The selected poems of Memory Chirere

 

The selected Memory Chirere poems

Selected from Bhuku Risina Basa Nokuti Rakanyorwa Masikati

published 2014 by Bhabhu Books, Harare.

 

 

Mashoko ekutanga

Sei mumabhuku ose andinoverenga

Musinawo zita rangu?

Kuti pakashayawo akatondera zita rangu?

Ndokushayawo akagona kuperetera zita rangu?

Kuti pane asingazive nyaya yangu?

Ndinofanira kunyora ndega zita rangu,

Ndichisima miti

Ndichitsikisa mabhuku

Ndichizvara vana!

Kurinyora parisingaore, zita rangu.

 

 

Bembera

Pamakambondishandisa

ndakati kudii?

Zvandave kuzvishandira

moti kudii?

Moti hero rombe

riri kuita zvinhu zvaro?

 

 

 

Pikicha

Mune iyi, ndainge ndichangozvarwa

ndakaradzikwa mubhasikiti zvaJesu chaizvo.

Ivo vachitoitawo saJosefa naMaria!

 

Mune iyi, takasimudza mawoko tagohwesa bhora.

Tarisa kushama kwatakaita kunge zvigatawa!

 

Mune iyo, mukuru wechikoro ari kunyemwerera achindikorokotedza.

Ndainge ndawana mubairo weChirungu chandaisataura kumba.

 

Mune iyi, ndainge ndakakugukuchira tiri mupaki, Sekai.

Ndaisaziva kuti rudo rwemukadzi rwunonaka nekuvava zvese.

 

Pane iri pakavha yebhuku rangu rekutanga,

ndainge ndakatarisa mberi ndichifunga kuti ndini Soyinka.

Ndaisaziva kuti bhuku haripere kunyorwa.

 

Mune iyi ndakatarisa mwana wangu wekutanga

ndichitya kuti achararama here.

Asi nhasi ave kukwira ega bhazi achienda mativi mana.

 

Mune iyo, vana vandaiticha vakasimudza maoko

asi nhasi vazhinji vavo vave kutonga nyika.

Ndinovaverenga mupepa ndoseka zvangu.

 

Mune iyi, ndakasunga tayi

ndiri pedyo chaizvo negurukota rehurumende.

Vari kumusha vanoti ndinodya namambo.

 

Apa, ndiri parufu rwaFarai

ndakakotamisa hope yangu pabhokisi rake

ndichiti, “Famba zvakanaka Fatso, ndichatevera.”

 

Mune yanhasi, ndiri pamunda wangu.

Ndini here uyu akapfeka kabudura kemurimi

achiteerera zvake kukura kwechibage?

 

Vasikana ava handichaziva mazita avo.

Asi uyu mutsvuku ndakamushaira mukana tiri pachikoro.

Kwaari ikoko Mwari ngaandichengetere.

 

Mune iyo iri pamusoro pesofa, mai mwana

tiri pamuchato wedu tichitsvodana tatumwa namufundisi.

Uchazvigona here izvi pazere vanhu?

 

 

 

Shamwari yaSarudzai

Shamwari yako inondinyara, Saru.

Kana ndikamutarisa anoringa pasi

asi ndikaringa divi anobva anditarisa.

Shamwari yako inoshereketa, Saru.

Patinomhoresana anoramba akandibata ruoko

ndonzwa kupiswa nemagetsi ake akawanda.

Shamwari yako ine shungu, Saru.

Patinombundikirana anozvambarara pachipfuva changu

ndonzwa kuremerwa nemusoro wake.

Shamwari yako inoona, Saru.

Kana ndikapfeka zvakanaka anokutangira kuzviona.

Kana ndikadikitira anokasika kubudisa hengechepfu.

Shamwari yako inonzwa, Saru.

Ndikataura zvinofadza anobva aseka kudarika iwe

achibuda tumisodzi tuchena tunenge mvura.

Shamwari yako haina guhwa, Saru.

Kana ndichitaura newe anoringa divi

achimirira kuti tipedzerane pachedu.

Shamwari yako inoyemura, Saru.

Kana mandioneka modigaira moenda

ndikangocheuka ndinoona achicheukawo.

Shamwari yako inondivhiringidza, Saru.

Anondivinga kuhope achiti tiende kwatete vake

asi iwe hausati wandiendesa kana kumukoma wako.

