#zimbabwe
Oh, to give a dam—much like a lake, its waters
held back, silence breaking my spine. All of my
worries are so high; walled off like Kariba—
**** the young grow old faster than you
can say the word— telling jokes, but even
a straight path smiles with crooked teeth.
Hope laughs at itself, when it forgets to believe.
And what’s one more injury in a whole lifetime,
lest you hang yourself with the very lifeline
you cling to.
__0808 4116__ is the helpline; but on an island
of despairs, what becomes of a landline—
when your thoughts are rigged like landmines,
waiting for the wrong step to set them off.
Watch your step. Hope lives in an arena, fighting
to be heard through the noise. And anything worth
holding onto is something worth bleeding for—
But it will demand you take your licks, like a kitten
burning through lives, losing a few before it learns
what survival really is.
So don’t litter your worth on the ground.
Guard it. Nurture it. As a mother cat does
her litter— _fragile, trembling,_ but alive.
Oct 2, 2025
Oct 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM UTC
On Independence day everyone
Is from Zimbabwe today and
In the dawn’s embrace we stand tall
And proud and our voices united as
One loving nation and from the our
Struggles and our past we rise with pride
In freedom's light we choose to glide and
Zimbabwe's freedom will echo
Around the world
And Zimbabwe colours are so
Beautiful and bright and they sparkle
In the sky every night and our
Hearts are beating strong
On this very special day and
Zimbabwe the land of hope
And everlasting dreams in
Every soul our independence gleams
And Zimbabwe our nation will forever soar
So raise a glass on Independence day
And let the celebrations flow
For Zimbabwe's freedom will forever glow
And the Zimbabwe flag will
Fly high up in the clear blue sky and
A testament to freedom's gentle breeze
And Zimbabwe is forever inside our heart's
And so let unity's spirit forever
Grow and Zimbabwe
Our country a rising star
And reaching for the sky and beneath
Our nation's flag and forever
And always Zimbabwe
Our spirits will always fly high.
© 2025 David P Carroll.
Apr 7, 2025
Apr 7, 2025 at 6:14 AM UTC
To some she seems less appealing; by skins of shedding
away snakes. Liars in the world with venomous words,
But there's a city on fire,—in the burning eyes of
the bright future I see in her.
Clean streets; at least better than a capital,
chilled vibes, and no rush to the stresses we
all got to face. Faces of a bright smile; but of late
hidden under a surgical mask.
Sky's the limit in skies, but we're limited
by the resources we once had. "Salibonani mama/baba,"
greeting my elders out of respect.
A mix of black, white coloured, indian, and many more;
the dish of flavours going well with good fellowship at church.
Race barriers still exist; but maybe we ignore it
enough that it seems little. The writing is on the wall!
Many tribes, but my tribe is of great people.
Aren't we all, despite of upbringing or class,
status, hierarchy, or density highs or low.
I have love for you all, love for my Bulawayo.
Jun 10, 2022
Jun 10, 2022 at 4:30 PM UTC
As Zim life-
forces you to survive;
Swallow some pride
close your eyes;
Be close to alright
with a bright __African smile;__
And never forget;
_The Lord does provide._
Oct 20, 2021
Oct 20, 2021 at 1:52 PM UTC
Z
Dreams won't fade while we're alive,
but in this nation of mine
All our dreams have come to die.
Why?
So much potential not just in lands,
but the lands of people's talents.
Idealists whose ideas seem stuck at mind,
the potential we lose every year.
All the children looking for greener pastures on the other side.
But why?
Our lands of beauty, lost it's worth,
we couldn't take care of them.
Our treasures of wealth,
we foolishly lost all of them
I live in the city named to be like the sky,
but my skies are empty. No stars left to signify.
Tell me why?
There's potential for all to be great,
how so, when poverty is your only weight.
How so, when you feel there's no escape
How so, when the love for your land quickly turns to hate
How so, when it feels like there's no any other way,
How so, when every early success feels like it's going to be late.
And how so, when your struggles are so common, all have a similar reason to frustrate.
Is there even a reason why,
We seem to be living backwards,
with every step we take forward
Why the scent of hope stinks of
too many dead roses
Why everything seems either empty or broken,
Why we live a defeated lifestyle,
yet we're all the chosen?
It's enough to drive anyone crazy,
a lasting impression scarred into our hearts
Enough to drive anyone crazy,
The land of Z.
Apr 19, 2021
Apr 19, 2021 at 2:57 PM UTC
Inquiring sons of daughters,
Equipt
Of a day, one day,
The unmalleable grounds
Of Untanga gardens
Will beget,
By far Richer.
