An interview with South African Poet Jacobus Gideon Louis Nieuwoudt

Tell us about yourself:

I'm known by many names. My Christian name, if you will, is Jacobus Gideon Louis Nieuwoudt. My chosen name is King Kobi or just Kobi <3 - As spoken by the sweet, satisfied voice of a woman that smells of dead roses and hunger -  I was born in Pretoria, South-Africa, in a military hospital. I write satire, comedy and acid horror. I'm known for Fifty Shades of Adolf, Dingue! and Sixteen and Dead.

Tell us about the poetry scene in your country:
Well, it's split down the middle as most things are. You get black poetry and white poetry. The poets you are taught about in school all wrote about depression, regret, history and our country. That's what I know about. Black poetry deals with similar themes but includes slavery, communism, socio-economic questions and colonialism as well.
The scene itself - from what I know - is very self-inclusive. It's a scene that revolves around itself. It's not mainstream and those that tend to consume poetry also partake themselves. Publishers shy away from it so it makes it hard to make a living from it.

That being said, like most of the arts, it's pretty liberal. And I've noticed that if you do not share the same ideas as those that run many of the outlets available to poets you are ignored. Your opinion only maters if it is indeed routed in the popular opinion. Right now, it seems, that you're either Far/Militant Left or considered a Nazi for not agreeing with a certain agenda. And they don't associate with Nazis. They glorify the opposite.
What influences your creativity? When and how did you get to be a poet?

Music, film, day to day life. Stories I hear.

I've always been a writer. There's no way around it. My imagination took president over everything and everyone else. I have always had a certain level contempt for the world I was born into. I hate that it's so dull and boring. I hate that this is all there is to us. I never fit in and as such I've always been an outcast. A dissident. But a pleasant one. I like to laugh and most of the time I enjoy making other people laugh. I guess there's a part of me that just wants to see the world happy?

The trouble is that I understand certain truths about us as a species and how society impacts us - on not only an emotional level - but on a cultural one as well. How social engineering is employed to fuel capitalism and consumerism. How money is used to degrade and control. How we become puppets in a manufactured society. I don't like that.
What was it that Patti said? "Outside of Society, is where I wanna be?"
Yeah, I'm like that. Gnostic. Manson said,  "I don't need to choose a side."
I'm quite inclined to that idea. I guess that makes me a little dangerous.
I've been taught to partake, some would even say genetically inclined to, but when the moment comes - I refuse - is that strange? To not inhale?
I don't know, really.  But I would like to see my people free. If only mentally. To know when the magician is sprinkeling fairy dust on them as opposed to closing their eyes and blissfully looking the other way when it happens.
What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?  
It's easy: Mainstream accessibility. And this will change when the stigmas surrounding poetry is dismantled. It starts in school. "Poetry is boring!" Ever hear this? "Poetry is hard!" well yes it is kind of difficult, if it wasn't it wouldn't be good poetry. Give the kids what they want. Give them Rap Music.

What's lacking: Humor.

If you were a poem, what type of form will you be in, and why?

I'd be a disjointed poem. Maybe a medieval limerick about sex and violence, filled with what the popular opinion perceives today as "problematic
themes" about slaying your enemies, subjugating warrior women and giving no quarter to the weak. Something funny but wholly offensive.
Maybe something about witches being burned at the stake for giving all of the village children "frogs legs" or something. The punch line being that the witches turned the children into White Supremacists. Because frogs are racist. Oh hell. I shouldn't have laughed at that one. Deep cuts.

If you were the president of your country, tell us what your presidency will be like?

This is a dangerous question. My answer will surely offend a couple of people if not most. As I identify as a Fascist-Socialist-Monarch. I'd not be a president but a King. And as such my word would be supreme law and whatever I said would go. And because I'm not a traditionalist the church wouldn't have a say in the matter. In my Kingdom there'd be religious freedom - true religious freedom - with monuments to Gods and Goddesses of every main religion practiced in my Kingdom. Of the old Gods and the new Abrahamic ones. Black and White.

My people would love me. Adore me. Worship me as I abolish debt left, right and centre and proceeded to tell a certain "worldly" ruling class to make like a tree. I'd make Education, Water and Electricity, Healthcare and certain foodstuffs tax deductable - because really now. It's 2017. In a modern society these things should be a right for all.-  And if you're not paying tax you'll be put to work for me. Building my Coliseums, where my people can watch pedophiles, rapists and other ungoodly monstrosities being eaten by wild, ravenous animals and, yes, there shall be chariot races and gladiatorial games with large sums of gold awarded to the winners - as it should be.
I shall make sure that my people are safe. All the citizens of my Kingdom - black and white - from unruly Cultural - Marxist nonsense, that seek to make victims of its subscribers like some ugly cult, by regulating the amount of so-called "revolutionary" - trash my Kingdom is allowed to consume by giving them a better - more local - diet of the entertainment that they'd want to digest. I shall give the arts the kind of money it has never seen! And make the kind of film that would rival even the biggest markets on the planet.

