its silence can be loud, always sound,
Its loudness can be silent, always sincere,
It carts the orphans’ muted voices and plight,
The widows’ ignored fury and fire in a forest,
The victims’ spitting of vileness and venom,
Of brooks whose banks are breaking down,
Overt or veiled, it should be the voice
Of intention and action, of the people
As it discerns sincerity from dishonesty,
Decency and development from decay,
It draws strength from its invincible wings,
It is an invisible and unstoppable messenger,
Yet it strides with caution and determination,
It is a witness to the unleashing of humanity’s
Worst instincts, tyranny, immunity and greed,
It’s nobler for it to writhe on the thorns of realities
Rather than to thrive on delusions and deceits,
It stings suppression with its teeth of freedom,
It brutally bites bigotry in the bums and bones,
It ruptures lies and hoopla with facts and figures,
A poet’s prophecy cannot be thwarted by threats,
A poet’s revelation discerns and descends on rot,
A poet’s voice should not be drowned by rumpus,
But be imbued with lucidity, love and loveliness.
Ndaba Sibanda
