art from google
hugging hope …
years days moments minutes hours months weeks decades,
pockmarked,
weary,
skidding,
clinging onto,
raging roads,
hobbled,
shovelled,
dragged deep,
wrestling demons without,
within,
yet always,
always,
hugging hope,
as night yawns,
and a new day dawns …
quote from google
with Comrade Mongane ‘Wally’ Serote, legendary South African poet born in Sophiatown
http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mongane-wally-serote
This poem appeared in respected sister Myesha Jenkins’ anthology on South African Jazz poetry.
_____________________
Sophiatown jazz Dance Hall
Apartheid Police forcibly removing Sophiatown residents to be “relocated” as Sophiatown was declared a “Whites Only Area”. Sophiatown residents were forcibly removed to Meadowlands in Soweto
Sophiatown residents rallying cry against Apartheid forced removals to Meadowlands, Soweto
Old Sof’town*
1.
In old Sof’town,
the jazz struck chords,
the jazz lived, it exploded,
out of the cramped homes,
rolling along the streets,
of old Kofifi,
in tune to countless blazing heartbeats.
In old Sof’town,
Bra’ Hugh breathed music, Sis’ Dolly too,
and Bra’ Wally penned poems that still ring true.
In old Sof’town,
Father Trevor preached
equality and justice,
for all, black and white and brown,
and all shades, every hue,
even as oppression battered the people,
black and blue.
In old Sof’town,
the fires of resistance raged,
‘we will not move’ was the refrain,
even as the fascists tore down Sof’town,
with volleys of leaden rain.
In old Sof’town,
the people were herded,
like cattle,
sent to Meadowlands,
far away and cold and bleak,
as the seeds of resistance,
sprouted and flourished,
for the coming battle.
In old Sof’town,
the bulldozers razed homes,
splitting the flesh of a community apart,
only to raise a monument of shame,
and ‘Triomf” was its ghastly name.
2.
In Jozi today,
we remember those days,
and those nights of pain,
that stung our souls.
like bleak winter rain.
Yes, we remember old Sof’town,
as we struggle onward,
to reclaim our deepest heritage,
and build anew,
a country of all hues and shades,
of black and of white and of brown.
And yes, we will always remember,
and yes, we will never forget,
the price that was paid,
by the valiant sons and daughters,
of old Sof’town,
those vibrant African shades and hues,
of black,
of white,
of brown.
*Sophiatown was also called ‘Sof’town’ and ‘Kofifi.’
Sophiatown resistance against Apartheid forced removals
Scribbled Verse 
You must be logged in to post a comment.