Soon the rest of Africa would call for my caring hand to envelope them as well. And not long and my troops will march into their cesspits and clear it of the corrupt filth that calls itself their leadership and thus my Kingdom will grow. And the American media will vilify me as the Devil as I, Your Majesty, King Kobi, puts a smile on every one of my Kingdom's inhabitants. One at a damn time!
Also. I'll put a cap on the population limit. Two children per household. If you go over, I'll have you fixed. This ain't a democracy. So don't try that shit with me. A vote is a vote and a boat is a boat and with me in charge that ship has sailed. Ya dig? Good.  

Tell us about your poems in BNAP
It's about Colonialism/Imperialism and its affect on my people. The Afrikaners. Spoiler Alert: It made us weak and stupid.

What do you think can be done to improve BNAP anthology:
Use the money that is made from the sales to promote it on larger outlets. Get it into schools as prescribed reading?

Interview with Nigerian poet Chuma Mmeka

In-depth interview


Who is Chuma Mmeka?

Chuma Mmeka is just a simple guy who is determined to make a difference in history, taking it one step at a time. Chuma Mmeka is proudly Nigerian, with more than two decades life-living longevity experience. He is happily married and blessed with lovely kids.

Chuma Mmeka is a multi-faceted artist and activist with a background in psychology and in law. He is a corporate administrator and charity engineer with a voluntary verve to assist vulnerable African children. He opposes injustice and hates to pretend to press or please anybody.

In a nutshell, Chuma Mmeka is a programmed humanistic project in progress.

Tell us about the poetry scene in your country, as a fellow poet.

In my country Nigeria, poetry creativity and appreciation appears to me not to be what it used to. Because of population explosion and increased literacy, there is an inadequacy of recognitions and recognition platforms for budding talents unlike in the prime period of our Chinua Achebe, JP Clark, Wole Soyinka and their contemporaries. These in no small way affect the psyche of emerging good poets and their creativity.

Be that as it may, Nigeria's scenery is an amazing one to own. There's never a limit to the number of themes or concepts available for your imagination to tinker with. From our numerous natural resources, virgin and unravaged environments, to tourist sites that lie across several rivers, and reside atop mountains, in depths of valleys and on beds of green. Even with the posture of poverty and paucity of possibilities in the land, you will find ample inspiration for your work.

From our sheer large landmass and multi-ethno-religious population, to the relics of a regrettable past that includes slavery, colonialization, harmful traditional practices and civil war, there is so much to set your story on, whether in writing or in painting. I won't forget to mention plotcepts from our internal squabbles, and agitations against unity; or refuse to talk about the corruption that holds sway, or the fritting away of a people's commonwealth. I will not blind over the distrust between the leaders and the led, nor will I ignore the facts of the imminent dooms that dog us; and of the power play of men and women to conjugate fears and worries in the land.

All these tickle the imagination in a million different ways and contribute to make our poetry scene a rather unique one - a stage upon which background you can set a multiplicity of plays with different themes.

What influences your creativity? When and how did you get to be a poet?

I will answer the second part of your question first. Honestly, I don't know and can't say when and how exactly I got to be a poet. Maybe the talent is inborn; because it's always been there as far back as I can remember.
Though I didn't delve into public poetry practice or competitions (apart from representing my school and winning the Maryam Babangida Children’s Poetry Prize at thirteen), until after I had turned forty; I can remember vividly that at a time, when I was only seven years, I was made to present a flower bouquet to an August visitor, an Education Commissioner in my state. I was also required to say a few words of appeal to her on behalf of my fellow pupils.

Perhaps because I already knew the VIP lady and what her mission was; or because my teachers wanted to bring true their prophecies that I was going to be great - after seeing writings and drawings in my child’s scrapbook – I was selected over others to make the presentation. The teachers guided me in the poetic lines development; and my delivery on the ‘D’ day was so applauded that I gained right away, the self confidence and contacts that took me into children's television participation.

Besides, and before that presentation however, mother had always made me read from a variety of children's books and the bible at home. Her counsel was that regular reading and memorizing would help to sharpen my mind. So I can say now without fear of contradiction, that my mind was already poetic before I realized it and before any member of the public got to know about it.

