A Seed

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  by

  Mozambican Writers

  edited by Ingrid Schechter

  Copyright 2014 Mozambican Writers

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form.

  Acknowledgements

  The editor of this collection had the privilege of working at Universidade Pedagógica Sagrada Família in Mozambique for a year as a volunteer with CUSO/VSO. She wishes to thank Padre Ezio Bono and all at UniSaf for their support and encouragement.

  Table of Contents

  Granny’s Sweet House Angelo Alberto Cossa

  The Threshold of a True Territory Damas Calisto Calege

  The Unborn Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  That Moment Angelo Alberto Cossa

  Able and Possible Jemuce Pinheiro

  The Discourse Angelo Alberto Cossa

  I’m Jealous Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  Lovers and Friends Johnny Carter

  I Recall Paulino Samuel Nhatave

  Cold Nights Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  A Grudge, a Wrong Decision Paulino Samuel Nhatave

  I Have Taken a Wrong Turn Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  Positive Angelo Alberto Cossa

  The Deceived Woman Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  Rest after Getting to your Goals Jemuce Pinheiro

  I Want to be Released Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  My Death Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  The Last Day of his Life Riva Marlisa Gilberto

  A Long Time Ago Cristina Luis Guiamba

  About the Authors

  Granny’s Sweet House

  by

  Angelo Alberto Cossa

  A womb carrying a baby

  sweet and kind

  with warmth and tenderness

  The sunrise branches

  through the tall trees

  It’s a new day

  her awe waking me

  Why isn’t she there now?

  That round brown hut

  made by her hands

  polished with resin

  bright and smooth

  sheltered underneath the palms

  like fearful soldiers

  Harmonious

  Inspiring

  The Threshold of a True Territory

  by

  Damas Calisto Calege

  Close to my godparents

  and not very far from my parents

  a newcomer at the threshold of the dawn

  every word was a temple

  every realm had a king

  Oh, happy party of the first sacrament!

  Lying scorched before rays of an anthropophagic sun

  an enormous symphony of flying singers

  the last time I could separate bards from Osiris

  feeling an exorcism like my last ghost

  like Milton in “Paradise Lost”

  a spiritual oasis lost among volcanic powers

  Oh, happy party of the first sacrament!

  The Unborn

  by

  Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  Unborn son is what you named me. I wish I had a different name. But as you didn’t give me a chance to live, this didn’t happen.

  I was happy that I was only 3 months short of being born. This way, I’d see the sunrise, join the group of other people and together we’d build the world. Perhaps I would be the president of the republic, or a teacher. How could you be certain? You didn’t give me life. You eliminated me as if I was going to make you bad.

  Your parents would be my grandparents. I wish we could have met one another. I would visit them at the weekends and help them fetch water from the fountain. Believe me, at school I’d do my best in order not to disappoint you.

  I heard that there are hundreds of people needing to get a child like me. But they don’t. Look how unfair you are. If there was a possibility to be born to other people, I’d immediately accept.

  What I know is that it is not bad to abort if the mother-to-be´s life is at risk. Though this wasn’t the case. All you said was that you weren’t ready to have me because you wouldn’t like to see me suffering. Was that fair?

  Let me say that I’d get by on my own. All I would ask you is to take care of me until I was ten. Then, I would be prepared to struggle on in my life. I would even give you some cash.

  I hate you. You don’t have any fair reason to justify your bad attitude towards me. Was it poverty? How many children are born in poverty? I would be neither the first nor the last one.

  I’m in prison, as if I was sentenced to pay for the wrongs I never did.

  That Moment

  by

  Angelo Alberto Cossa

  When our voices braided

  In the dawn of our love night

  With burning passion

  When I leaned to you

  I felt the strength of our love

  When the cry of the cock in the dawn

  Announced our love

  It went “Boom!”

