Deserted you thought
Cheated you felt
In empty bed
and spooky nights
Alone in emptiness
Crowded you dreamt
Of dead days past
Never to live
or see resurrection
Bereaved of love
You moaned death
Of those never buried
Hope you left behind
Thoughtless of the return
Irreverent of resumption-
Where we left off-
That was meant to be
Here we are
Back in the land
Neither on tanks
Nor atop armoured piercing
Amphibious war machines
Storming the Union Building
after fording
the Zambezi, Rovuma, Vhembe and Shingwedzi rivers
Like the Red Army fighters
Fording the Volga
rafting the river Rhine and
Staking the Red Flag
Above the Reichstag in Berlin
heralding the end
Of the Second World War
The Great Patriotic War,
they called it
Here, they called a truce-
And sued for peace-
Just when we were poised
To turn the tables
Makhanda Senzangakhona is the nome de guerre and pen name for Paul Oupa Serekele Ramachela. The author has retained the use of both names because he does not wish to be lost to his comrades nor become an alien to his family, and relations. Previously published poems, short stories and other narratives have appeared in the following publications, amongst others, Staff Rider, Rixaka, Mayibuye, Mrabulo and Black Letter Media-Poetrypotion.
The author has served in various roles in and outside SA; until recently he was a senior public servant.