Now, to the first part of your question. My creativity is mainly influenced by my environment, personal experiences, and demands of the moment. My poetry is for now, informed by a social activism mindset that stems mainly from private and social happenstances from my past and country.

As a young child, I seemed to have everything I needed, yet I refused to be happy, becoming rebellious in many ways. This was, as I now see, because of my parents' violent marital separation and my consequent vulnerability growing up with my mother. I abhorred the social circles she tried to create for me, just because their families were complete and they were always happy. Instead, I made friends at school and around the house, with some less privileged children who always seemed in need of help to be happy. Baffled by the segregations in life, I would oftentimes keep to myself, building notes and drawings that showed my displeasure. My poetry chapbooks "The Broken Home" and "Echoes of The Mind" (both by Adfinity Media 2015) are collected adaptations of those child and early adulthood notes of memories.

Tell us about your work as an actor in Nigeria. Act out a scene to us in word form

I can say that my acting career is fast gathering momentum. I may not be up there at the moment, but I'm working relentlessly to get to the very pinnacle of the industry.

Just like my writing (poetry) career, apart from a stint on national television as a child in primary school, and a couple of on-stage roles in my secondary school drama group in 1990, I didn't go into mainstream acting until 2014 when I struck my debut in Nollywood.

Since that debut in "King Akubueze" by SamGold Production (where I played challenging voicing and acting roles), I have featured in as many as fifty flicks which have done well both in the open market and on international cable television. However, the two Nollywood movies that first put me in the spotlight are "Beyond Beauty" (an action love hit by AndyBest Production) and the "Secret Palace Mission" (a royal action thriller by RichRock Production).

Act out a scene in word form? I don't know how easy that is going to be, but I will try. Here it goes:

My phone is ringing in an office. I am sitting and working at the desk. I glance about and take the still ringing device from under a sheaf of papers. I look at the screen, smile as I recognize the caller and put the handset to my ear “Hello Tendy” I say. I listen for some time still holding the phone to my ear. Impulsively, I stand, pace the space and then say “Yes sir, I understand. I can ...” Obviously interrupted, I pause again to listen, raise my head in thoughtfulness, and then nod vigorously. Next I say “It's okay. I agree sir. Just send me the e-mail first, and I will take it from there. I'm sure we can still beat the deadline, sir”. I listen momentarily again, inaudibly mutter something before putting the phone hand down. I stand quietly for some seconds clutching the phone hard and appearing to be deep in thought. Suddenly, I jolt, and begin to dance in excitement to no melody. After a moment, I stop abruptly and heave a sigh of relief before pumping a fist in the air. I smile wryly and exclaim “Yes! We made it! Let me get straight to work” before walking back to my desk.

Tell us something embarrassing that happened to you, or anything secretive that you have kept to yourself?

First, let me say that my life is like an open book, free for anyone to search or read. So there is nothing I will regard as a secret about me. If however there was something secretive at all that I have managed to keep to myself, you wouldn’t expect me to air it here; no one would. Indeed if I do, it would no longer then be a secret, will it?

But there is this embarrassing incident that did happen to me a couple of years ago and I don’t mind sharing it with you. It so happened that after an international writing project, our editor forwarded a review by my co-contributor in the project to be inserted in the Nigerian media. I was away on location shooting a film. Unfortunately, the detailed review that was sent to me was unsigned and without an author’s mark. Based on the exigency of the intended publication, I had instructed my new secretary before leaving for the rural film camp to promptly access my e-mail and to forward the said review to some pre-arranged media contacts. When she did not see a name on the material, and was unable to reach me on the film set, she inserted my name as author and forwarded same to the media contacts. When the publication went live, the error was discovered to my embarrassment. It took me time to explain myself and convince several persons that it was mistake. Though I finally got corrigendum in the media involved, I can hardly forget the incident.

What other arts are you involved in?

They would still be many if you take away poetry and acting. I draw, I paint, I sing. I am a graphic artist, a stylist and fashion designer. I read and write widely; I am into voicing, compering, photography, modeling, printmaking, interior decorations, confectionery and culinary arts. Currently, I am pursuing a short course in graphic animation, and have only just recently, released a series of innovative children’s books authored and illustrated by me.

Tells us about your other poems in BNAP

I have had my poems in the Best New African Poets Anthology from 2015 till date. I pray that I again merit an opportunity to be included in their next edition.

In 2015, I had three of my poems in the anthology. They include “A People’s Culture”, “My Ekpe Dance”, and “Once Upon A Christmas Day”. They each talk about a child’s experiences in the village for the first time during a festive period. The poems reveal a lot about the scenery, cultures and social interactions among the people of a traditional Igbo society during the annual mass return season.

