Revelations: Africa in Poetry

The reply to my wife, Chipo

98 The reply to my wife, Chipo I Chipo, my wife! Listen and listen carefully When I was a child you were also a child You grew in the same village as I Where you were taught that it’s not a curse to be born a woman And neither is it a fortune to be born a man For both have their own merits as demerits Chipo, my wife You were taught I am sure you were taught That the words ‘man’ and ‘woman’ are cultural constructions Pinned down to distinguish the human of your nature from mine Chipo, my wife I am sure you know, this you know That man is born physically stronger than a woman Though perhaps not all men To bear the harshness of the world beyond home And to resist the forces against the will of his power Chipo, my wife You were taught I am sure you were taught That a woman’s world is home And a man’s world is beyond home 99 For our forefathers and ancestors were not fools Neither were they half-backed thinkers But knew for certain That man’s power though limited has an inner determination Determination to explore other worlds beyond home Chipo, listen! It’s not by my design Neither was it by our ancestors’ desire To see women oppressed by men Or men by women For the ancestors are not only men But revered men and women of value and character Who always embraced peace and love And in love and peace they all lived Men and women II Now, I can peep through glazing into your deep-seated heart Dissecting it into two huge pieces And I see……… You are a lovely woman of my heart Troubled to the core of your heart And to the back of your mind Yes, I see! That you are a woman Eaten away by the tradition and culture of our forefathers 100 Surprised ever I am That you fight the truth you know That all we claim ownership to is heritage Heritage that we inherited from our forefathers Heritage we shall pass on to posterity Heritage we shall pass on to our children’s children That they grow up singing: ‘Papa and mama divided us roles to play Scared roles that should not be confused Lest we confuse our minds And become a senseless people A people with no culture A people with no tradition A people with nowhere to fall back at Ours is a tradition that was created out of ages A tradition built on rocky wisdom A tradition nurtured by accumulated experiences Rejoice, therefore, rejoice For what you are For what we are! III Listen now listen! Carefully: It’s not all that easy out there There beyond the world home For in terrible weather I suffer 101 For in industry I toil all day Suffering and toiling for you, family Confuse the roles Go, work in the industry As I look after the world home And see if you will regret not And learn an unforgettable lesson That a flickering tongue always burdens the bearer Let this be printed in your heart That the designer-Creator knew When for partners he created A weaker sex and a stronger sex The two to live together For life For one is endowed with a heart of love And the other a heart of endurance Follow therefore the command of the Creator The will of nature Follow! Lest you are tempted to think wrong That a fig tree can bear oranges That a man can conceive and carry pregnancy That you are wiser than he who created you ...