Conversation with South African poets - 8: Keorapetse Kgositsile

Keorapetse Kgositsile

 https://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/styles/square_images/public/biography_pics/keorapetse_william_kgositsile_0.jpg?itok=CVmtOnrI

Up until now, I've only been reading and responding to contemporary South African poetry.  I've decided to include some not so contemporary works in my project, since I have as much to learn about past South African poets as I do about living ones.  Today's poet falls somewhere between the two categories.  I once had the privilege of meeting Keorapetse "Bra Willie" Kgositsile, then South Africa's poet laureate, at an event organised by Grounding Sessions. He spoke with me briefly and sincerely, taking the few moments we were talking to treat me with genuine interest, without seeming to care whether I was anybody at all in the worlds of arts or politics. He is of course, no longer with us.

Four of his poems are on the Poetry International site, and several more are online at Poem Hunter and Lyric Line. There are also several recordings on Youtube of him reading, for example this one.  The more I watch, the more I want to hear of what he has to say.

Below are my thoughts after his poem, Anguish longer than sorrow.  As usual, you're invited to leave your own response in the comments section.

Refugee

A poem by Jean Watermeyer, after Keorapetse Kgositsile

There are foghorns in the bay.
This morning my boy and I waved hello to the man waking under plastic on the pavement.
The one refugee I have known 
has a wife now on Facebook, married just as late as me

and a different name too

and I wonder

how he has climbed slowly out of his hope that people like I was
will allow him full membership

will know how to hear about genocide

in the livingroom, in the house next door

or any talk of frailty, even given only as a newsreel,

will begin to be strong enough to meet the heart that

has survived

will match the enormous hope that still 

looks for what parents give

or good governments,

and finds and forgives again

shallow temporary invitations,

the usual small concerns.