In 2016, apart from my contribution to the group poem  "Peaceful conflict in the land of Utopia", my main poem “Never Forget” made it into the anthology. The poem is a flashback to the carefree lifestyle of a hard-working, successful fun-loving bachelor, and the attendant regrets in mature life for a past foolishness.

I never thought of it as my best work ever, but that same poem “Never Forget” which I had submitted to the anthology was also simultaneously sent to a call by the Howard Harrington Foundation. This past August of 2017, the poem won me £1000 and the toga of ‘Emerging African Poet’ in a private art and poetry patrons' gathering organized by the foundation at Durban, South Africa.

I guess I owe the anthology editors and publishers a great deal of gratitude for publishing the work first.
     
What do you think can be done to improve BNAP anthology, in the future editions; marketing, editorial etc.

All I can note on this for now is the need for the anthology editors to develop an internationally acceptable standard screening process for all future entries/contributions to ensure that new editions are of improved quality and value across borders. I am also of the opinion that since the anthology sells commercially, for profit, a form of royalty should be paid to BNAP contributors in the future (even if it's just free copies) to appreciate their pains while the anthology continues to grow.

Thank you.

An interview with South African based Indian Poet Amitabh Mitra

Tell us about yourself

I am a Trauma Surgeon at Cecilia Makiwane Heritage Hospital in the township of Mdantsane, East London, South Africa

Tell us about the poetry scene in your country, as a fellow poet.

Well, I balance myself between two countries India and South Africa. During the seventies while still at Delhi, Protest Poetry was synonymous to South African poetry. I believe we may divide South African poetry into pre and post 1994.  Prominent among them would be Tatamkulu Africa, Shabbir Banoobhai, Denis Brutus, Ingrid de Kok and many others. The post 1994 poets who signed their words in revolution against the present regime would be Rustum Kozain, Lindiwe Mabuza, Kobus Moolman and others. Politics and Poetry, they go together and fusing them in culture is sheer silk, erratically torn at many a time.

What influences your creativity? When and how did you get to be a poet?

I believe, I am a love poet because most of the time I am madly in love with some or other person, strangerlove at strangertimes. I have seen the worst of trauma and taken up arms in civil wars and complex humanitarian emergencies in Niger, Congo and Rwanda, Treating and facing trauma is my profession and continues to be a mercenary for hire for such African countries. Love Poetry for me is a catharsis because I have nobody to reveal what I have seen and what I have done. I worked with General Nkunda in Masisi. He wrote poetry too. His whereabouts now are not known.

Tell us about your work as a publisher in South Africa

Poets Printery is small time publishing house dedicated to publishing exclusively poetry and art in a non profit basis. We have been publishing poetry since 2002.

Tell us something embarrassing that happened to you, or anything secretive that you have kept to yourself?
The Interpol had put a red corner notice which was removed after proper explaination

What other arts are you involved in

Visual Arts – Acrylic on Canvas, Charcoal on Paper, Poetry Art and Poetry Film

Tells us about your other poems in BNAP

I think I have this habit of repeating myself, like my father. He wished I could go to UK and do my Fellowship in Orthopaedic Surgery. Instead I repeated myself inadvertently so many times in so many distances. This could never have been you obviously. I took to the lonely streets in shadows of many evenings in lives we lived and tried forgetting. In inanimate proportions, living was never reaching and I believe you too never reached.
It has been a long time since then. I would love to know, did you ever think of repeating time, remembrances in many other dewdustdawns. And as I pass many such indigo
blue days, I seem to believe in repeating again. Each stranger sun tends to replicate itself and each of our lives still stays together. You are not there because you believed
in belief and I who never believed in anything other than you, still look down at many
shades of new evenings where the answer seems to be a stretch to many more lives. I do sometimes slip into a life that you are used to living when I treat an assault trauma in
an African country but then old lives don’t leave me so easily.

Entrevista com o Augusta Jorge

1-Augusta Jorge nascida aos 10 de Maio na província do Huambo município do Bailundo,sou especial pra os meus amores ,carismática e simpática, sou louca acho que se não fosse não seria Poéta, se podesse mudar algo em mim não o faria porque não teria nada pra mudar.

2-A poesia por ca ainda não e muito aceite,mas já estamos num bom caminho temos lutado pela divulgação da mesma apesar das barreiras ,mas o movimento literário Lev'Arte tem feito muito para mudar este quadro.

3-Tudo inspira-me a minha vida ,as lutas as vitórias os amores ...
Comecei a escrever muito cedo mesmo sem saber o que era até um dia declamar e desde então sempre escrevendo e declamando.


