Dikulo di fofile jwaloka dinonyane sepakapakeng 

Mohudi oa aparela sechaba sa rantsho

Ramathamathatha, ra fahlwa ke mesi 

Ra kena mona ra tswa le mane

Hosena ya hlalosang lefifi le aparetseng letsatsi

Mama ba tjhisitse Karabo

Ba tlatlapile Bonngeka, 

Ba bolaile Popi le Nombiyiselo

Kgalefo ya thothometsa mafika

Pelong tsa popelo

Lehloyo la dula pounameng tsa basadi 

Bare banna ke matlakala 

Dithwele tsa maobane

Banna ba emisitse ditebele 

e seng hotlisa di phetoho

Empa ho hlekefetsa le ho retla 

Mama kajeno basadi ba fetohile dira

Bana ke dithepa tse rekiswang

Oho hle! Bokwata, 

Bosenyi le ho tlatlapa ha se borena

Tshwarahanyo e ka re thusa 

Ponelopele le phedisano 

Re mathela dinqalong tsa bafu 

Ho ilo tsosa bo ntate Biko, 

Bo mama Winnie Mandela 

Ho re arabella mmusong 

Re qala kae ho fodisa?

Re qala kae ho tshepa hape?

Re qala kae ho boela ho rata hape? 

Ho kopanya meya e robehileng?

Ha e se banna ho ema ka Maoto 

Ho tshwara ngwana moshanyana ka letsoho 

Ho tataisa bahlankana ho tsitsa

Banna ho tswellise thuto, pholo le moruo wa bophelo 

Se ka nyahama Tafita ho Goliate wa kajeno

Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta known as JahRose is an International Performing Poet, Writer, Author, Translator, Publisher, Library Book Distributor and an Art-preneur from South Africa. Born in the Free State Province- Bloemfontein. Currently admitted as a Masters student in Creative Writing at Rhodes University. A Dream Girl Scholarship holder sponsored by the U.S Embassy at AWE – Academy for Women Entrepreneurs. And she has completed a Management and leadership program from University of the Free State Business School. Qualification obtained with distinction.  JahRose serves as a National Sector Leader for Languages and Publishing under the Cultural Creative Industries of South Africa

A globetrotter with highlights from China, Hosted at the international writing centre in Beijing Normal University with dialogue & translations between Chinese and International poets exchanging from Mexico, Germany, California, India and Denmark, her works were translated into mandarin and featured in poetry and poetics anthologies and magazines. She recently came back from Denmark at the  ‘Odense Lyrik ‘Festival partaking in poetry performances, dialogues and book sharing. Her poems have also been translated to Danish. 

Q&A with Jahrose:

Why do you write? 

I couldn’t act, couldn’t paint, my heart yearned to hold a guitar but my fingers wouldn’t come to play. My esteem felt naked in front of an audience. So, I knew that if I cannot sing I would at least write songs. I ran to the page for solace. I love words. They saved my drowning in daymares and they are re-saving me yet again during this pandemic. Writing grants me stability in the midst of a turbulence. 

Are there any SA female writers you admire & who?

My old time favorite siStar is none but Napo Masheane, when she wins I win.  She is an Artpreneur of note. A storyteller, poet, playwright, a mother and a globetrotter. 

What did it feel like writing about the losses of women and children in your mother tongue and your borrowed language for this campaign and anthology?  

Writing in Sesotho is a privilege for me as it hardly happens; I must have been visited by my old maternal angel to pull it through. English has taken over my sleep. I can never claim to be ‘Woke’ The Sesotho piece felt like I was crying to mama to also release my mother tongue. As she pleads with heaven to free women and children. In Sesotho I find myself talking directly, no hiding, I say it as it is. My heart is lamenting and I cannot hide the tears.

Whilst writing in English, I felt like more creative wordplay, some psychology and depth in my narrative. The emotions were ripe. I was angered. My nose is widening just thinking of someone pissing on me, as I wrote. I could imagine how a tree feels and unfortunately, we are those trees in  our society. 

Find Jahrose at:

jahrosepro@gmail.com