A Poem by Sizakele Phohleli
From the Book: letters to cinnamon
sonini nanini.
qamata.
ngonyama yezulu.
undikhoyo.
nzonzobila.
maxhoba
ayakhawuleza.
liwa laphakade. gxalaba
libanzi.
mvelinqangi.
el de’ot. emet.
yeshuati. yishi.
nzwakazi. kukhanya
okungapheliyo.
yesu.
ngqongqoshe.
bunzulu
bolwandle.
el hagadol.
this is how I
best know
to worship you.
el elyon.
this is how my
knees bend,
head bow and arms
stretch
to your temple.
elah sh’maya
v’arah.
these words are
my worship psalms
and gratitude
devotions to you.
elohay selichot. marom.
tzidkaynu. yahuveh
o’saynu.
yireh. shalom.
these are my
burnt offerings
to you.
elohay tehilati.
yeshua.
linoe.
the everlasting
lion of juda.
ilitha lam.
umama.
my first word.
the first god I have
ever touched.
my first place of
worship.
this is
everything you have
prepared me for.
this is why
everything happened
the way it did.
this is why
makhulu was born.
this is why you
left home.
this is why they
left.
this is why you
survived.
this is how I
honour your name.
From the Book: letters to cinnamon elohay kedem. sonini nanini. qamata. ngonyama yezulu. undikhoy...