  The edge of love

  That moment riveted my heart

  That moment was the crown of our love

  Bewitched we were in love

  That moment of love

  Able and Possible

  by

  Jemuce Pinheiro

  Just fresh

  Your flesh

  And mind

  Felt alone

  Like bone

  Being dried

  In the fire

  No-one tried

  To stop it

  It has other

  Chance to get

  New face

  New dream

  Just fresh

  Your flesh

  And mind

  With hope

  And faith

  All things

  Can be

  You are able

  Just fresh

  Your flesh

  And mind.

  The Discourse

  by

  Angelo Alberto Cossa

  Blooming are

  flowers in spring

  inspired

  by the future

  live like candles

  in the night of lovers

  brainstorming!

  Oh! What’s that motion?

  that’s deep inside?

  It’s the move of the day

  the discourse!

  moving like a storm

  harassing irresistibly

  Why falling apart

  part of it I must be

  I wonder

  why I have to be

  It’s the discourse!

  I’m Jealous

  by

  Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  The life I've never had

  The love I've never had

  My life is much better than yours

  But I’m jealous of yours

  I’m jealous

  I know you are not an enemy of your enemies

  Still, I’m jealous of you!

  My life is so good, but I am so bad

  Happy people do not have better choices

  But they do the right things

  I’m jealous

  Look at how I dress and how you dress

  I am so classic and smart

  And you are cheaper but well-dressed

  I’m jealous

  I have the better things

  And you have the better living

  That’s why I’m jealous of you!

  I’m jealous

  You conquer trust and respect

  I humiliate, show everyone that I am the best

 
While I’m making partnership, you’re making friendship

  I’m jealous of you!

  Lovers and Friends

  by

  Johnny Carter

  A bandit love attracts the human being.

  We keep lying to sweeties, honeys, and babes.

  Guess who is your best friend, who cleans your tears when you are crying?

  Trust nobody, but still consider and respect your opposite’s enemy.

  Wise up your horizons, but don’t forget your past.

  Rise down the shame, inspire yourself with an unknown friend relation.

  Don’t betray honeymoon relief, but marry your friend’s girlfriend.

  Dream without limits on the train of life.

  Forget about death and live the real dice of life.

  With red eyes look at the sky; question your self.

  Who is there, changing the climates?

  Maybe your worst best friend.

  Obstacles are faced, in the truth life happening.

  Anonymously turn off the friendship of us.

  Confidence gets a crisis from the real clue.

  Gossipers and haters build up a destroyer government.

  Humanity’s imperfection makes the world go down.

  Real love goes bad and real friends are dead.

  Jealous people cross down friendship.

  Hunger feeds the stomach of poor people.

  Heartlessness affects humanity unconsciously.

  Disrespect happens appositively, on two sides, love and friend ship.

  We are locked down by entrusted love,

  but the keys are in the lion’s hole.

  Seek out and guess who is who. Oh! Oh! You are blinded.

  Keep your vision clear! Call your brothers’ tears!

  I’m your and you are my bad best friend.

  I love you, even though I hate you.

  Cool off, my baby,

  I’m coming to control your stress.

  Count your blessing in dreams,

  We marry today.

  Me, I’m your inspiration gold.

  Just look to Lord Sign.

  Who has the torch of success?

  Ringing in your innocence. The blood of…

  Rest in peace MICHAEL JACKSON.

  Your “Planet Earth Songs”,

  With your “Bill Jean,” in your love,

  Fascinating the world.

  Overloaded.

  In my destination role of “DEATH”

  So good, so bad.

  Soldiers never die, they just fade away,

  betraying commanders.

  Love is a fantasy joke, and a criminal friendship, death.

  I Recall

  by

  Paulino Samuel Nhatave

  Once more I am alone

  Far from you, but always together

  The same bed, but different blankets

  I cannot hear what you say

  But I can read it

  From far, I gaze at you

  We talk blindly

  Sometimes I cannot touch you

  But I can feel you

  I cannot see your lips

  But I can kiss them

  Our past, our present

  They will guide our future, again and again

  Easily difficult to think of separating

  How difficult it is to feel at home without my consort

  We used to hug each other daily in dark days

  Without stars, the moon blazing

  I wish we could keep on

  Under our endless blessing!

