by GERRY SIKAZWE

Tantalizing

An open legged verse, a bare hunger for lust 

Grows on wet lips, giant on the lining of a flooding tongue 

Free of regard for society’s hypocrisy, 

Nudity is a field of cotton, 

And with a sickle, intonations 

Of these words swing 

In harvest

For a smooth pillow, for a softer skin

Vowels heed only the consonants 

That stake moans into rays,

Into mighty glows—

These forbidden flames 

That burn as if righteous

And yet they are where darkness reside

On the nipples of this verse

Is open a mouth of pain, a tormented mouth 

Seeking rest in the sure erection of the breast 

The fullness of its surging desire 

Hard yet liquid electricity 

Tantalizing the tip of a grown man’s identity 

He who has refused time from weaning him 

Into perpetual dryness.

*

Curved Lurid Lips

Pendent, lurid lips curve almost fully

Across my skyline

In a feral lean

As if to expose

My veins, my vain need

To be drank, to be drained

Of vestige spoors of desire.

This feral claim

For attention, calls my name softly, 

In a stern gaze

a sure coronation to her throne.

*

Elevated Thoughts 

While seeking flames in undressed bodies 

I was reminded keeping

Clothes on is also a fire-starter 

Whose sultry touch does not grow on lips and in kisses

But in plain and simple hope 

Hope that there are words on this tongue 

That know how to stitch 

Passionately wool to silk into a burning bush

Words of new found resolve that dare 

To ask questions

To think otherwise, to provoke 

Everyone who has a say 

On what positions work—

Words that ask you to try

Your own way, smile your own way

Knowing true living is not only in swampy

Terrain but also in valleys and skies

By praising god, remembering the dead

Treating dust as you do water 

By being grateful for the meals you’ve received

For the songs you’ve sung and heard

And the dances that ever polish your skin

For the magic your eyes have seen

For in this life nothing is guaranteed 

Your pain or joy, your loss or wins—

So, when you’re on top don’t waste the stay.

*

In Pairs

In pairs they entered the ark

In pairs they cheated the storm 

Perfect notes in a seraph song—

One loud, one sharp 

Strings on a harp soothing 

The heart of Saul

Lips of Delilah seducing a confession 

Into pillars that kill multitudes partying 

Wood and match stick, smoke and flames

Stories and roasted groundnuts, wisdom and cleansing of past

Thieves at Golgotha with Jesus dangling—

Curtains rending in parts the testament

Wrong or right, time and chance 

Gave them breath and meaning.

*

Umutolilo 

Uyu umutolilo wa nsele 

Paku ubala, kuchefya ichimo 

Paku ubala, kuchefya ishiwi 

Paku ubala, kutala wa lomba amano 

Uyu umutolilo, wa nsele 

Wa mafunde ayo amatwi yapata 

Wa nsoselo isho abengi ba taluka 

Wa mano ayo ayashimonwa monwa 

Uyu umutolilo wa nsele,

Tewa wa kulisha bulukubuluku 

Tewa kubutauka noa, li-ni 

Tewa wakwangasha, lifunde likalamba 

Uyu umutolilo wa nsele kamana 

Umwa kusamba ifiko fya bupuba 

Umwa kulukwisha inda shabunang’ani 

Umwa kushika amalwele ne mfwa

 ***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gerry Sikazwe is a Lusaka based Zambian writer and poet. He is the author of poetry collections ‘Words That Matter’ (2018), ‘Take Me With You’ (2020),  and forthcoming ‘Here Is A Painting’ (2024), and ‘Umutolilo Wa Nsele’ (2024), an Ici-Bemba poetry collection. He is a 2x Ngoma Awards Nominee of the year 2019 for Most Outstanding Creative Writing and Most Outstanding Poetry for ‘Words That Matter’, and was recently part of the contributors to the 2023 Most Outstanding Poetry Ngoma Awards winning poetry anthology ‘Canvas of Truth’ compiled by Sheba Lishika, respectively.  

He has also been privileged to contribute works to a number of anthologies notable being ‘Best New African Poets’ (2018) by Mwanaka Media and Publishing, ‘Sister Wives & Other Short Stories’ (2021) by Myaambo, ‘Generational Discordance: Ake Arts & Book Festival Review Volume 8 (2021), ‘Old Love Skin: Voices From Contemporary Africa’ (2022) by Mukana Press, ‘Canvas of Truth’ (2023) by Sheba Lishika-Dzekedzeke, and ‘Canto Planetario’ (2023) by Carlos Jarquín.

*Image by Namukolo Siyumbwa