FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND (poem) - Bongekile Joyce Mbanjwa - South Africa

UKUZE UQONDE

Ukuba yijazi
Ukuba yisigqila
Ukuba yisitebhisi
Ukuba yisilahlwa
Ukuze ukuqonde
Yiba nokukhubazeka

Ukuba umbele wemali
Wezikhungo zabakhubazekile
Ubhinde ubeyibhange
Lezisebenzi zikahulumeni
Ubuye ube ucansi lezinyawo
Izinyawo zeziqumama
Sezifinya ngendololwane
Ukuze ukuqonde
Yiba okukhubazeka

Ucele usizo ubusuku nemini
Akukho namunye osabelayo
Kuhulumeni nasemiphakathini
Bonke bayaqinisekisa
Baqinisekis’ukungabaluleki kwakho
Kwawena uzizwe ungelutho
Kodwa ukuze ukuqonde
Yiba nokukhubazeka

Ukubandlululwa sekwaba yinsakavukela
Ukubukelwa phansi
Abantu babon’ukukhubazeka
Bangamboni umuntu
Kodwa ukuze ukuqonde
Yiba nokukhubazeka

FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND

To be a jacket
To be a slave
To be a stepladder
To be forsaken
For you to understand
You must have a disability

To be a breast of money
For those who are abled
And be the belt
For civil servants
And be a grass mat for feet
The feet of the rich
The feet of the wealthy
For you to understand
You must have a disability

And ask for help day and night
No one will listen
The government and community
They all emphasise
They emphasise your worthlessness
And you also feel worthless
But for you to understand
You must have a disability

Discrimination has become obvious
To be undermined
People see a disability
And do not see a person
But for you to understand
You must have a disability