Ever since allegations first arose that the people's poet, Mzwakhe Mbuli, was unduly profiting from prominent South Africans' funerals, he seems to have gone underground.
Of late, we haven't seen him perform at any big occasions the way he used to.
We have it on good authority though, that the people's poet has a stack of poems already written, just in case he gets that call -- and this one is for the late Bra Hugh:
*This poem is completely made up and is inspired by Mbuli's poetic style:
Phew!
Oh Bra Hugh, Bra Hugh, Bra Hugh
Son of the soil, our honeydew
A uncompromising custodian of our heritage
This transmitted ever so candidly in your words and lyrics
You were the baobab tree that no wind blew
And to your roots you remained true
To your convictions you never skewed
Even refusing pics with women with weave hairdos
"We spend about a billion rand on other people's hair each year
I don't even know where to begin on this issue," you said
Kutheni kodwa wakhawuleza kangaka? (Why the rush?)
Like a train from Zimbabwe to Malawi
Istimela esihamba ngamalahle (coal train)
78?! oh Bawo sithethelele (Lord, forgive us)
Ngoba ukufa kuvele kuzithathele (Death just takes)
Kuzitamuzele kuzidlele (It just takes and eats)
Akuceli akuncengi (It doesn't ask, it doesn't beg)
Nocancer bayazicanasela (Cancer does what it likes)
Baze basithathela wena, Masekela (They even took you, Masekela)
Emazulwini usuyosilayezela (In the heavens you'll send our regards)
KoNtate Ray Phiri, kosis' Miriam Makeba, kosis' Thandi Klaasen
So long, sobe sikukhumbula ngoThanayi (We'll remember you through your hit song, Thanayi)
Inkaba zethu zitshonile, sihluleka nokuphakama (We can no longer see our navels, unable to stand up)
Robala sintle, tlou ya Afrika (Rest in peace, elephant of Africa)
Robala sintle, tau ya rena (Rest in peace, our lion)
Robala sintle, Ramapolo (Rest in peace, Ramapolo)
Etlela hi kurhula, tatana wa rixaka (Rest in peace, father of the nation)
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