Shamwari yako inokasika, Saru.

Ndakasangana naye aine mukoma wake mukuru

vakanyemwerera vachinditi, “Kaziwai, babamunini!”

Ndakatarisa pasi ndokunyarara zvangu

nokuti unondinzwisa tsitsi kwazvo, Saru.

 

 

 

 

 

Nyika yedu

Tinoda nyika ino neupfumi hwayo hwose.

Kuti tiidye zvishoma nezvishoma pauzima.

Tichiseva muto wayo nemusuva wesadza.

Tichinyenyeredza pane nyama nedomasi.

Kuti tizozvinhonga pakupedzisira kwemutambo.

Tinoda nyika ino neupfumi hwayo hwose.

Kuti tiicheke hafu toisa mukabati.

Todya hafu yacho izvozvi nhasi uno.

Imwe hafu toti ndeyemangwana.

Hafu yanhasi toizora bhata zvese nedovi nejamhu.

Tozomira zvedu pavhuranda tichiidya.

Tichionekwa nevana vepaseri kuti tiri kudya.

Tinoda nyika ino neupfumi hwayo hwose.

Kuti tigoimenya tega seranjisi.

Tichikachidzwa neutsi hwayo tichikosora.

Tichibudisa tumisodzi tunokonzerwa nekunakirwa.

Tozoibvanzura tichiisa mukanwa ichingotapira.

Muto uchiyerera uchidzika nemagokora edu.

Tozounanzva futi muto iwoyo nerurimi rwunogwagwadza.

Tinoda nyika ino nerunako rwayo rwose.

Kuti tigoona zuva rayo richibuda muchikomo.

Tichiritya utsvuku hwaro hunoshamisa pamangwanani.

Tichiudzana zvedu nhasi kuchapisa mwachewe.

Tigoona mwedzi uchigara pamusoro pezviruvi zvemba.

Uchiita sekamwana kagere mudumbu maamai vako.

Tinoda nyika ino zvinototirwadza chaizvo.

Kunyanya kana zviye tiri kure-kure nayo.

Tinotorota tiri mumunda wechibage chakasvibirira

Tichitsvaga pane magaka, ipwa  nemabvembe.

Tichizotyora chibage chinyoro tichiimba

Tichinochibika mumabhodho anopfungarara pamoto.

Hwema hweZhizha huchikwidza nemaraini.

Tinoitondera nemisodzi chaiyo nyika ino.

Nokuti yakatida tisati tatomboziva kuti tisu vanaani.

Tikaidawo tisati taziva kuti chinonzi rudo chii.

Yakatipa mazita anosekwa kwese kwatinoenda.

Vana Lovemore, Rosewita, Doesmatter naEvernice.

Hatiseke nokuti tinoziva zvaanoreva mukusareva kwawo.

Takatozoita zvokuchata nayo nyika ino muhana dzedu.

Saka painominyuka tinofashaidza mvura pamoto.

Kwave kuitova zvinyoronyoro nejira mumvura inopfumbuka.

Painoyuwirawo nesu tinonzwa hana kusimuka dzichibvondoka.

Tinoinzwisisa nemutsa nyika ino.

Painodikitira tinoipukuta nehengechepfu chena inenge gore.

Painochema semhuru tinonzwa mukaka kusisa mumazamhu edu.

Nyika ino ticharamba tichifa isu kuti iyo irarame zvayo.

Tichasiya tanyora mazita edu pamapazi ayo.

Tichishandisa mapanga, matemo, mbezo, reza namapadza.

Kuti vanopfuura nepano taenda vagoziva kuti tainge tiri panowo.

Naivowo vafambe zvinyoronyoro vasiye nyika ino chiri chidadiso.

 

 

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

ave kuita sewachi zvino

zvokuti achafira mumaoko evanhu.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge nguva yechando

paanoenda tichachema nemufaro

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

Anenge zimukuyu repanzira

nyora zita rako pariri ufambe, uyende.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge kapoto kasina ridhi

Kanokwata kusvikira kapwa

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge kakova kasina bhiriji

Unotoyambuka kaserera.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge doro repataundishipi

Munotobvunzana, “Nhasi rakadii?” musati matenga.

