Conversation with South African Poets - 5: Esethu Enkosi

I've been working my way slowly through ModPo, a fantastic course in modern and contemporary American poetry from UPenn.  The final sections are about chance and unoriginality in contemporary poetry, so a poem by Esethu Enkosi on Poetry Potion, titled Sunday Times, caught my eye.  She seems to have taken the questions from a poetry textbook.  There are some prize lines, e.g. "Who is the author of this poem?" and the last one, "Describe the scene the poet avoids conveying so literally in this poem. "  Her title is a little mysterious to me, but I've taken it and her method as inspiration, looking for material to the news app on my phone. I've used the headlines, so the result is I suppose mainly reflective of what's in journalists' minds:


Google News - 30 March 2021

a poem 'by' Jean Watermeyer, after Esethu Enkosi

I

ANC NEC decides that members charged with corruption should step aside within 30 days
The state of ANC top leadership
Ace Magashule's allies threaten to resign en masse as 'step aside' rule divides ANC NEC
Busting the myth that Stellenbosch 'controls' Ramaphosa
Time for Mpofu, Magashule and Niehaus to shut up
ANC finally discards Ace
Ever taking: even if Ace is never captain, it's still a sinking ship

II

Ever Given container ship blocking Suez canal starts to move
Giant ship finally freed, allowing Suez Canal to reopen
Traffic in Suez canal resumes after stranded ship refloated
the ship is really moving now and horns are blaring in what sounds like celebration
The Suez Canal blockage captured the world's attention, but
sea lanes are not as important as many claim
Ending Suez canal snarl-up still needs work as ship partly refloated
Can another Suez Canal blockage be avoided?

III

Jury in George Floyd murder trial shown harrowing video of his death
Jury shown graphic video of alleged murder as trial begins
Former Minneapolis officer goes on trial on charge of murdering George Floyd
Prone restraint emerges as a key Chauvin trial issue
The trial of Derek Chauvin
Witness to deadly arrest of George Floyd returning to stand
Derek Chauvin trial begins in Minneapolis

IV

43 South Africans 'accounted for' after attacks on Mozambican town
What is behind the attacks?
Palma deserted as Islamic State group claims control of 'strategic town'
A rescue operation is underway in Palma, Cabo Delgado, after gunmen stormed the town, killing
Mozambique risks losing the chance of a generation
It's a bloody war out there - but nobody's breaking their necks to help
Private military companies playing vital role in our area's stability

V

Gouvernment plans to vaccinate 200 000 South Africans a day from mid-May
548 new Covid-19 cases reported in SA
South Africa records 548 new infections, 46 confirmed new deaths
SA records 548 new Covid-19 cases and 47 deaths in 24 hours
15 more COVID-19 deaths & 965 new infections reported in SA
New Covid-19 cases and deaths drop ahead of long Easter weekend
Covid-19 in SA: 965 new cases, 15 deaths

VI

Aspen to help J&J deliver 30-million shots to SA expected in April
Ramaphosa admits govt behind vaccine targets, hints at stronger lockdown ahead of Easter
J&J commits to 30 million doses for SA
Nelson Mandela Bay can be Africa’s Covid-19 vaccine ‘lifesaver’
Ramaphosa on the vaccine rollout – and new restrictions for South Africa
'Vaccine apartheid must come to an end': Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa defends govt's efforts on acquiring vaccines

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