in the ’80s
as the youth
our hands picked up
stones and petrol bombs
panel beating
police vans and nyalas
of the apartheid era
where struggle for
freedom was
our error
our youthful hands
saw it all
when fleeing youth
dropped on the ground
like marula fruits
shaken by an
awful ugly storm
our hands picked up
young souls
clothed with raw
wounds pelted by
smouldering guns
baking fresh flesh
like brownish buns
our hands fought
nail and tooth
like savage dogs
mangling apartheid
system in tatters
defying machine gun
that stutters
our hands saw it all
when fighting a
bloody political battle
to emancipate our
dark beautiful daughter
known as Azania
from rough hands
of an ugly racism
now Azania shakes
her hips and walk
freely like a peacock
displaying her rainbow
colours to the eyes
of the world so as
to attract peace and freedom
slashing racism’s neck
and burying his corpse
into the abyssal pit
of oblivion
our hands saw it all
when freedom knocked
on the door and ushered
VIP guest called
Democracy who
breathed peaceful
spirit into our lives
for Black and White
cats to tie a knot
now our colourblind
hands shake one
another in the
name of peace
and freedom for
all
Phahunye Amos Tebeila is a published poet.