 

Mukuru wekuchechi kwedu

anenge redhiyo ine bhatiri idzva

Munotokotsira achingorira.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aka katetembo hakana basa nokuti kakanyorwa masikati:

Kakova kanonzi rudo rwangu

Kanobva pano kusvika pandinozofa apo-o!

 

 

 

 

Kana uchifudza

Kana uchifudza mombe;

unoramba zvaunoziva

ugobvuma zvausingazive

ugoziva wega zvaunoziva.

 

Kana uchifudza mbudzi;

unotadza kuziva kuti

uchiri kuenda here kana kudzoka,

Wotanga zvino kumhanyira kwauri kubva!

 

Kana uchifudza hwai;

unotadza kuziva kuti ndiriinhi zviya,

pawakamboona zvauri kuona.

 

Kana uchifudza vanhu;

uri kutsvaga chiri kukutsvagawo

Kana wasvika pachanga chiri,

Icho chinenge chave pawambenge uri!

 

 

 

 

Rudo

Rudo rwandisina kukupa:

kashiri kanodya masefa kachicheuka.

Rudo rwandisina kukupa:

ibenzi riri kumhanyira kwariri kubva

saka harisvike zvachose iwe!

Rudo rwandisina kukupa:

rwunombogwamba mandiri semafuta

rwuchizopepuka chete kana ndakuona

rwosimudza musoro senyoka yaona gonzo.

Ndinobva ndarwupuruzira iwe-e-e-e

kuti rwurare zvarwo sekatsi yakaguta

nokuti kana rwaona iwe rwunogwagwadza

rwozvongonyoka senyoka mumunda uchangorimwa.

A, ndiri kudzidzira kudzikama pandinokuona

nokuti rudo rwandisina kukupa:

imhodzi isina kuwira pavhu kwaro kuti imere.

Rudo rwandisina kuzokupa:

unorwuonawo here mumeso edu kana tasangana?

Kana kuti unongoti:

“Zvatakapotsa hanga, todya zvedu makunguwo.”

 

 

 

 

 

Pamuviri paShamiso

Zvinonzi Shamiso ane pamuviri pangu

nokuti tinonzwikwa tichiseka zvedu tose

kuchipisa, kuchitonhora kana kuchivhuvhuta

zvokuti vanhu vanosiya poto dzichitsva pamoto

kana kusiya nhau dzichiverengwa pawairesi

kana kusiya pombi dzichirasa zvadzo mvura

vachingotarisa ini naShami tichiseka zvedu.

Zvanzi tinoonekwa tiri tose kwose-kwose zvako

paMugovera, paChishanu, paChitatu kana paChina

vanhu vachitondera vachirasika zvakarewo

kuti kave kechingani vachiona ini naShamiso

kuye-keye-e zuva riye-riye-e nepaye-paye-e!

Saka zvinonzi pamuviri paShami pacho ndepangu chete

nokuti Shamiso kana aneni zviya anoshamisa

zvokuti haaite kunge kune imwe nguva nenzvimbo

iri nani muupenyu hwose hwatinoziva kunze kwepandiri.

Kwanzi kana aneni anoseka chikwe-e chaicho chamunoziva

iyo mitezo yake yakaita rurasademo chairwo

kunge pasi pano pasina minzwa, mafeso kana chaguduma.

Zvinonzi kana aneni, Shami anoita seane hama yake chaiyo

asi vozoona kuti hama nehama chaidzo-idzo dzatinoziva

hadzingakwizane mapendekete dzichiswera dzose saizvozvi!

Zvinonzi ndepangu chete pamuviri paShami, hakuna mumwe

nokuti handivhundutswe nenzeve dzake dzave kunjenjemera

kana kusvipa-svipa kwaave kungoita nekusarudza twokudya.

Zvinonzi ini pano husiku chaihwo hwezhizha nokuti

handione kuti dumbu raShami riri kungokura zuva nezuva.

Vanotaura vanoti pamuviri paShamiso ndepangu

nokuti murume nemukadzi havagone kungoshamwaridzana

zvikaperera chete muhurukuro nekuseka nekunzwanana.

Zvanzi chiripo chete chandinoda kubva kunaShamiso

chandinowana nyore-nyore nokuti dzangu dzakatenderera

zvakare dzaShamiwo dzinenge zinyekenyeke sedzangu.

Zvanzi vane nharo ngavamirire chete pachapona Shami

vagoona kuti ini naShami hataingoita zvekuseka chete.

