Photography by Calvin Kulaya

Si chochote

Si chochote si lolote, hata ujaponitoka
Nikikukosa sijuti, wala sitofedheheka
Pendo lako tofauti, kwa mimi si muafaka
Unanionesha nini, kisichoko duniani
Utafanya lipi geni, lisilofanywa zamani

Sitoingia kibuhuti, hata ukiniepuka
Sitotambaa kwa futi, samahani kujataka
Moyo nimeudhatiti, kwako sitoshughulika
Unanionesha nini, kisichoko duniani
Utafanya lipi geni, lisilofanywa zamani

Kuwa na wewe si sheti, madhali hukuridhika
Sitopoteza wakati, kwa mtu asopendeka
Atoniridhi yeyote, ndio nitaemueka
Unanionesha nini, kisichoko duniani
Utafanya lipi geni, lisilofanywa zamani

Iwe kwa kheri binti, kama kwangu umechoka
Nenda nyuma sikufati, na wala sitokushika
Kukosa si umauti, tele wanaonitaka
Unanionesha nini, kisichoko duniani
Utafanya lipi geni, lisilofanywa zamani

Part of SAWTI Zine Issue 1

Moto wa Dunia

Hadhi ya mtu ni kitu, ndipo huwa na thamani
Hatopendeza kwa watu, bila kitu mkononi
Huwa ni mchukizi tu, kwa ndugu na majirani
Hatofurahisha katu, hata akifanya nini
Ubinaadamu wa mtu, hamadi kibindoni
Kama huna mwanakwetu, huna raha duniani
Mbaya umasikini, ndio moto wa dunia

Walio wako huanza, kukutia ubayani
Maovu hukufanyiza, sababu umasikini
Kusudi hukwangamiza, uzidi kushuka chini
Wapate kuzungumza, mtu wenu muoneni
Hawezi kudunduliza, kuweka akiba ndani
Pesa zake apoteza, hana akili kichwani
Mbaya umasikini, ndio moto wa dunia

Umasikini mbaya, ameumba Rahamani
Wazee wametwambiya, moto wa ulimwenguni
Lako likikufikiya, kama huna mkononi
Hubaki kujinamiya, hujui wenda kwa nani
Maisha yanauziya, bila ya kutumaini
Utakiri kujifiya, kama kuwa duniani
Mbaya umasikini, ndio moto wa dunia

Pindi ukitajirika, alokuwa humuoni
Ulipo atakufika, je vipi bwana fulani
Ubaya wako hutoka, kwa dakika ishirini
Walonuna kadhalika, kwako huwa furahani
Huwa mwenye mamlaka, huitwa mashaurini
Kila alokutoroka, huja mwaka mikononi
Mbaya umasikini, ndio moto wa dunia

Part of SAWTI Zine Issue 1
MZEE HAJI GORA HAJIPOET
Haji Gora Haji, born in 1933 on the island of Tumbatu, Zanzibar, is a renowned Swahili poet and composer of songs (ngoma, taarab). He is the author of two poetic collections, Kimbunga ( The hurricane, TUKI, Dar es Salaam, 1994, ed. T. S. Y. Sengo ) and Shuwari (The calm, Buluu Publishing, Paris 2019, eds. F. Aiello and I. Brunotti). Besides poetry, he has written a number of children’s books, one short novel, Siri ya Ging’ingi (The secret of Ging’ingi, 2009) and an unpublished autobiography entitled Maisha Yangu [My life]. 1993-2001