  Cold Nights

  by

  Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  Cold nights in the cold blankets

  Cold and naked nights of anxiety

  Nights of sadness and despair

  Oh! Cold nights

  I don’t know which one is worse

  To be married with a poor guardian

  Or to be the wife of an absent poor guardian

  Oh! Cold nights

  In fact, the city is safe from robbery

  But I’m about to be stolen

  From you, my man,

  From the life I chose

  Oh! Cold nights

  I will no longer stand it

  The nights should be hot as a night club is

  Hot as a real married couple is

  Bad or fine my nights should be hot

  Oh! Cold nights

  I’m sorry honey

  But I am tired

  Tired of nights full of insomnia and heart-sinking

  I know there is no next time,

  Neither a next life,

  But I can’t keep being the guard of the guardian’s house.

  A Grudge, a Wrong Decision

  by

  Paulino Samuel Nhatave

  She left a piece of her in me since she left

  And she never removes it away

  My slumbers have turned into insomnia

  But still she wishes I would peter out

  Like a dove flowing aloft

  Without destination, without eyes,

  She edges my intentions from aloft

  But still she cannot renew our love

  Sometimes I can ask myself

  Whether she is living for me,

  Whether she is making me her dreamer

  But she makes my nights tiring

  It was difficult to believe I was dreaming

  When she one day came into my bedroom

  And asked me to strip off

  I went back to the bed

  And felt like hugging her in my covered blankets

  But she had gone away. I was alone

  I cannot guess, I cannot figure out

  Why she departed from me

  Now she has a grudge against me

  Even when she's in her husband’s cuddle,

  But nothing can swerve back our past

  I Have Taken a Wrong Turn

  by

  Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  One day

  one night

  not knowing what to do

  I left home

  seeking for justice in the world of crime

  seeking for freedom from the hell

  I decided to fight on my own

  using my own weapons

  naked weapons

  my body was the only source I found to gather them

  I knew I was wrong

  but I had to do it

  the income was insignificant

  but I managed to feed my unemployed man and my blind son.

  Positive

  by

  Angelo Alberto Cossa

  The most tortuous moment of life

  you appeared

  among friends

  you met me

  you showed everyone

  that HIV-positive

  should not be shut out

  New life emerges

  with a glance

  with attitude

  with understanding

  with forgiveness

  with affection

  In each gesture new life

  each day new life

  In each encounter there is renewal

  Life blooms

  The Deceived Woman

  by

  Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  It is me, the woman who died in your arms sixty years ago. You took me to paradise. I heard lots of things from you including promises. Why would I have refused such a promise? I believed in you through the deep look in your eyes. They seemed to reflect your sincerity. I remember once you said that I wasn’t a woman to be tasted like salt on food, but to be loved. That’s why I gave you all my heart. In fact, I started falling into you, especially when you said that you dreamed of us getting married.

  I was still a very innocent young woman. I confess that I had never been opened by anyone. My tits were still in a very good position to be swallowed, and my big bums called the attention of many respected people in
the streets of Nyancutse. I accepted you because I would be the first lady on the earth to be taken to paradise. It made me believe that you were my Romeo and I your Juliet.

  Time went by and my beauty was flying away little by little. My tits were not delicious any more, my bums weren’t attractive, my skin was completely wrinkled and because I couldn’t give you a child, you sent me way.

  Sometimes I have seen you in your car driving round the streets with your wife and children. That´s where I have made my new dwelling. All the days of my life have been so monotonous. I survive through donations from people of good will who give me a coin just to get a loaf of bread and a cup of water. At times, I even think if I had at least a son, maybe I could have somewhere to rest by bones, I could get daily meals. There is no man on earth who could want an old woman like me.

  I don’t like to go backwards into my past, only to recall when you sucked my tits, with very slow movements of your hands travelling over my body. You drove me crazy! The only exit I have is the unstoppable darkness of falling into an eternal sleep, which I am waiting for with all my anxiety. I am sure you are too strong a man to cry. All I can ask you is, just buy me a coffin.

