Poem: Kanakazi Kayaya

Beautiful Dainty Woman in the Tumbuka Language by Mwizenge S. Tembo, Ph. D.

Kanakazi kabvwala
Diresi ya cikasu
Na maluba ba swesi
Kanakazi kageza
Cisko cili bilibili
Sisi lili ng’ani ng’ani
Kanakazi kayaya

Kanakazi kakwenda mnthowa
Koluta ku ungano
Na Agogo bake banakazi
Kanakazi kabvwala
Tenesi zituba
Kanakazi kanibeka
Maso bithu bakumana
Kamwetuka Namwetuka
Cimwemwe ca soni
Karabiska kunyake

Mtima wane wagunda
Makongono ghazizila
Thukutila paka paka
Kanakazi kanimwetukila
Agogo bake badangila
Wauka uli Tiyezghe
Mazgho ghane ghanjenjemz
Nauka makora a Goodson
Kanakazi kayaya
Kanakazi kotowa

Kanakazi nkhakumana nako
Kumise usiku kuvimbuza
Kukhonde kwa nyumba
Zanga kuno Tiyezghe
Mupenja vici aGoodson?
Nikoleko bele
Nilije bele
Kanakazi kayaya kotowa

Kanakazi kafika pafupi
Nakakola pawoko
Cikumba ciri tofutofu
Ciuta wopanga uli kanthu kawemi?
Mazgho koyoboya mobelebeska
Ghakunifundiska mumtima
Imwe a Goodson nilekeni ine
Nkhupenja yayi
Zanga kuno nikoleko bele nawe
Ine nkhopa nthumbo
Nthumbo ungatola kukolako
Waka bele na lubunda
Kanakazi kayaya kotowa
Kanakazi kayimilila

Nakakola mulubunda
Kayamba kuthuta na befu
Nayamba kuthuta na befu
Iwe Tiyezghe nkhukutemwa
Ndiwe wotowa
Kanakazi kabelebeska
Imwe aGoodson kuyoboya
Nthana yayi
Kanakazi kayaya kotowa

Kanakazi kayaya
Kanifundiska mutima
Nayamba kukakola panyake
Kakabelebeska
Imwe kukola apa yayi
Ponowa
Iwe Tiyezghe nkhuti
Nikutole
Nilekeni nkhayimbe
Kuvimbuza nabanyane
Bakunilindila
Kanakazi kayaya kotowa
by Mwizenge S. Tembo