‘The Women Who Dared To Be’ by Mpumalanga Zwane

Our feet pound the ground; pound the yams;
Stir up the maize in boiling water-
Hearts pounding
To sustain: to renew: revive: Bring forth new life,
Not just with our wombs; but with our minds; Our hearts
We are the water that sustains;
The winds that stir change: serving knowledge on a platter:
pounding fists attached to voices shouting in unison
Declaring that our lives matter
Our wombs, breasts and thighs are just a single factor of our humanity
But more than all of that- We Are | I Am:
Woman- Life Bearing- Life Sustaining- The Storm and The Calm
before and After
We Are Radical Woman- We wear our voices as a mantel;
Exercising our choice so others will
be empowered to do the same; Passing on our light like a candle;
Be it our choice for equal rights; equal recognition
or just our right to be human;
We are Women Rights Defenders- Forever and Ever Will Be:
we stand; Erecting an army of
women; Declaring; Believing; Living; As more than just bodies;
We Are Women: Women Who Matter!

About the Author: Mpumalanga Zwane is a Spoken Word Poet and part-time model who always aims to touch at least one life through her words and work. An artivist at heart, pan-African thought, women issues and identity form focal themes of her poetry. Outside of poetry, Mpumalanga is a BA (Hons) Social Science graduate from the African Leadership University and plays various roles in the civic space, including co-founding a youth empowerment NGO mentoring and disseminating information to bridge socioeconomic inequalities. In her spare time, she draws and dances while singing off key to her favourite songs.
Social Media: Instagram- @langas_house | Email: langashouse@gmail.com