CRAWLING UNDER
As I was packing my gun and bullets
I began to kiss them goodbye
My family
I told them I’d be back
They cried and told me to stop
But
I jumped into a foreigner’s skin
Cut wires and crawled
Cutting my hands and knees
I ran into a foreign land
My heart beat like drums
As fear came from my mind
What if I die
What will happen to my kids, my wife?
What if?
But I had no choice
I had to at least try to save us
From the injustices caused by my country
I thought I would be free
But I’m still in chains
Chains of my brothers
Calling me names
Worst of all I have no one to turn to
I miss my family, my home, my country
I miss the way it was
But now I’m here AND
They hate us
They throw stones at us
When will all this fighting end?
Is it my accent?
Am I too dark of a shade?
Do you see drugs when you see me?
I am tired
Tired of blacks against blacks
Whites against blacks
The hatred against brothers and sisters
What happened to Ubuntu?
* Neo Mvubu is a young poet and journalist based in Bloemfontein. She is extraordinarily prolific as a poet and has published a series of fine articles on the infamous “Urine repast” episode at the University of the Free State
March 15th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I have read many of Neo Mvubu’s poems in Free State News. She indeed is prolific, and she is also a good journalist.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Comes across as a straightforward, earnest poet.
March 16th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Ms Neo Mvubu is an instinctive poet alright. As her Editor (at a newspaper) I am inundated with more than enough evidence of this. The other day she submitted an interesting feature on a blind man, and just beside the feature was a riveting poem on the same blind protagonist. Neo explained that she had been moved to compose the poem. My tentative thought was that maybe this was the first time in history that a complementary poem would be submitted simultaneously with an article!
March 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Neo is a very sexy and exciting person to be with, most of the articles that I have read from her are very,……how can I put it? Very spontaneous and creative. The fact that she is still a student and able to do such great work is outstanding.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
She is suave, sophisticated and has charisma. I say this because I know her and really do admire her most. The poem, not only is it well written, but is also hard hitting and really taps into real life issues. She is really talented as an interloqutour. U go girl!
June 18th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Neo, you’re really the best poet. I personally admire what you always write. The fact that you are still a student makes me wish rank you amongst the best poet students in many universities. Keep the good work up, my sister.
June 18th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Indeed, xenophobia is one of the issues that painted south africans in a bad reputations all over the world. it might be invisible in a bigger picture but the fact, is that there are some of our brothers and sisters who are in those international countries really witness what i am saying.
Noe keep up the good work of writing inspiring poems. all the best in everything that you are currently intending to do.
you poem makes me understand what kind of a person you are.
Sipho Dzimba
Sipho better known by his surname Dzimba is the aspiring jouranlist who loves poets as well as keeps on writing stories and commenting in the bigest news publications.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Usually i’m one person who doesn’t give credit and at this moment i think you wrote a great poem, keep it up dear.