Bury Me at Zibalwe Village

I feel deeply grateful, Lord

To have been born when I was
Caring loving parents
Never experienced starvation
Never felt cold and hungry
Never experienced colonialism
Nor harsh pangs of slavery
Bury me at Zibalwe
In the cool swaying breeze
On the banks of the gorgeous Lundazi river

Feel deeply grateful to Zambia
The sweet country of my ancestors
Who paved the way
Endured pain and humiliation
The pangs of colonialism
Brutal Arab slave trade
Bury me at Zibalwe
Swift running fresh water
On the banks of the beautiful Lundazi river

Feel grateful to be
Riding through precarious
Manenekela steep escarpment
The chugging persistent sound
The melodic whistle of the steam engine
The njanje train from Broken Hill to Bancroft
From Kabwe to  Chililabombwe
Bury me at Zibalwe
In the sweet breeze of
Savannah grassland Zambia
The swift current of fresh water
ON the bank of the Lundazi river

Feel deeply grateful to friends
Made life in precious Zambia
The best it could be
The majestic Lusaka Cathedral
Delicious nshima at Luburma
Ice cream at Zambu snack Bar
The live music at Zanimuone
Mimba tiye in Chipata
Golden Peacock in Kitwe
Throbbing dancers at Barn Motel
Bury me at Zibalwe Village
In the pleasant breeze
The swift current of fresh water
Dancing and shaking matete reeds
On the banks of the beautiful Lundazi river

Feel deeply grateful to teachers
Opened a world never imagined
The dignity of knowledge
Significance of discipline
The inevitability of waking up
At the crack of dawn in boarding school
Amidst a thousand snores
Yet another day of learning
The joy and comfort of
Togetherness in hunger,
Disease, pain, suffering and joy
Bury me at Zibalwe Village
In sweet soothing breeze
Fresh grass and tall green trees
Swift currents of fresh water
On the bank of the Lundazi

Feel deeply grateful
For delicious Zambian food
Hot nshima slowly dipped
Into the red chicken soup
Nshima with litapi – Mongu
Nshima with Kariba fish
Nshima with Kafue Bream
Nshima with Luangwa fish
Nshima with chekwechekwe
Nshima with delicious
Relishes of a thousand types
Oh, how happy I am
To be a Zambian
Swift currents of fresh water
Bury me at Zibalwe Village
On the banks of the beautiful
Lundazi river