For the second year in a row, Ben Okri has fed out a poem via his Twitter account.
This year it's a poem titled "As clouds pass above our heads..." and can be read in full on the Ebury Publishing blog.
Last year's "I sing a new freedom" apparently created quite the buzz -- though surely for the novelty of it all more than anything else.
In both instances, though, very unlike the poetry collected in his An African Elegy: for those familiar with Okri's work -- certainly for me -- these tweeted poems are oddly (intentionally) aspirational/inspirational...
And thanks yet again to Book SA for leading me to it.
02 February 2010
01 February 2010
exclusive apr (usa) content on facebook
I'm thrilled to announce the launch of a new feature on the african poetry review's Facebook fan page: the Facebook-featured Poets for Fans.
Sarah Frost (South Africa) and Uche Nduka (Nigeria/USA) have generously contributed some of their poems just for the Facebook fans of apr (usa)!!
We'll be adding poems over the coming weeks and months, ad infinitum. While you're visiting be sure to read and comment on the wall -- I'd love to hear your thoughts. (And for you real poetry junkies, don't forget to check out the apr (usa) Twitter feed.)
So if you're on Facebook visit our fan page, become a fan, and enjoy Frost's "Grahamstown" and Nduka's "About It", "There's the Cove", and "Which In Fact".
Sarah Frost (South Africa) and Uche Nduka (Nigeria/USA) have generously contributed some of their poems just for the Facebook fans of apr (usa)!!
We'll be adding poems over the coming weeks and months, ad infinitum. While you're visiting be sure to read and comment on the wall -- I'd love to hear your thoughts. (And for you real poetry junkies, don't forget to check out the apr (usa) Twitter feed.)
So if you're on Facebook visit our fan page, become a fan, and enjoy Frost's "Grahamstown" and Nduka's "About It", "There's the Cove", and "Which In Fact".
31 January 2010
some "recent" reviews
Well, recent is always a relative term, no?
Over the last year or so I've tried to track and bookmark reviews of works of African poetry that might be of interest to readers. What follows is just that which has come relatively easy to me. I'm sure there's much more out there but you have to start somewhere, even if you're reduced to far too much self-citation.
That's how I justify what follows...
For my own practice and benefit I try to write up brief reviews of each book I read. I'm woefully far behind -- my reading even still outstripping the rather paltry overview I give each book -- but havefive six (I inadvertently left off Anyidoho's volume from the initial post) short reviews to offer:
Elsewhere, the new Nigerian paper NEXT (also the first-Sunday-of-the-month home of Niyi Osundare) has published a few reviews of note:
I'd be remiss not to point you back to the overview of the year in Ugandan letters I wrote about earlier, which links to a number of reviews of Ugandan collections from the last year.
What am I missing? Lots, I'm sure.
So if you wrote, read, or have stumbled across a review of poetry that's appeared in the last year -- that is, the review has appeared in the past year; I don't care how old the collection itself might be -- send it along: email me the url and I'll compile another list for posting.
Over the last year or so I've tried to track and bookmark reviews of works of African poetry that might be of interest to readers. What follows is just that which has come relatively easy to me. I'm sure there's much more out there but you have to start somewhere, even if you're reduced to far too much self-citation.
That's how I justify what follows...
For my own practice and benefit I try to write up brief reviews of each book I read. I'm woefully far behind -- my reading even still outstripping the rather paltry overview I give each book -- but have
- Toyin Adewale, 25 Nigerian Poets
- Sammy Oke Akombi, Beware the Drives
- Kofi Anyidoho, PraiseSong for TheLand
- Gabeba Baderoon, The Dream in the Next Body
- Gail Dendy, People Crossing
- Tanure Ojaide, The Tale of the Harmattan
Elsewhere, the new Nigerian paper NEXT (also the first-Sunday-of-the-month home of Niyi Osundare) has published a few reviews of note:
- Amatoritsero Ede, Globetrotter & Hitler's Children (reviewed by Uzor Maxim Uzoatu)
- Nengi Josef Ilagha, January Gestures (reviewed by Tade Ipadeola)
- Niran Okewole, Logarhythms (reviewed by Tolu Ogunlesi)
Addendum (1 February 2010): In the latter, there is also an extended Conversation with Amatoritsero Ede from November 2009. Well worth reading.Helen Moffett's Strange Fruit is reviewed by Grace Kim on the South African literature site, LitNet, while Karlien van der Schyff reviews Sindiwe Magona's Please, Take Photographs on the same site. Karen Press offers up An Introduction to Imprendehora by Yvette Christiansë on the Poetry International Web website and Shaun de Waal offers an extended and considered review of Dan Wylie’s Road Work in South Africa's Mail & Guaradian.
I'd be remiss not to point you back to the overview of the year in Ugandan letters I wrote about earlier, which links to a number of reviews of Ugandan collections from the last year.
What am I missing? Lots, I'm sure.
So if you wrote, read, or have stumbled across a review of poetry that's appeared in the last year -- that is, the review has appeared in the past year; I don't care how old the collection itself might be -- send it along: email me the url and I'll compile another list for posting.
21 January 2010
calling all south african poets and...
Others? It's not entirely clear. Photographers, yes. But non-South Africans? Well... there's no exclusionary text; nothing defining scope of "eligible" contributors at all. So tell you what, let's not overthink this.