  Rest after Getting to your Goals

  by

  Jemuce Pinheiro

  Keep on

  Tired but no rest

  Powerful in spirit

  No might in your body

  You want to rest

  Before, no rest

  Keep on

  Tired but no rest

  Until you reach your aims

  Keep on

  Tired but no rest

  After achieving your aims

  Yes, rest

  Now, when you reach

  And achieve your aims

  Yes, rest

  Keep on

  Tired but no rest

  When you get near

  Keep on

  With goals achieved

  Yes, rest

  Yes, rest, not before

  Achieving your aims

  And getting to your goals

  Yes, rest.

  I Want to be Released

  by

  Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  Strange life full of mysteries

  Full of pretences like people wearing masks

  I wonder if I am the only one

  With only one face

  Or the only one with two faces

  I want to be released

  No-one knows who is who

  There is a paradise in this life

  And there is much lack of truth in this life

  People tease and cheat like dead drunks exchanging glasses

  No-one cares

  I want to be released

  My soul has gone

  I don’t know where

  Seeking for peace?

  Seeking for truth?

  I want to be released

  Sometimes I decide to drink to feel better than others

  Beer makes me feel double

  But it also makes me alone

  I want to be released

  My Death

  by

  Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  My wife, I still remember the day we got married. Many people witnessed our beautiful marriage. This is true, it was so fascinating. We swore to God that day. It was the highest moment of our lives.

  My beloved wife, I was conscious of what a challenge life would be for us. The first challenge was that of getting a house of our own. How to build it? I was unemployed.

  I decided to go to South Africa to look for a job. There I had to struggle a lot but finally I got one. Very proud I was! Now I couldn’t be called a useless man in the village.

  To add to my pride, you gave me a ring to tell me that I was a father for the first time in all my life.

  I tried to save some money so that we could one day have our own house. That was my main fight. Four more children came, although I was earning little. But we survived in our own way.

  Now my life is gone. All our plans for the future stop here. The 3-bedroom house with a sitting room died. It is still hard to know that I have to leave you, no other way.

  You won’t touch my body more. You won’t look forward to seeing your husband come back from South Africa in December. This is my end.

  Our children will suffer. They will never say, “Our father bought us biscuits in town.”

  My only one beloved wife, from now on you’ll battle for hundreds of years for our children, alone. You’ll have to hoe on other people’s farms just to get a hundred. Then, your smooth skin, your body like a guitar, will disappear. This has never been my desire, believe me.

  But in this long journey I’m not alone. Now I can see the darkness coming. Right now it is in the fourth quarter. Come and feel me for the last time.

  The Last Day of his Life

  by

  Riva Marlisa Gilberto

  I put my mind to work

  What will I do in my next year?

  Life will do what must be done

  It is doing it!

  It gives me power

  I’m not the same anymore

  I want revenge

  God has nothing to do with it!

  I want revenge

  Someone stole my life

  Life stole my life!

  I want what is mine

  I have to find it before tomorrow!

  I have to know what is release

  to flourish my soul

  A Long Time Ago

  by

  Cristina Luis Guiamba

  My great-grandfather told me

  that the time

  that was the colonial time

  was hard

  The people were crying always

  They did not eat well

  They did run always

  to protect themselves

  They were not comfortable

  People were dying

  People were crying

  They did not have another way than suffering

  They did not have a voice

  Strangers were kicking them

  in their own country

  They did not have any material

  to fight.

  About the Authors

  These poems are the work of nine members of the group "Mozambican Writers" at Universidade Pedagogica Sagrada Familia, Maxixe, Mozambique:

  Damas Calisto Calege

  Sabir Ibraimo Abdul Carimo

  Johnny Carter

  Rodrigues Milagre Chilusse

  Angelo Alberto Cossa

  Riva Marlisa Gilberto

  Cristina Luis Guiamba

  Paulino Samuel Nhatave

  Jemuce Pinheiro

  Mozambique has a rich tradition of oral literature in the original Bantu languages, for self-expression, entertainment, and the transmission of culture, as well as a modern