Poems of the Two Centuries

By Zukisani (Zuki) Maraqana

Nature, Life and Death all manifested in poetry. Travel with me through poems of joy, tranquility, grief and sorrow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Sep 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456797270

Zukisani (Zuki) Maraqana

Having been born in East London ( South Africa), two score and ten years ago, I was moved by my parents, to go and stay with my grand parents at Lusikisiki. I was about the age of a toddler then. Early years of my writings date back to 1981, when a local magazine, " Hit, " published my poem, " The Sweet Memories," as a runner-up to the one that won the first prize. I, again, had an attempt on vernacular works, where I wrote a Xhosa Novel, sent it to the Educum Publishers (now defunct) of the time, but it was not a success. That was about 1986. In about 1990-1992, I resumed writing, again on poetry, and my emphasis was more on political works, in which I wrote about the following:Oliver Thambo, Winnie Mandela and Reggie Radebe (assassinated on his way from the peace process meeting). These works were shared with a Comrade from a local branch of the Communist Party ( Tembisa branch in Kempton Park), and neither those poems nor the Comrade were ever seen again. Giving up has never been part of myself. I then became a member of the International Society of Poets ( ISP), in Florida USA, and one of my poems submitted for Budding Poets competition was ( and still is), " Where Shepards Joy'," which earned me a bronze medal and a silver cup. In 2011, during my quest to have my poetry book published, I then came across Authorhouse Publishers, through which I have realized the dream of having my works eventually published. Behind every successful man , there is a woman. My gratitude goes forth to Daphne, my God-given spouse, who has collected all my bits and splinters of manuscripts, and transformed them into the Bard's product, fit for thine eyes.

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© 2011 by Zukisani (Zuki) Maraqana]. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 08/29/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-9726-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-9727-0 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

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Contents

WHERE SHEPHERDS JOY

I SMILED

THE EARLY WINTER MORN

THE RAND AT MORN

THE PEBBLES

YIELD ME NOT

BEYOND THOSE MOUINTAINS

THE PERIOD APART

COUNTIES OF HIS MAJESTY

THE WILDERNESS OF THE KAROO

LIFE IS LOST

THE DEATH

O’ WOUND UNCURED

O’ SLUMBER, SWEET SLUMBER

SHALL I SEIZE TO BE

REJOICE GREATLY

O’ STAR BLACK

THE PRE-MAN LIGHT YEARS

TAKE ME NOT FROM THIS COUNTRY

ANOTHER VICTIM

THE BEAUTY OF THE CREATION

O’ THE MIDNIGHT BEAUTY

I WATCHED WITH GRIEF

THE LANDSCAPES OF OUR KINGS

THIS BODY IS NOT MINE

OUR GREAT WATER-FALLS

SMILE FOR EVERY CREATURE

’TIS A PITY THOU LEAVEST

EXTEND THY HOUSE

THE TABERNACLE

O’ THE MAURITIAN WORLD

SLEEP O’ LASS, SLEEP

THE CONTRA-PUNTAL DAYS

O’ DAYS GONE PAST

O’ ART, AN IMMORTAL ART

HOW SHALL I SHOW THEE MY LOVE?

THE JOURNEY OF A MADMAN

WHY CALLETH ME AN AFRICAN?

WHY SMILETH