Incwadi: A Journal of South African poetry and photography has just put out its call for submissions for the Fall 2010 issue. You can find more details on the About Incwadi page (which will probably be updated when they put out the call for Spring 2011 -- it makes my head hurt to even try to think that far ahead) and on the BOOK Southern Africa site (which is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine).
General layout and navigation of Incwadi leaves a bit to be desired -- the Spring 2009 issue (it's first and so far only) is essentially a single blog entry which makes for a lot of scrolling without any functioning internal links that might allow you to jump easily from poet to poet or bookmark any of note -- but there are some interesting poems (these are lyrics; many seemingly self-consciously so), intriguing photographs, and some (now) recognizable names. Definitely worth taking a look.
Incwadi: A Journal of South African poetry and photography has just put out its call for submissions for the Fall 2010 issue. You can find more details on the About Incwadi page (which will probably be updated when they put out the call for Spring 2011 -- it makes my head hurt to even try to think that far ahead) and on the BOOK Southern Africa site (which is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine).
General layout and navigation of Incwadi leaves a bit to be desired -- the Spring 2009 issue (it's first and so far only) is essentially a single blog entry which makes for a lot of scrolling without any functioning internal links that might allow you to jump easily from poet to poet or bookmark any of note -- but there are some interesting poems (these are lyrics; many seemingly self-consciously so), intriguing photographs, and some (now) recognizable names. Definitely worth taking a look.
19 January 2010
uganda's year in books: 2009 edition
Thanks to the Literary Saloon -- the daily blog of the complete review -- for bringing my attention to Emmanuel Ssejjengo's piece in Uganda's The New Vision summing up the year in books, "Poetry Ruled".
As is noted in the Saloon piece -- and in references to Ssejjengo's piece elsewhere on the web -- the final verdict is less than happy: "In volumes, 2009 was good. In quality, it was terrible."
Ouch.
But it calls into question Ssejjengo's opening line: "Several high profile figures in Uganda, proved they too can write." Well, apparently they can't (and The New Vision needs a copy editor).
Ssejjengo's overview provides little information of note about the individual works cited, offering instead a rather uninspired listing of works released and events of note (sometimes the two are one and the same). I tried to track down reviews of as many of the books mentioned as possible. And here they are (five reviews of three titles):
Ogoola certainly got the bulk of the attention -- perhaps stemming from his position as Principal Judge of the High Court of Uganda? Well, Drakard can't seem to heap praise enough (his evocation of Herbert, Hopkins, and Eliot -- while not factually incorrect -- is laughably transparent), Ssejjengo calls it "good" at one point (though it seems a little forced), and Kigambo dances all about, conjuring larger issues of artistic production and suggesting that Ogoola's editors and readers be honest with him: perhaps telling Ogoola that the poetry isn't all that good so that Kigambo doesn't have too? Too late...
In his review of Jabo, Ssejjengo takes her to task for not offering readers "direction" in how or what to read but little in way of substance with regard to the verse itself.
FEMRITE's Poetry Poster Project is the most intriguing. I'd dearly love to get my hands on both of the currently extant volumes.
So we are left with a few bones and little meat. There's no reason to doubt Ssejjengo's conclusion but also nothing much we can use to corroborate it.
As is noted in the Saloon piece -- and in references to Ssejjengo's piece elsewhere on the web -- the final verdict is less than happy: "In volumes, 2009 was good. In quality, it was terrible."
Ouch.
But it calls into question Ssejjengo's opening line: "Several high profile figures in Uganda, proved they too can write." Well, apparently they can't (and The New Vision needs a copy editor).
Ssejjengo's overview provides little information of note about the individual works cited, offering instead a rather uninspired listing of works released and events of note (sometimes the two are one and the same). I tried to track down reviews of as many of the books mentioned as possible. And here they are (five reviews of three titles):
- Martyn Drakard on Songs of Paradise, A Harvest of Poetry and Verse by James Ogoola
- Gaaki Kigambo, Searching for Ogoola’s Melody
- Mammon Tree by Josepha Jabo
- A rich fusion of poetry, art (on Painted Voices, Second Volume)
- And one more on Songs of Paradise, A Harvest of Poetry and Verse by James Ogoola
Ogoola certainly got the bulk of the attention -- perhaps stemming from his position as Principal Judge of the High Court of Uganda? Well, Drakard can't seem to heap praise enough (his evocation of Herbert, Hopkins, and Eliot -- while not factually incorrect -- is laughably transparent), Ssejjengo calls it "good" at one point (though it seems a little forced), and Kigambo dances all about, conjuring larger issues of artistic production and suggesting that Ogoola's editors and readers be honest with him: perhaps telling Ogoola that the poetry isn't all that good so that Kigambo doesn't have too? Too late...
In his review of Jabo, Ssejjengo takes her to task for not offering readers "direction" in how or what to read but little in way of substance with regard to the verse itself.
FEMRITE's Poetry Poster Project is the most intriguing. I'd dearly love to get my hands on both of the currently extant volumes.
So we are left with a few bones and little meat. There's no reason to doubt Ssejjengo's conclusion but also nothing much we can use to corroborate it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
african poetry review (usa)