Filha das ruas
Augusta Jorge

Porque tiraste-me da rua
Para que eu seja sua

Cobria-me do frio dela
Acompanhada de suas estrelas
Do seu luar
Das noites escuras e chuvosas

De dia vivo o sol
Que faz-me sentir tão quente
Que nem uma cama ardente
Eu vivo nessas ruas

Onde o pão é só em pensamentos
A dor aperta no meu peito
Eu vivo nas ruas

Não sei o que é um abrigo
Porque nunca me foi dado
Eu sou da rua
Onde a solidão é o meu colchão
O silêncio o meu rumor

O coração não sabe o que é a paixão
Eu represento a minha própria ruína
Por tornar-me heroina
De tanto sofrer, nem sei mais o que é ser feliz
Ainda assim vivo a rua


4-Nem vejo palavras para dizer a cerca do Filhas das ruas,ele tem um valor sentimental enorme ,falo do sofrimento que parecia ser bom e que estava conformada e que já não queria mudar porque era tudo o que tinha apesar de tudo...Fica difícil falar do que é nosso é bem mas fácil dos outros.

5- Amo a dança, adoro cantar e faço acessórios de trajes para mim talvez um dia faça para os outros, agora quando o assunto é livro e leitura lá vai eu são coisas muito importante para mim.

6-Outros poemas que fazem parte da minha vida ,desta jornada que se chama vida os levo comigo como parte de mim cada frase representa algo para mim bom ou mau ,palavras não são suficientes para falar deles apenas digo Eu Amo cada POEMA.

7-Gostaria que os participantes tivessem um exemplar da Antologia e que cada país participante podesse divulgar desta forma incentivando outros a trabalharem,sem limitações ou complexos demostrando que todos conseguimos basta coragem e determinação como ingredientes indispensáveis para a vida .
E tudo por mim pra finalizar deixo um poema :
Confio em Ti
Confio em um ser que nem sei
Deposito o meu desejo
E os meus anseios.
A confiança é o que me faz sonhar
Todo o dia sabendo que posso mais ...mas além.
Quem ama confia essa frase me faz lembrar no dia em que depositei o meu corpo no teu sem medo de saber o que me irias fazer apenas confiei em ti e lá estava eu vivendo em ti o que um dia senti.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

An interview with Zimbabwean poet, Chenjerai Mhondera

 In-depth Interview Series

Cecil Jones Myondela better known amongst his legion of fans, writers and readers as Chenjerai Mhondera is mystery in the world of literature. What makes me a mystery is that nothing is very clear about circumstances around my birth. Some say I was born in Ujamaa Village in Tanzania in the late 80s so is the name Umoja Ujamaa while others are of the mind that I was born Cecil Jones Myondela in the streets of the remote district of Colonial Melsetter (now Chimanimani) in Zimbabwe in around 1990 and grew up under. What is known about me is very sketch as I am also in the process of discovering myself. Owing to difficulties at office of Registrar, I could not be given proper identity. I was renamed in favour of local identity so is the name Chenjerai Mhondera which I have then adopted as my writing name. Anything else about me stands to be discovered. For this reason I can't seem to identify myself as a Zimbabwean or Tanzanian. I therefore say I come from the East and I am a citizen of the world. When the white family believed to have adopted me finally left in early 2 000 offered to take me out of this country citing Mugabe as cause, I was said to have said 'If you want to go, go. I will remain with David here rather than to be pushed and scared out of this country by Mugabe who does not know the inside of Chimanimani. I will remain to see Mugabe.' So  by writing I seek to reconnect with this white family who jetted to SA or Zambia. I believe she owes me some form of truth I seek to know about  my origins.
I am the writer of Chinotimba Jokes/ Masasi aChinoz, an Academic Book O LEVEL GUIDE TO ENGLISH EXAMINATIONS, published in several anthologies; Shona and English but mainly in English. My works have also been published on online blogs, journals and online Magazines. I am also the writer of the BOOK OF GREAT QUOTES (which has over 5 600 quotes of my own). I am inspired by Jesus Christ of Nazareth and Dambudzo Marechera of Zimbabwe. I am a novelist, author, motivational and inspirational speaker, poet, Founder and Patron of International Writers Association (IWA) formerly Young Writers Club

Poetry in Zimbabwe is growing large especially with the rise of new voices and youths to fill space created by our predecessors and seniors in Zimbabwean literature or those of African descendants. I can safely say if you are to throw a stone in the air on average when it falls you will hit a poet. Poetry has not only become synonymous with just writing. Poets are taking their poems to a point where they are now performing it. However lack of funding and helping juniors to get attention perform or get published is a gap that I feel honoured when people like Mwanaka, Edward Dzonze come as helpers to announce publication of budding poets and those having challenges with publishing, juniors and seniors alike through series of BNAP and Zimbolicious poetry. We wish to appreciate this commendable effort by those senior writers ploughing back into the community and nurturing these artistic talents.

