Tsiba poem given to staff at Tsiba
Written by Ncedisile Macwili
April 2006
(At the time) First-year TSiBA student
You are a river of thoughts.
Where everyone goes to quench an unbearable thirst.
Native nations struggling to get rid of you, but you stand firm,
Allowing no-one to tempt you, threaten you.
To you life is a story; but to us a dream –
A dream that we wish will come true some day.
You share with us so much that at times you over-flood.
You are always as fresh as a newborn calf, ready to face the world…
Much of it we do not notice; except that you look to be
Maintaining the same direction.
So keen you are, we never wish to stand in your way,
For you portray an image of power and skill.
The roar that you have makes everyone want to listen –
For unlike any river, it sounds smooth and soft for all to hear.
Your flow keeps on going even when there are storms, floods, droughts.
I wish that I could always have you next to my life, a river, to drink, celebrate and look towards…
May you defy age; it’s just a number that represents your experience…
And your prime of life…