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It might be supposed that this language, so smooth and flowing, would be favorable for the composition of poetry; and to poetry like that of the Hebrews, untrammeled by rhyme and modern poetic feet, perhaps it would adapt itself; but let a person attempt to write a few stanzas in this language, and he will soon find himself encompassed with difficulties. Poetic feet require a regular alternation of accented and unaccented syllables; but in this language the accent must, with a few unimportant exceptions, fall on the penultimate syllable. It matters not what is the length of a word, the penult must by invariable laws take the accent; and hence, as this language abounds in long words, it is impossible to make the laws of the language and the laws of metrical harmony coincide. The English language abounds with short words, but in the Zulu such words are very few; here, every noun and every adjective must contain at least two syllables, and the vast majority contain three or more. The language is good for public speaking, and may be good for almost any kind of prose writing; but, with more than asinine obstinacy, it refuses to assume the drapery and move in the measured gait of modern poetry.

The language, however, is not destitute of that higher kind of poetic beauty which consists in the thought, and not in the mere form of expression. Take, for example, the word umsebelanga, twilight, literally, the eyelashes of the sun; what conception can be more beautiful! the gleams of morning light are but the eyelashes of that great orb which is just ready to open on the world. Perfectly parallel is the well know Hebrew expression עַפְעַפֵּי־שַׁתַר, eyelashes of the dawn.

The people here use in conversation many strong and bold figures. A man comes to ask a favor, and he will probably preface his request by saying “you are rich, you are great, you are a chief, and I am only a dog.” A man thinking himself defrauded in a bargain, says of the cheater he has eaten me up. One of the highest compliments that can be paid, even to a white man, is to say you are black.

—James C. Bryant, ‘The Zulu Language’