The people around me, and the experiences I have reacted to are my greatest influence. When I see things happening in their order or disorders, I know I am being summoned and commissioned to write about it. I write the past, the present and my predictions of the future. I feel writing is a way to clear confusion about myself and to help explaining mysteries surrounding me.  I started writing when I was in grade four when I felt I could not keep reciting other people's poems or works. Poems to me are mini novels or novellas. They expose life in my background or what crosses my mind at that particular time and deserving to be  recorded.

I feel our poetry in Zimbabwe and or Africa is not direct in addressing ills in our societies and communities in Africa. It is somewhat afraid of tackling and addressing real issues affecting us and failing to identify who offenders might be and relaying our grievances and solutions before our leaders and authorities for practical constructive criticism and for adoption as transformative mechanism and guidelines to positively develop our societies and communities in Africa and the entire world

We should therefore be founders of literature that is very communicative as it is the only way reliable we can engage our neighbours, friends and relatives, our juniors and seniors,  our leaders and authorities in positive talk that betters humanity without having to write what's foreign about and too metaphoric and fable as not to make sense with them. It is high time we understand writing is a way to engage our leaders and address them effectively and thoroughly without having to go to politburo or parliament.


 If I were a poem I would have been a protest poem because once a protest poem I will keep protesting even to times to come later after us and I would stand like that to all authorities and leadership to come after us.

If I were to be a President I would love to improve the relation between my security agents and my people. I would listen to constructive  advise and criticism from my people and commit to address challenges in my people before people can turn them into grievances and the situation gets chaotic, warring, antagonistic and out of hand. I would also commit to inspect if there is no gross abuse of power by my cabinet, government officials, my army, law enforcement agents and my security agents. I would also maintain that peace exists and during its period of existence I would take it into my hands to see that while my army would not be on war to defend the nation,  it will be busy on community work and up to improve social amenities such as construction of schools, bridges, roads, hospitals, old peoples homes, orphanages, pothole filling and be on forefront of leading in indigenous programs that boosts national food reserves and guarantee food security to my people. I would also ensure that only criminals are jailed and stop a system that victimises people even when they are innocent simply because they are opposed to the ruling government. Instead of wasting prisoners in jail and all their energies in cells and ultimately starve and or kill them by hunger, I would create prison farms and install irrigations there so that inmates all year round will be punished in such a way that is productive to the society they belong rather than waste them in jail. I would make jails very correctional and rehabilitative in such a way that the nation will realize value from use of inmates. Those in craft work we would procure them materials required to get carpentry started, metal work  and so forth.

My poems in BNAP 2015 and 2016 respectively are evidence of the world of justice we seek to achieve in peace, understanding, unity and togetherness but with all courage and determination to do one another what is good. Some of them bemoan lack of energy in the way we tackle serious issues affecting. We seem to procrastinate or delay unnecessarily when it comes to implementation against a background that our minds are very sound and health in the way they think and push forward to suggest answers and solutions to our crises. I leave my people to read my poems IS THIS THE WAY?, AT KING AGRIPPA'S BANQUET, THE RUINS OF DAMBUDZO and many others in this series. I was questioning on justice for the individuals, justice for our nations and societies. So is justice everywhere.

When it comes to BNAP, I start by saluting the brains behind this series of anthology. It is for the first time if I may admit that people of African descendants are published in one literature book and come up together as a single voice in multiple cries. I thank you our dear Editors Tendai R Mwanaka and Daniel da Purifacacäo for this great revolution you have pioneered for us in the world of literature. We the people of Africa owe you so much gratitude. The series of BNAP in my view is very thorough and broad enough to include all those who open up to get published in it. The interviews as I see them are very important as they guide people and enhance understanding in them as they interact with our literary pieces since this sharing of our thoughts with them gives us common interests and objectives in the way we perceive the world and seek to bring normalcy into it. The book readings, book launches, reviews are some of the promotional moves of the book. I wish videos of these interviews be also on Youtube and circulating on social media platforms. Those published also elsewhere outside BNAP may also have to reflect or allude to BNAP while they may be having their own book launches and interviews.
I thank you

An interview with Nelisa Khwela

1. Tell us about yourself:

I am a 21-year-old from Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. I study Environmental Science, French and Spanish at the University of Cape Town. I am passionate about languages and how they can be manipulated to convey different meanings which is what draws me to poetry. I enjoy being able to “paint images” with my words. I am fascinated by both science (astronomy and the environment) and the arts (writing, languages, painting and calligraphy) and I hope to pursue a career that will allow me to merge the two.