Than today
Down to their own sons
Of a day, one day
Our land,
Agleam in lights of progress.
Surging nights
Bedeviled by the buzz of utopian youth
They, then also
Down to their sons
Of a day, one day
So on
And on...
Sep 20, 2020
Sep 20, 2020 at 10:55 AM UTC
Follow the sun as it rises up to the night as the stars shine,
Use that route everyday and never abandon that trail or path.
It's a long journey ahead so one step at a time is recommended,
Stay in your lane, making sure you don't get distracted.
If you follow that route, it will lead you to tomorrow,
Provides you a fresh start, an opportunity to wipe away your old sorrow.
When there is a new day, it means you have arrived at today.
No matter how much you love today, you still have to copy with its flows and vice,
But never make a mistake to remain stuck at today twice.
Cause with this journey, there is always more that await you,
The more you delay, the more opportunities you lose.
If today is bold enough to **** you off or makes you feel good,
It only takes a genuine smile to maintain the positive mood.
At this point, there is no room for crying foul or blaming anyone,
Even yourself because tomorrow is always better than the previous day,
To those whom are willing to deploy a fighting spirit everyday.
The clock is ticking and so time is moving,
We are waiting for you so keep winning.
So take charge,
For tomorrow is not just a place but its the hope that keeps us moving forward,
The faith that lead and guide us to a new start,
And the reason why you should endeavour to better your life.
Aug 11, 2020
Aug 11, 2020 at 7:54 AM UTC
“Walk right up to you,
To the root of your throne
And stare, expectant
Cup in hand, thirst in soul
Ready to drink, and just demand:
I yell and raise the cup to you –
‘Forgive me!’
I am a hypocrite child, a mockery to your blamelessness
Please grant me eyes true,
And a tongue that knows honesty unimpaired -
‘I’m Sorry, My God.’
Jul 18, 2020
Jul 18, 2020 at 5:43 PM UTC
Great Zimbabwe
With no mortar it stood
Stone over stone.
Jul 9, 2020
Jul 9, 2020 at 12:49 AM UTC
You can't survive through music only
Here I was thinking that is what I'm trying to do
And I'm not even half as good as my little sister Jayne
Her voice is flawless, when she sings the world stops
Her chords reach to the hands of time
I am sure they refered to this peculiar being
When they said "I heard angels sing"
The neighborhood stops
And elokshin it barely does
It's as if her voice clears clean the environment of clumsy noises
Only hers reigns
But here I am a struggling poet
Barely making anything of my life
Watching my dream outgrow me like an unwanted hedge
Yet still I believe in these words
As clumsy as they are
They will speak for me
To my daughter Nealah
To my granddaughters
To the next generation
Of Jokonia
I had a dream
Jul 9, 2020
Jul 9, 2020 at 12:41 AM UTC
In 21 days,
We became strangers.
In 21 days,
They fell in love again.
Apr 15, 2020
Apr 15, 2020 at 6:03 PM UTC
Um spoiled for choice
As i look at all these beautiful african girls
I like i like oMampofu
So. Filled with life
They sparkle with untired enthusiasm
Waiting to explore. To kno more, knowledge seekers
Leaning on life's edges....they excite me
But then i really do fear the power
oMaSibanda , abangehlulwa thambo strong women
They stand tall to life's demons
Ever open claws defending her family
I bite my lips as i ponder over
OmaKhumalo.,, the royal blood of amandebele
Enadla umuntu limyenga ngendaba
Uphelele lomfazi as she walks kudikiza umhlaba
Their skin so smooth dreams glide through it
And they know it
so they leave trails of pride when they pass by
I am spoiled of choice
Really the african girls are beautiful
I sometimes lose myself in the fine tuned voices
Of oMaNcube
OMpangazitha bluberring sweet nothings
With a thousand stars held in her eyes
She suprises me sometimes
how she paints dark hours
Into abstract art with no care at all
Bending the rules to capture a smile
OmaMoyo power in speech
Their tongue builds a nation
For Her lips even with such authority stills spill lustful imaginations
Um spoilt for choice
Africa is beautiful such beautiful daisies
The humble sweet Mandlovu, ogatsheni, ontaba engabhodwa ngale kwayo
Big heart and such understanding
Silently holding up cries within
Soundproofing the screams of pain
With a smile that melts my soul
And oooh
OMaNyathi with natural yellow skin
Light beings colouring our dark covers
Uyapenda isizwe,
Obuhle obungakhuzeki
Confidently Conqouring man's heart
Um spoiled for choice
These sons of africa have made pillars of daughters
Each tribe holds omama, oauntie, ogogo, odadewethu,
Black African ladies
Forged in the wilds of africa
Taught to respect and love
I crown all african ladies
With fresh picked daises of my appreciation
For you..... You ladies of Africa you are
Queens
Cause of every imperfection
With every stumble,
Every struggle
You dont let trouble cling on
You walk on
high in your red stiletos
Tight brown pumps,
Black polished sandals
And dust off yesterday's thoughts
Cause u kno today is another day
Another chance to conquor
But if you dnt today u still wake up ivin. More equiped
Cause u an African woman
I am spoiled for choice my heart
Can not decide
My heart can not decide..
