Zawadi Nyingine Ya Krismasi: "Robert Frost: Selected Poems"

Krismasi iliyopita, tulipeana zawadi, katika familia na marafiki, kama ilivyo jadi. Kati ya zawadi alizonipa binti yangu aitwaye Zawadi ni kitabu, Robert Frost: Selected Poems. Watoto wangu wanajua tangu zamani ninavyopenda vitabu.

Sina hakika kama kitabu hicho ninacho kati ya vitabu vyangu, ambavyo vinazidi elfu tatu, vingine vikiwa Tanzania na vingine hapa Marekani. Lakini ameninunulia toleo jipya, lililochapishwa na Fall River Press mwaka 2011.

Robert Frost ni moja kati ya washairi maarufu Marekani na duniani. Wajuzi wa fasihi ya ki-Ingereza wanafahamu, kwa mfano, shairi moja maarufu la Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken," ambalo hata sisi tulipokuwa wanafunzi wa "high school" Tanzania, miaka ya mwanzoni ya sabini na kitu tulilisoma na kulitafakari. Kama nakumbuka vizuri, shairi hili ndilo lilitutambulisha ushairi wa Robert Frost.

Robert Frost: Selected Poems ni mkusanyiko wa mashairi mengi, na mengi yanaongelea hali ya kaskazini mashariki ya Marekani, kama vile Massachusetts na New Hampshire, hasa wakati wa kipindi cha baridi kali. Tunaona jinsi anavyoelezea namna miti inavyokuwa imebeba mzigo wa theluji na barafu hadi kushindwa kusimama wima.

Anaelezea maisha ya watu wa kawaida, kama vile wakulima na wafugaji, na mazao wanayolima, na mifugo yao. Inanikumbusha maisha niliyokulia kijijini, hasa kwa namna anavyoelezea jinsi watu hao wanavyotumia majembe. Ni wazi anaelezea siku zilizopita, au maisha ya vijijini. Robert Frost anaandika ki-Ingereza chepesi, lakini kilichojaa fikra na maudhui. Mashairi yake yanatoa fursa kwa msomaji sio tu kujiongezea ujuzi wa matumizi ya ki-Ingereza, bali kutafakari masuala mbali mbali ya maisha.

Nilifurahi kupata kitabu hiki, nikaanza kusoma siku ile ile, na huwa nakisoma kila siku. Najikuta ninasoma mashairi mengi mara ya pili, ya tatu au ya nne. Robert Frost anaandika kwa lugha nyepesi, lakini iliyojaa maudhui na mambo mengine.

Ningeweza kutoa mfano wa shairi kama "The Road Not Taken," lakini napenda kuleta shairi hili:

A TIME TO TALK

When a friend calls to me from the road

And slows his horse to a meaningful walk,

I don't stand still and look around 

On all the hills I haven't hoed,

And shout from where I am, What is it?

No, not as there is a time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground, 

Blade-end up and five feet tall,

And plod: I go up to the stone wall

For a friendly visit.

Shairi hili linanigusa, kwa sababu mbali mbali, ikiwemo jinsi mshairi anavyotoa fundisho kuhusu mahusiano kati ya binadamu na binadamu, hasa katika jamii zinazojifanya hazina muda wa vitu kama maongezi.

Jambo jingine ni matumizi ya lugha, maneno kama vile "a meaningful walk," "I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground," "And plod."

Nakuachia mdau ulitafakari mwenyewe shairi hili.