2.Tell us about the poetry scene in your country:

The poetry scene in South Africa is quite diverse, much like the people themselves. I admire how well people are able to take their experiences and articulate them in such an artistic way. Issues expressed through poetry often vary from socio-economic issues to personal experiences and that kind of diversity creates a very interesting and vibrant poetry scene.

3. What influences your creativity?:

I’m inspired by the natural beauty of South Africa, from the mountains of the Western Cape to the green, rolling hills of Kwa-Zulu Natal. There is always something to write about based on my surroundings because it is just such a beautiful country. Most of my writing is based on my own personal experiences and reflections. I’m also inspired by other great writers and that tends to influence my style of writing.

4. What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry-making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?:

I feel that writing and poetry is lacking in general as I feel that many young people are not being encouraged to pursue writing, even as a hobby. This could be solved by making people more aware of the different opportunities available for amateur writers, in order to encourage them to share their work. I think that projects such as the Best New African Poets Anthology helps to show people that there are opportunities for writers.

5. If were to be elected the president of your country what issues closer to your heart would you tackle, and how?

If I were president, my primary focus would be education. I feel that if the people of a nation are educated, it better equips them to be able to empower themselves and overcome poverty. Educated people are also more informed about their rights and can protect themselves from exploitation. Having a skilled and educated workforce would also encourage the economic growth of the country.

6. Who is your role model, and why him/her…them.

My role model is my mother because she taught me the importance of having passion and enthusiasm for what you do. She has also encouraged me to continue to pursue writing and to take advantage of opportunities that allow me to share my writing. She has also inspired me in terms of her empathy and compassion towards people and seeing her help people inspires me to become a humanitarian as well. She also has a passion for languages so she has also encouraged me to continue to learn languages in order to be able to connect with others.

In terms of poetry, I’m inspired by Nayyirah Waheed. I love how she can write such powerful poetry in three or four lines. Her poetry is relatable and also challenges a lot of societal norms. It is inspiring how impactful her work is and how she’s been able to continue to believe in her work regardless of the negative criticism from more ‘traditional’ poets.

7. What type of sports are you into?:

I played hockey while I was in primary school but I did not continue with any sports in high school. I enjoy watching Premier League football, Winter Olympics sporting events and the Summer X Games.

8. Tell us about your writing process

My writing process is fairly simple. When I’m inspired by something, I usually write a rough draft on my phone and then spend time refining what I’ve written over a couple of days. I try to write in a very conversational manner, so I try to make the reader feel as if I were talking to them directly through my writing.

9. Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP:

The poem titled ‘Flight Reflections’ was inspired by the landscape that I was observing on a flight from Cape Town to Durban. Seeing the mountains and the lakes from the sky allowed me to see a different perspective. Often, we feel so consumed by our lives and our problems. When I saw how vast the landscape was and how it seemed to have no beginning or end, just land stretching out as far as I could see, it made me think about how small we are relative to the earth yet we consider ourselves in control of everything on earth. So, if we feel we own the mountain tops, how can we not achieve everything that we put our minds to?

An interview with Michael Ochoki

Q. Tell us about yourself.

A. I try to come to grips on who I really am on daily basis. For now, I identify myself as a writer and artist—if by definition the two exist in isolation. Which means I write poems, short stories and essays, and have experience in copywriting.
I’m currently working on my first short story collection. Next year I would love to see it in print. I’m already in touch with a literary agent. On the sides, when I’m not writing, I sample beats: hiphop and chillhop.  I’ve already completed a beat tape and will release it late this year, once I’m back in Kenya.
I love reading and I make sure I read 2-3 books a week, or less. I’m not trying to reach any target. Technically, no day is spent idling for me. Which means contact with other people is pretty minimal. I can’t call myself an introvert yet, because I don’t own cats. I blog on the side, but I took a break for a whole year to focus my energy on these projects.

Q. Tell us about the poetry scene in your country.

Poetry in Kenya is a highly recognized field. Some of the loudest, boldest voices in Kenya are either on the page (written poetry) or on the stage (spoken word). Some of these voices have initiated several platforms for poetry like One-Night Stand Poetry (now defunct), Poetry Slam Africa, ANIKA Forum, Nyanza Literary Fest among others. These platforms have churned out award winning poets and very competent writers. It’s a very competitive genre and I’m happy to be part of this generation of expressionists who have used poetry as an outlet.

