“Give Us This Day”
By Raselebeli “Magic” Khotseng
Deep, deep in the yoke of Wuhan
it emerged like house on fire
The graves opened doors to
swallow human bones
as people’s lives perished like a dust
In this land of sorrow
Coronavirus demolished God’s creation
O’ bitter tears of acrimony
leaking from Chinese eyes
sobbing and mourning for victims
of Covid 19 pandemic
That conquered human spirit
even after intensive quarantine of its screening
So give us this day and simmer down fear
in China-an epicentre of Coronavirus
For God shall sanitize their deprived souls
when the wind of Covid 19 drops
As a cap that fits anyone breathing universal oxygen
A deadly virus spread across the boundaries
of our continents in droplets
Landing in one’s chest
Apparently through open mouth and nostrils
Since this virus is traceless
like a black cat in a dark room
Fortune-tellers couldn’t predict its movement
from two meters away
So God help us all and give us this day
In this moment of uncertainty
Hark to a dark cloud of Corona hanging in the sky
Its lightning thunder struck between human contact
To deny us freedom of movement and leisure time
O’ my sweat-heart to whom my love is unlimited
Your freedom to massage my ribs is limited
As much as those used to mass funerals
and tepid cocktail parties
Their after-tears vibes in the land of entertainment is over
Indeed, the first commandment of Coronavirus
is to keep social distancing
So be not far from us and give us this day
Like a hissing snake
to diminish the future of mankind
It trembled us in fear
of greeting our next door neighbours
As we chose to perform an elbow-bump greeting
Fearing a Fourth Industrial Revolution monster
which downgrades global economy
and prompts us to remain indoors
when enjoying a cup of rooibos
Though I might soak fingers deep
into a foam to wipe corona away
Nor flying as a bird to the higher mountain
I couldn’t hide for its destruction
Only thy grace will remake the world
where excessive coughing and
fever shall be no more
So give us this day and heal this world
In swathes of USA Italy Spain et al
voices mourn inside the masks
Voices from generation that
divorce their faith to God
are moaning on how donkeys
are free from scorn of Covid 19
Alas, they forget to seek thy
Kingdom and put trust in thee
With broken heart torn apart
by a cruel joke from these lips
That identify Africa, my Africa
as a fertile ground for corona-vaccine testing
Wrap up those sarcastic lips
for all have sinned
Dear Lord, give us this day
and turn sorrow to joy
* Magic Khotseng is one of the great black poets from South Africa.
Excellent
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking, what fine verses, eg like a black cat in a dark room
ReplyDeleteWow! So brilliant
ReplyDeleteExquisite magical verses by MAGIC!!
ReplyDeleteA magnificent effort. So many tears and horror worldwide, no thanks to this virus. wives and partners devastated, the old ones being despatched swiftly. The mighty and the low. Well done Mr Magic Sir
ReplyDeleteBon. Bon. Bon. Very good indeed. Il s agit de quality
ReplyDeleteThe poet here is clearly a South African and African great. Great empathy and flowing writing here. Should be published in major anthologies, books
ReplyDeleteMr Khotseng is the author of a book of poems, titled HOLD BACK YOUR TEARS. The title of course symbolises the threnodic nature of a lot of his poetry
ReplyDelete'like a hissing snake to diminish the future of mankind'... Phew. So frigthening and dreadful. Great poem
ReplyDeleteIt is an empathetic majestic poem. Mr Khotseng ponders here on what is turning out to be the greatest threat to humans in our lifetime.
ReplyDeleteVery good poem, apparently written from a position of being a victim\underdog with the virus getting its way. The world must emphatically say NO and fight it head on.
ReplyDeleteWhat can one say, or add here? Words fail me. I will just say this is a very powerful poem that should be read aloud; and of course published in books etc as someone pointed out here
ReplyDeleteGoes to the heart of the pandemic through excellent verses. Covid 19 is now the only real topic around, with even new songs dedicated to the pandemic
ReplyDeleteRealistic and flowing, rooted in reality - as the line, 'Elbow-bump greeting' shows.Many now greet via feet too!
ReplyDeleteI have just read this poem again, and I am still as impressed as ever. I look forward to the poem being published in books etc too
ReplyDeleteRefreshing... a true lyrical description of our today..Halala Magic!
ReplyDeleteFine...fine....
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