Nomvula (After the Rain)

Sondela, mhlobo wam Nali ibali elide; apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo??? Ndakhuliswa nguyise wam, owaswelekelwa esemtsha NguDarly wakhe, umama wam uEdith Nomvula Thomas Mahola Sasibathathu kumama wam, ndingowesbini ke mna; umafungwashe katata Ubhut' Doc Nceba Mahola Zang' alile uyise wam mhla kwakufihlwa umzimba wesithandwa seminyaka EDon Bosco Kwazakhele, 4 rooms, with a dining-room table eBhayi Zange balile nabathathu ecamb' kwengcwaba lakhe Zandl??? ezincinci zalahl' uthuth' eluthuthweni singasazi nesizathu Tyhini na bethuna usishiyil' uSis' Nono! Usishiyil' uSis' Nono! Hayini! Azange sayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda Dlamini! Abazange bayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda. Sondela, mhlobo wam Nali ibali elide; apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo??? (Come closer my friend Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started I was raised by my father Who was bereaved at a young age by his true darling, my mother Edith Nomvula Thomas Mahola There were three of us by my mother, myself the second The middle child of my father, Bhut' Doc Nceba Mahola Never did my father cry, when they hid the body of the love of many years At Don Bosco; Kwazakhele??? four rooms (with a dining room table) in Port Elizabeth Neither did the three cry at the side of the grave, Small hands throwing dust to dust not knowing the reason: Tyhini na bethuna! Sis??? nono has left us! Sis??? nono has left us! Hayini! Never have we seen such a girl raised by a man. Dlamini! Never have they seen such a girl raised by a man. Come closer my friend Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started)