Q. What influences your creativity? When and how did you get to be a poet?

Primarily, I’m influenced by my search for the meaning of life. I’m inspired by my feelings and attitude. I’m enthused by other poets and writers. I can’t drop names (because the more and the wider you read, the more you lose track on who is your favorite. You realize every writer is exceptional.) Then there’s the urge to just sit, punch the keyboard and see what comes up. Sometimes an idea just pops up and it leads to a story, to a poem, to a beat.
I started writing a few years ago after reading other established writers' works. After falling in love. After falling out of love. After falling in love again.  After seeing tears in my mother's eyes. After growing up and realizing how empty life is, and I have to fill this emptiness with something: my own thoughts and biases. After meeting guys who just want to be poets because it feels good to write a poem and read it and write another one and so on and so forth. And that at some point I can stop writing and making beats entirely and move on to another existential remedy—whatever that may be. Creativity is that supple for me.



Ka”


africa:   the bible came floating down the red sea

africa: the san(sun)/son

africa: afar: dust

africa: ifran: cave

africa: -ica: a land

africa: aprica: sunny – an ember off of hell's kitchen

africa: ka: the womb

africa: africus: rain/wind/rainy wind

africa: lucy: the essence; our godform/lucy: lucifer: the light

africa: broken china in the sun

africa: her literature is post-colonial, post-slavery trauma

africa: 70 coups; 13 presidential assassinations.

Q. It’s a beautiful experimental poem. It talks of Africa, so let’s talk about your poem and Africa.

A. Africa has always been a mystery for me. Her stories as told through post-colonial narrative, music, poem, film and dance, is all we know (especially we the “millennials”). When I try to explore on a personal level pegged on my experiences and observations, I feel that nobody understands Africa beyond what she has to offer—you know, sad stories and minerals.
The first line in this poem for instance, talks about how religion came with war and division. It's one of those historical happenstances that were unnecessary in the evolution of Africa.
The overall rhetoric in the poem is identity. What's Africa—as a name? What's Africa—as a voice? What's Africa—as a colour? Therefore, what's the name of Africa as a voice of colour?
The structure of the poem is deliberate. The word “africa” remains constant throughout the poem and stands alone against a myriad of these definitions.
“broken china in the sun” denotes the current capitalistic invasion of China in Africa.

Q. If you were a poem, what type or form will you be in, and why?

A. If I were a poem I would be an erasure form. You know, writing a poem then erasing some words and only leaving out abstract, disjointed, meaningless words that are subject to misinterpretation. I admire personalities shrouded in mystery.

Q. You are working in war torn Sudan, tell us what you think is the way forward for Sudan and Africa to stop or avoid these recurring war situations.

After decades, Africa is still reeling from colonial backwardness. The idea that was planted that power means violence, intimidation, divide-and-concur tactics and greed. Then there is the phenomenon of resistance to the undercurrents of change. There's the deeply-rooted biases of religion. Then the population surge. Tribe and race are simply used as scapegoats.
I hate to sound politically analytical in a sense that I have a solution to problems affecting a vast country like Sudan, let alone Africa. But I have to say, Africa has to try and redeem herself from continual bloodshed, poverty and political addiction by shaking off the colonial curse; by educating her women; by embracing emerging social dynamics; by dumping religious affiliations and by reducing birthrates. Young Africans should invest in agriculture, business, and technology, and avoid over-analyzing everything on social media. The people who run the affairs of Africa have little time for Facebook stale rhetoric and cropping memes.


Q. Tells us about your other poems in BNAP.

“I Write” has undertones of Zen enlightenment. How writing is a mystical force. How writing can build or destroy. How writing reflects all these chaos and patterns around us. It is a personal revelation on why I write and why I love the written word.
“The Night” is a memoir in verse. It’s my first time in Sudan. At night there are bombs reverberating a few kilometers from where I live. The night temperature is 40 degrees. I’m lying outside at around midnight, without clothes on, sky gazing. I’m homesick. I’m drunk. I miss my family. I'm drenched in sweat. I miss my girlfriend. I’m lost in this sea of melancholy and nostalgia. That’s when the poem was written on February last year.

Q. What do you think can be done to improve BNAP anthology, in the future editions; marketing, editorial etc…?

BNAP is a special thing because it is giving emerging voices like me a global platform. It’s building confidence in that our poems in this era are not just scrolled by on Facebook and WordPress, but are archived in a hardcover. It’s a great feeling that the poems in the anthology have been read in South Africa, Zimbabwe and UK. And the distribution of hard copies is well co-ordinated.
However, the editorial team should be a little bit more demanding on quality of work submitted so as to elevate the effort invested in writing poetry. And of course, contributors have to be paid for their work through a fair share of royalties.