poet muses: Nontsizi Mgqwetho

Imbongikazi ya kwa Chizama Nontsizi Mqwetho, imbongikazi ya kwa Chizama, exploded onto the scene in 1920 when her poems were published in the Xhosa-language newspaper Umteteli wa Bantu. The poems, written in isiXhosa, were “swaggering, urgent, confrontational woman’s poetry”. Her...

poet muses: HIE Dhlomo

The New African Herbert Isaac Ernest Dhlomo (1903 - 1956) is one of Afrika’s greatest intellectuals. A poet, essayist, journalist, librarian, short story writer and playwright, Dhlomo received his education at what is now known as Adams college in KwaZulu....

editorial: Every Generation

Back in the day, the early 2000s, there’s something we used to say at poetry sessions. “Poetry is not a competition, poetry is a mission” In fact, I think it was a line in a poem by someone… but I...

poet profile: Mphutlane wa Bofelo

Mphutlane wa Bofelo is thankfully not one of those poets for whom poetry is a trend, a phase or a branding opportunity. Truly dedicated to the craft, Bofelo has been writing poetry for years. Many respect him. A Black Conscious Sufi,...

poetry seen: TjoVitjo Bavino (complete text)

a thought in process... “Icons are essentially products of our times, and of their times, their construction is informed by their specific reaction to social and political circumstances. Such reactions though generated from a subjective place, are never private”~Xoli Norman...