Mar 11, 2018
Mar 11, 2018 at 8:48 AM UTC
We are march to the blacksmiths
Blacks in thick black and deep black clothes
We come to mourn against lawless smit
For aged dark days and noisy nights.,
beneath gray sky
Their envelope in our mailbox spews blackmail
That they plan to transfer power by bed
We refuse to swallow such corruption ***
Now we will fight for generations to come
Should we say the uniform saved us
No! But yes! That blacks spoke in uniform
can’t you see the strong bass in your black
Ignite your coal that light be born.
Nov 26, 2017
Nov 26, 2017 at 5:56 AM UTC
NETSAI
plainly described by her name
chi tai tai
a light in thick darkness
NETSAI
if i love you would you change
pamwe nhai
maybe you not tasted love yet
i fear your desires
fearless desires
will and shall get you hurt
scared for an eternity, let
me love you
NETSAI
i know all your shananigans
but i still bother myself with you
i do, its a plainly true
that love is blind
but even now a century has died
i still wait
after your shine has been ****** out
i wait
netsai
can you not see
'ndokunetsa nokuti ndokuda'
Oct 17, 2017
Oct 17, 2017 at 4:15 AM UTC
We sit on a rock,
overlooking someone's fields
and pretend we are somewhere far
not just a few blocks away from home
It's Cinderella-like the way it happens.
The lush reeds turn to palm trees
fertile farmlands into sandy beaches
A sad attempt to accomodate our imagination.
I know we have always been too big for this country,
but right now it reeks of desperation.
So we look to the skies for validation
but in the dam we find motivation
from the water that flows without a destination.
"Does it hope to become river?", we wonder.
If it hopes to grow from it's current state.
Like a butterfly from a catterpillar.
Is it's movement a show of faith?
That the reeds and plants will open
and clear a path for it's murky waters.
This is why the dam feels like home:
Though we can't see our reflections,
the dam is able to reflect our ambition
to succeed regardless of our location.
Sep 11, 2017
Sep 11, 2017 at 2:06 PM UTC
When the walls are closing in on you
and you start to feel more than just a little blue
because you just don't know how you're going to feed them
on the crumpled limited notes in your hand
Or just how you're going to explain to them
That school might just be a time waster
because the economy is going to ***** them over anyways
and have them begging for piece jobs in the blistering sun,
Cry Mama.
Let out a high pitched wail at midnight
and let it be heard all the way from the capital
so they may be woken up from their silk- pampered sleep
Let your voice be a substitute for their conscience
let it keep them up at night.
Let your screams turn their milk sour
Let your cries make their heads ache
Let your weeping fill their tea with tears.
Like Macbeth, they murdered your sleep
So mama, let them know no sleep.
Let your sorrow be heard in your weeping
and your anger be heard in your screams.
Let your wails fly like a dove with a message
to tell them of a future they destroyed
a generation they disappointed
a land they disinherited
a nation they angered
and a mother whose heart they shattered.
Feb 25, 2017
Feb 25, 2017 at 2:49 AM UTC
Today
The sun
Climbed through the air
Like a glowing tortoise
And we all sat
Under our musasa
With glistening penny cools
And freckled knees
Aug 24, 2015
Aug 24, 2015 at 9:06 PM UTC
There's always that one girl
with the astonishing smile
and the little sly gap
between her front teeth-
charming because it screams of mischief.
There's always that one girl
with the literature voice
and the Zimbabwe speech
sneaking in through her
points, arguments, metaphors. Identity.
That one, inexplicable, eccentric
girl
who somehow teaches you
how take to take a selfie in the dark
nighttime balcony of an African university.
And somehow by the end of it,
as you are carried away to tomorrow
by the sound of her new sim-card voice,
you wonder why some victories
cannot be gold medals you can take
back home to your parents,
as she bus-drifts away back to that
spirited mother land
that hatched her onto a podium.
Then that new sim-card is discarded.
And some smiles you cannot forget.
Dec 17, 2014
Dec 17, 2014 at 10:21 AM UTC