Cattle in the Rain
By Masaeumura Zimunya
1. Nothing has no end,
2. it is true.
3. This rain used to soak us in the pastures
4. and the cattle would not stop to graze,
5. they would not be driven to the kraal,
6. it made me cry and curse sometimes
7. and I used to wish I was born for the skirt.
8. Just imagine penetrating the wet bush
9. Almost doubled up
10. With heavy smelling coned up jute sack
11. As a rain coat,
12. Pebbles of water pounding on the head,
13. Very irritating, too.
14. Sometimes an angry wasp disturbed by the foregoing cows
15. Stabbed you on the cursing lips
16. And in the frantic stampede,
17. Wet thorns snapped at random in your benumbed feet.
18. And the rain does not cease
19. And the cows just go on.
20. Come to the kraal-
21. This ox, called Gatooma,
22. Stands still before the rest,
23. His ghost of silent disapproval shattering to your mind,
24. Listening, listening to nothing at all,
25. And I knew then that I had to call for help.
26. But people at home in warm huts
27. Could hardly hear me through the maddening rain.
28. This ox, tail high,
29. At two sniffs and a cajole,
30. All meant to humiliate
31. Would crash through the thin bush
32. Leaving me running weakly
33. Sobbing at each step
34. A bone of anger blocking my breath,
35. Chugging after the rhythmic hooves hammering the earth.
36. And still it rained
37. And the cows went skelter
38. And the rain swept the salty tears
39. And watery mucus into my lips.
,
By Masaeumura Zimunya
1. Nothing has no end,
2. it is true.
3. This rain used to soak us in the pastures
4. and the cattle would not stop to graze,
5. they would not be driven to the kraal,
6. it made me cry and curse sometimes
7. and I used to wish I was born for the skirt.
8. Just imagine penetrating the wet bush
9. Almost doubled up
10. With heavy smelling coned up jute sack
11. As a rain coat,
12. Pebbles of water pounding on the head,
13. Very irritating, too.
14. Sometimes an angry wasp disturbed by the foregoing cows
15. Stabbed you on the cursing lips
16. And in the frantic stampede,
17. Wet thorns snapped at random in your benumbed feet.
18. And the rain does not cease
19. And the cows just go on.
20. Come to the kraal-
21. This ox, called Gatooma,
22. Stands still before the rest,
23. His ghost of silent disapproval shattering to your mind,
24. Listening, listening to nothing at all,
25. And I knew then that I had to call for help.
26. But people at home in warm huts
27. Could hardly hear me through the maddening rain.
28. This ox, tail high,
29. At two sniffs and a cajole,
30. All meant to humiliate
31. Would crash through the thin bush
32. Leaving me running weakly
33. Sobbing at each step
34. A bone of anger blocking my breath,
35. Chugging after the rhythmic hooves hammering the earth.
36. And still it rained
37. And the cows went skelter
38. And the rain swept the salty tears
39. And watery mucus into my lips.
,
