Naitazama bahari, kama mpenzi aliyopotea,
Miguu yangu juu ya mchanga, joto lake tanuru
Pole pole naisogelea, macho yangu yaitazama,
Na kamwe hayapepeseki

Bahari uja nakuondoka, unionea aibu,
Bahari uja nakuondoka, unidadisi,
Kisha yanipa mabusu miguuni
“Karibu” “karibu” huninong’oneza
Kwa pepo tulivu za mashariki

Maji uzidi kunivuta, mwili wangu waanza kuzama,
Unyayoni, magotini, Kifuani na kichwani
Namezwa tumboni kwake, ambalo kamwe hushibishwi

Naanza pambana, miguu yarusha mateke,
Mikono vibao, naishiwa pumzi, naishiwa nguvu
Sauti ya utulivu ikanijia
Tulia, achilia, tulia achilia
Bila njia nyingine na kwakuchoka kwangu
Naamini, natulia, naachilia
Naachilia majonzi ndani ya moyo wangu
Naachilia watu niliowafunga kifuani kwangu
Naachilia mitazamoya akili yangu
Naachilia matarajioyangu
Natulia, Naachilia

Ghafla mwili ukavaa wepesi, nikaanzaelea
Bahari ndani ya masikio yangu, jua likinipapasa ngozi yangu
Macho yakiwa yamefungwa, bahari ikageuka mbingu
Nikajazwa na furaha, amani isiyo simulika
Muda ukasimama, napale nikatamani kubaki milele

Hapo nikapata ufunuo, haikuwa bahari yenye tatizo
Bali ni mimi mwenyewe, nilitaka kuuwa nafsi yangu.

Part of SAWTI Zine Issue 1
Photography by Calvin Kulaya
NGOLLO MLENGEYA
NGOLLO MLENGEYAPOET
Ngollo Mlengeya is an administrator and a poet living in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. She is a lady, middle aged and holder of Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from St. Augustine University. She started writing poetry back in school as a way of expressing herself but it soon grew to be an exploration of human nature, identity and why we do what we do. She has written a number of poems in Swahili and English language found at www.maneno.net . Ngollo has performed at Lyricist Lounge, The Annoying Artist and is a member of Waka poetry group in Dar es Salaam