Betty Makoni latest poem ignites Zimfest in London

-Excitement is in the air for 18 August

Betty Makoni and her Charity Girl Child Network Worldwide have been welcomed to attend Zimfest and showcase their work. Betty Makoni will be signing her Autobiography, Never Again, Not to any woman or girl again. Zimfest will donate five pounds if you purchase your ticket here http://www.fatsoma.com/bettymakoni/

Betty Makoni being the renowned poet that she is, has released her latest piece to ignite excitement building up for Zimfest. In the poem she takes ahahiya patapa from an old song. For sure all roads lead to Zimfest on 18 and 19 August. Let this poem take you to Zimfest

The Zimfest, Zimbabwe spirit of celebrating in the air

(Poem by Betty Makoni for Zimfest 2012)

I can hear the drum beat
The spirit of our great ancestors
Swiftly through the mighty Zambezi
I can feel the chattering of waters
The sound that deepens into a silent sound
I can hear whispers across oceans
That finally all waters of Zambezi flowing
Joining end to end to African rivers, lakes and oceans
With a deep silence to open floods of all nations
To one Zimfestival, to a feast in London
I can see the Zimfestival –ihiya patapata

Like in the early morning, wake up cockerel clock
In our small Zimbabwe village
Now in London global village
A cockerel sound in the air –kokorigorigo
A sound to call you to come to celebrate this diversity
The spirit of Zimbabwe and Africa in one
The first sound beat signalling the feast is ready
Dance festival starting with Eat festival
Kokorigorigo the nature given wake up clock
To a Zimbabwe festival of festivals
I can see ihiya patapata to Zimbabwe festival
The spirit of celebration, greeting, laughing and eating
The peace and tranquillity for a peaceful people
Zimfest, Zimbabwe spirit of celebrating

I can see the feast of feasts opening
Sweeping across London with spirit of Zim sadza
Eat festival –traditional food firming our dance
I can hear the ululation of women
I can see the clapping after Jerusarema dance
I can see their bodies freed into the air
In unison the traditional regalia letting go
Their African dresses flying high in air
Like the peace, the celebration
The Zimfest-The Zimbabwe festival

I can hear men stabbing their feet
One, two, three, paaa, the clap of a dancer
Leg in, leg out, both in now with hands tight
This is Zimfest- Zimbabwe Festival
After this dance of Mbakumba and muchongoyo
This is the true feast of Dzimba Dzemabwe
Great Zimbabwe built of granite stone
Never fell, not fall and will never fall
The London festival joining city to city
Joining Africa to Africans
Joining Europe to Africa and Africa to Zimbabwe