The Sunday Mail
Tendai Chara
FABIAN Choto, a prolific poet who published the breathtaking English poetry anthology “Wisdom and Foolishness” in 2021, is back with another masterpiece.
Choto joined hands with 19 budding and established poets and released a Shona anthology titled “Chingoma Chokwedu”.
Among the budding writers is Tinemufaro Blessings Zharare, a Form One learner whose works are being published for the first time.
Interestingly, Tinemufaro’s father, Patson, also contributed some poems for this anthology.
Written in deep Shona, the collection covers, among other themes, love and forgiveness, as well as social, political and economic issues.
In this instalment, we are going to analyse some of Choto’s seven poems that are part of the anthology.
Employed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police as a chaplain, Choto, in his writings, makes it a point to give readers valuable pieces of advice.
In “Ndichinge Ndiri Ndanyora”, Choto states that whenever he sits down to write, the piece will be pregnant with lessons.
“Ndichinge ndiri ndanyora
Motoziva kudzima hapachina
Ndichinge ndiri ndanyora
Chizivai tsiudzo madziwana
Chitozivai nyeuriro mapuwa,” reads part of the poem.
The poet further stresses the need for communities to discuss and share ideas.
“Ndichinge ndirini ndanyora
Mochiyeuka zano marairanwa
Navowo vakuru inga vakataura
Vakati zano pangwa une rako
Kana tobatira pamwe chete chove chirwirangwe.”
In the two poems, “Mwana Wevanhu” and “Gwenya Rerudo”, Choto writes about love, a deeply emotional and often misunderstood subject.
In “Mwana Wevanhu”, the author professes his undying love for his soulmate.
He takes the reader from the very first day that the lovers met until the day the couple settles down in holy matrimony.
In the opening stanza, the poet goes straight to the point:
“Ndakapa moyo wangu kwauri
Kwauri iwe woga moyo ndakapa
Ndichitizve moyo wangu uyu
Handina kukupa neruboshwe
Ndakakupa ndakatarisa
Ndakakupa ndichiziva . . .”
The poem ends on a happy note as the couple becomes husband and wife.
“Nhasi chiona rangova bembera
Rangova bembera risina akamboona
Bembera rechinokoro nemwanasikana
Ndochiyevenutswa moyo zvino sekuti tadana
Ndakadana naye mwana akanaka
Ndotoona vaisandicheuka zvino vondikudza
Chavaona zvino ndaziva ndicho,
Ndava naye
Heyu, mujinga mangu ogara.”
“Gwenya Rerudo” is full of sweet nothings as a lover confesses his/her love.
Moving away from issues to do with the heart, Choto also penned “Nairworwu Urwu Rusununguko”, a brilliant poem that reminds Zimbabweans about the blood that was shed for the liberation of this country.
The author advises Zimbabweans to jealously guard the country’s independence, to be united and to love one another.
“Tochirega kuipa hutana nhasi,
Toipa hosha mukunongedzana
Aa . . . ngatidananei, ngatibatanei
Tivake Madzimbahwe.”
“Chingoma Chokwedu” is a must-read for those who appreciate Shona poetry.
Twitter: @charatendai
