BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI— What people say when someone dies can sometimes reveal as much about the living as it does about the person being mourned. This uncomfortable idea sits at the heart of Bless LePoet’s latest spoken-word piece, ‘Bengisemngcwabeni Wami 1st’.
Born Sibusiso Shongwe from Phonjwane in the Sipofaneni constituency, Bless LePoet uses poetry, music and storytelling to explore real-life experiences. His latest work takes that approach into darker territory, imagining himself lying inside his own coffin while listening to the people gathered around him. “Bengisemngcwabeni Wami is a painful and heartfelt poem that is based on a true story, as like being there while I’m dead inside the casket,” he said.
The poem looks beyond death itself, focusing on the emotions, conversations and hidden truths that can surface at a funeral. Through the imagined experience, Bless questions whether the love expressed after someone’s death always matches what was shown while they were alive. “My heart was pounding at my funeral. I was standing right there watching and listening but they couldn’t see me,” he said.
Recited in SiSwati, the piece creates an eerie picture of mourners speaking around his coffin, strangers delivering speeches and the possibility of secrets being exposed. It becomes a reflection on grief, love, hypocrisy and the things people often leave unsaid. Bless is also known for founding and hosting the Bars2Bars Cypher, a Hip Hop platform that promotes local artists and collaboration.
‘Bengisemngcwabeni Wami 1st’ was written by Sibusiso Shongwe and Fezeka Nkosi, with production by NineFourBeats and mixing and mastering by TNS Savvy. Released on 31 July, the piece has already received airplay on EBIS 1 and reached number two on the Eswatini Hits chart. Its visuals have also passed 1,200 Facebook views within a week.
The poem is currently available through Eswatini Hits, while the visuals with English translations can be found on Bless LePoet’s Facebook page. From 19 August, it is expected to reach platforms including Spotify and TikTok. For Bless, the project is ultimately a place for thoughts that are difficult to say out loud. “This isn’t just poetry. It’s 3am thoughts, truth, and the pieces of Bless LePoet I’ve been holding in from a real place.”
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(Courtesy Pic)
