THE RAIN IN THE VELD by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali
He dripped like an unpreened cat
tossed by a prankster's hand
into a tubful of icy water
chilling the bones and setting
the marrow into an unsalted broth;
licked the laughing lips
jellied by a cold mucus
flowing from an unwiped nose.
To be a young capering cowherd
with an empty billycan buckled to the belt
and driving a homeward-bound herd
of robust cows with hides steambathing
blood-gorged ticks, and frisking calves with
nostrils spurting steam jets, O! so cavorting carefree.
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