Asika; ini naShamiso tinozviziva zvose izvozvo

ndosaka tichigaroseka zvedu sekunge kusina denga nepasi

tichitofara zvedu sekusina mangwana kana gore rinouya.

 

 

 

 

Chipikiri

Chipikiri chinorohwa nesando

musoro wega-wega uyu.

Chichidzika chichipinda  chichibaya.

Chichirohwa musoro wese uyu.

Chichiimba  chichihuta  chichichema.

Chichidzama  chichitenderera  chichidzika.

Chichirohwa nesando musoro wese iwoyo.

Chichipfidza  chichikumbira ruregerero.

Asi wesando anongoda musoro iwoyo.

Musoro-musoro musoro-musoro chete.

Achiunanga achiurova achiukoma.

Achiimbirira achitukirira achinyetera

Chipikiri chichienda chichidzama.

Chichinoita basa revamwe zvavo.

Chichisiya ngoma inonaka ichingorira

chichiasiya mabhebhi, maruva nemakeke…

 

 

 

 

Shoko Rekupedzisira

Mazwi evana vari kutamba panze apo

ndiro simba redu rasara:

         dai kukaramba kuine zuva

        dai kukaramba kuine mvura

        dai kukaramba kuine mhepo

        dai kukaramba kuine ivhu nembeu

Ndavanzwa ndikati:

        Dai waro kwaramba kuine vana.

 

 

Mazwi emupepeti (Editor’s note)

Kupihwa kwandakaitwa nhetembo dzino naMemory Chirere kuti ndiverenge, rakave rombo rakanaka. Paakazodzoka zvakare kwandiri achiti ndipepete pamwe chete nekuzodziburitsa sebhuku saizvozvi, kwakave kukudzwa kukuru.

Chirere haachisiri chikomana chiya chandakanga ndichidzidzira kunyora nhetembo pamwe nacho tiri vana vechikoro kuUniversity of Zimbabwe kutanga kwema 1990. Iko zvino chitarisai muone! Atotumbuka muchekechera. Kunyora kwake kwave nemuchochororo nezvimbi. Kwave kunyora kwakatsiga kunge mabwe akagarana aunogona kufunga kuti achakuwira, asi iwe usingazive kuti kana naChaminuka akaawana akadaro, akangoasiya akadaro.

 

Mazuva andakashamwaridzana naChirere pamakore edu kuUniversity of Zimbabwe, takanga tichinyora nhetembo nehama dzinenge Chiedza Musengezi naNhamo Mhiripiri, naRuzvidzo Mupfudza, naZvisinei Sandi, naEmmanuel Sigauke, naThabisani Ndlovu, naJoyce Mutiti, naEresina Hwede nevamwe. Aive mazuva ekunakirwa nemukaka wenhetembo, kufanana nemhuru inoyamwa. Takanga tine pfungwa dzizere ngano, netsumo, nemadimikira, nezvirahwe pamwe chete nemabhuku evanyori vakuru vataida zvikuru. Takanga tisati taziva kuti nesuwo rimwe zuva tichazoitawo mabhuku edu asina basa kudai.

 

Kunyora kunobva kure. Tine mazuva atainyora nekuti takanga tichinyenga vasikana vachitiramba. Shungu. Tine mazuva atakanga tichinyora nekuti takanga tichisuwa hupenyu hwatakanga takura tiri mahuri kuDande uko kwatinobva, kune makomo eMavhuradonha. Ndiwo mazuva ataiona kuti nenhetembo dzedu dzakafanana nevasikana vacho vatainyenga. Kune nhetembo dzaitiramba, dzimwe dzichititiza. Kune nhetembo dzatairota nedzimwe dzaitishaisa hope. Asi nekufamba kwenguva, pane nhetembo dzatakazoroora, dzikabvuma kuita vana nesu. Saka nhetembo dziri mubhuku rino, hupenyu hwaChirere, imhuri yaChirere, rwendo rwake! Wanaiwo pamunokwana.

 

Pane kuruka tyava, nekuridza tyava zvekuti tsuro, shiri zvese nevanhu zvinovhunduka kuti pane charira kunge pfuti, asi chisiri pfuti zvacho. Pane kurova netyava, kunobvarura ganda, kuchitungidza moto wemarwadzo mukati menyama musingagone kukwenyeka. Ndizvo zvakaita manyorero aChirere izvozvo. Kuita Memory Chirere kunge mango mbishi yekuti ukadya inokukora igokudzidzisa kuti uiremekedze.

