~Photographs submitted by Bilkis Moola~
“Of the mountains,
I am the Himalayas”.
I am the Himalayas”.
"Doctor Nanda Soobben" artwork by Shameeg van Schalkwyk
Shades of a Luminary
An Ode to Doctor Nanda Soobben
An Ode to Doctor Nanda Soobben
White streaks of light cast a glow
on he where the sun’s rays flow -
blushing in his eminence, colour splashes as an arch
the Rainbow Nation sketched,
in his vision for liberation
on a canvass stretched.
Dispersed in a spectrum of red and orange,
yellow and green -
hues of blue betrothed
to violet and indigo -
a crusade,
in a mural illuminated by a halo.
A palette of his kaleidoscope -
coloured the fragments of a land,
lacerated in divisions circumscribed by race
where White, Black, Coloured and Indian clashed
beneath a sun that scorched
lush fields of green
blemished red, in defiance as he fled -
banished from Cato Manor,
a farewell kissed to his kin -
shipped as slaves, from a land of silk and spices
to harvest sugar -
boiled and brutalized by discrimination.
on he where the sun’s rays flow -
blushing in his eminence, colour splashes as an arch
the Rainbow Nation sketched,
in his vision for liberation
on a canvass stretched.
Dispersed in a spectrum of red and orange,
yellow and green -
hues of blue betrothed
to violet and indigo -
a crusade,
in a mural illuminated by a halo.
A palette of his kaleidoscope -
coloured the fragments of a land,
lacerated in divisions circumscribed by race
where White, Black, Coloured and Indian clashed
beneath a sun that scorched
lush fields of green
blemished red, in defiance as he fled -
banished from Cato Manor,
a farewell kissed to his kin -
shipped as slaves, from a land of silk and spices
to harvest sugar -
boiled and brutalized by discrimination.
Sugarloaf Mountain in the Bay of Rio,
embraced the caramel South African,
who embellished the walls of Clairwood High
in figurines, charcoal-caressed -
with gallons of paint for a mural
to nurture planet earth’s nature.
Lady Liberty, draped in her gown of freedom and democracy
appealed his message for peace,
expressed in the tradition of Expressionists before him -
resonating echoes of Edvard Munch’s “Scream”
portrayed on the walls of New York,
juxtaposed as poverty consumed by greed insatiable,
spread in as vast a distance between
San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean -
an exaggerated marvel of modern engineering as a Golden Gate
spinning on a raging planet,
smouldering on the brink of
hell’s inferno.
A melting pot of cultures brewed
in a country cradled in the womb of Africa.
Triumphant against the tyranny of apartheid,
raindrops splashed the killing fields
of a civilisation emancipated from the Struggle in fists raised -
“Amandla!” exhaled the veteran artist.
In a city swept along the shores
of an ocean -
rocked a casbah of eclectic Indians
whose buckets jostled the waves for sardines,
spiced and fried in spluttering oils
of puri swells and patha rolls -
roti circles soaked in mutton curry
lime pickle tickled,
fireworks flavoured and calabash infused
for his “crossing” to Isipingo -
njengoba ashukumisa linqamula umhlaba
“as he moved across the earth”
lapha yena bheka phansi konke lakhe ukhulupheka
“where he lay down his troubles”.
Flickers of orange ember in his eyes -embraced the caramel South African,
who embellished the walls of Clairwood High
in figurines, charcoal-caressed -
with gallons of paint for a mural
to nurture planet earth’s nature.
Lady Liberty, draped in her gown of freedom and democracy
appealed his message for peace,
expressed in the tradition of Expressionists before him -
resonating echoes of Edvard Munch’s “Scream”
portrayed on the walls of New York,
juxtaposed as poverty consumed by greed insatiable,
spread in as vast a distance between
San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean -
an exaggerated marvel of modern engineering as a Golden Gate
spinning on a raging planet,
smouldering on the brink of
hell’s inferno.
A melting pot of cultures brewed
in a country cradled in the womb of Africa.
Triumphant against the tyranny of apartheid,
raindrops splashed the killing fields
of a civilisation emancipated from the Struggle in fists raised -
“Amandla!” exhaled the veteran artist.
In a city swept along the shores
of an ocean -
rocked a casbah of eclectic Indians
whose buckets jostled the waves for sardines,
spiced and fried in spluttering oils
of puri swells and patha rolls -
roti circles soaked in mutton curry
lime pickle tickled,
fireworks flavoured and calabash infused
for his “crossing” to Isipingo -
njengoba ashukumisa linqamula umhlaba
“as he moved across the earth”
lapha yena bheka phansi konke lakhe ukhulupheka
“where he lay down his troubles”.
a glint of mischief as jester
to truth in laughter,
penned as prophet to politician puppets.
Splendid is nature’s masterpiece -
a harmony of colour in red’s radiance
citrus-sprinkled
drops of sunshine sipped in pastures of green,
postured as heaven’s hope, from a sky
blue, violet and indigo -
personified as “Shades of a Luminary”
in he, the Nation’s Rainbow.
~Bilkis Moola
I love it. Deeply original with vivid imagery. Also a hint of introspection is involved. I enjoyed the read.
ReplyDeleteThank You 👌.
DeleteBilkis. This is a such a stupendous tribute that the word beautiful is inadequate as a definition. It can only be defined as an explosive outpouring of an obvious well earned epitaph from a beloved country. As Adam Brown said ... Original, and Vivid in it's passionate shot from the heart gut and mind ... You have captured the voice of a multitude of mourners in what can only be a rejoice of Angels... There's more to you than just, a poet with a pen.
ReplyDeleteThank You. This is a beautiful comment, Patrick Cuddihy. I am pleased that you have assessed the poem within the correct context 🎨.
DeleteWow. The poet captures the colours of Nanda Soobben dramatically and enticingly - makes me want to know more about Nanda, and more about the poet too. As well as the places they inhabited, and the politics they both encountered. Poets who magically incorporate codeswitching are talented poets - appealing to the multilingual norm....
ReplyDeleteAah, dear Sadia Habib or can I commence an address as Dr Sadia Habib? Your analysis is appreciated 👌.
DeleteThe world bows low and deep in acknowledgement of a tapestry, African to keep. The betrothal of promised land ideology to a stalwart who pursued an ideal in real time, fuelled by the passionate heat of the African sun, under the colourful cloak of our Indian skin... This is a tribute that sparkles with the original heartbeat of Africa, by decision - by determination- resonating absolutely everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a magnificent piece.
Wonderful Zaheera Badat 👌. You have received the poem as a patriot 👌.
DeleteThank You. Your comment is precise and worthy of a transfer to Facebook 👏.
Delete