 

Pane kunyora kune maonero anodarika kuona kwemaziso. Kunyora kunoita kuti iwe muverengi unzwe ruzha rwekudonha kweumhutu chaiko. Ndiko kunyora kwaChirere mubhuku rino. Kunyora kunouya nemazwi akasiyana-siyana uye asingajairike. Kunyora kunoroya! Kunyora kunokutema nyora paganda ukazivikanwa nevanhu vese kuti wabva kun’anga. Chirere haasi ega! Handizive kuti vangani mukati make. Chirere mutinhimira.

 

Ndinofunga kuti; Zimbabwe haichawana mumwe nyanduri wechiShona anonyora saChirere. Kunyora kunenge kudada, kunenge kutsvinya, kunenge kutamba asi kwausingakoshiwe! Chirere ane chipo chekupaza, kupfudzunura, kutsokodzera nekupisa hunhu hwechinhu chamagara muchiti ndicho nhetembo. Nhetembo dzake dzinofamba nemakumbo dzichibva pamakadzirongedza, dzichienda kunogara pamaifunga kuti hapagarwe kana kusvikwa nenhetembo.

Mubhuku rino hamuna nhetembo dzandingati idzi ndidzo dzinotapira kudarika dzimwe. Nhetembo imwe neimwe mubhuku rino ine masimukiro ayo, nemagariro ayo akasiyana nedzimwe. Bhuku iri rinenge muti wakarembera nemichero yakaibva zvekuti unoshaya kuti ndotangira papi uye kana watanga kudya, unenge usisade kurega kudya. Handikwanise kuti ndisarudze nhetembo imwe chete kuti ndigoti iyi ndiyo yakabata bhuku. Uyewo, handina kuda kuti tiise nhetembo idzi muzvikamu – kwete! Takangoita zarura dzibayane, nekuda kwekuti zvekuronga nhetembo zvinonetsa kana uchishanda nenhetembo dzeshasha dzechimbo dzinenge Chirere.

 

Iwe unogona kufunga kuti nhetembo yake iri kutaura nezverudo, asi ukaramba uchiipindura mupfungwa dzako, ndipo pauchazoona kuti kwete – inogona kunge iri kutotaura nezverufu kana nezvematongerwo emusha! Zvakarewo, handibvume kuti kana nyanduri achikupai nhapitapi yemuchero wenhetembo, akumenyerei, obva akutsengerai, imi mozongomedza chete. Kwete. Zvibayei mega mungazoti mupepeti akaipa.

 

Kubudikidza nebhuku rino, Chirere avhura chitsauko chitsva pamanyorerwo nemashandisirwo enhetembo muZimbabwe. Pano pari kushandiswa mazwi mashomashoma akatetepa ayo aunogaroshandisawo iwe zvako mazuva ose. Bhuku Risina Basa Mazwi ari pano akashandiswa zvisina mutsimba zvekuti unogona kufunga kuti kunyora detembo kwakareruka sekunhonga mari munzira. Madetembo mapfupi aya akanyorerwa kuti akubatsire kuzvibvunza kuti: ndini ani, ndiri kuenda nekubva kupi, ndinodei panyika uye zvandinoita zviye ndinozviitirei? Pfungwa huru yebhuku iri ndeyekuti; funga, funga, funga! Funga usingamhanye, usingavhunduke. Kanawo izvi zvirizvo zvakasanganikwa nemumwe mundangariro nemuhupenyu, iwe sanganawo nazvo asi muri mubhuku! Ndinovimba kuti vana vedu muZimbabwe, kubva pafomu yechitatu zvichikwira, vachadzidza nekutapirirwa nemudyandakasungwa uyu. Bhuku ndiro risina basa, asi nhetembo dzirimo dzine basa! Dzakanyorwa masikati asi verengai zvenyu chero nguva.

+Ignatius T. Mabasa, Harare, 2014

Here is a link to a review of Bhuku Risina Basa: Diary of a 45 Year Old Poet - Zimbo Jam

A link to a second book review: Interfacing with Memory Chirere in verse – NewsDay Zimbabwe