dawn-drawn

Charl-Pierre Naude https://sala.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Charl-Pierre-Naude-300x200.jpg The conversation with South African poets continues.  This time I've gone looking on Poetry International and came across a recently-posted poem by Charl-Pierre Naudé in English and Afrikaans, called, in English,  Mosquito nets of Neptune . I love the atmosphere he creates - you can almost smell the rain. Here's my response. Just for fun, since Naudé's poem is in two languages, I've also had a go at translating my response into German, my fairly recently-acquired second language. You're invited to leave your own response in the comments section.  We have the wind a poem by Jean Watermeyer, after Charl-Pierre Naudé Somewhere a tropical storm is coming. In Cape Town, we have the wind --  the sky moving en masse , grazing the ground, ripping clouds in and out of existence, breaking against the mountains, chasing even the kite surfers one by one in from the waves, blu...

While I am currently making it my mission to get to know the South African poetry scene , I realise that there is a whole world of english-language poetry out there to enjoy.  Here are some great sites that I keep returning to for education and inspiration: International Sites: The Academy of American Poets  - includes an archive of poems as well as information about poets. Sign up for a daily email (Poem-a-Day) featuring poems by contemporary poets. Also advertises US-based competitions and events. ModPo - an excellent free course in "Modern and Contemporary American Poetry" convened by Al Filreis of the University of Pennsylvania via Coursera.  More video discussions of poems and poets from Dickinson and Whitman to the present than you can watch in a year. Option to join in real-time for 10 weeks from September to November each year, or work through in your own time. Poetry Archive  - an audio archive of poets reading their own work. Poetry in America  - base...

Xolisa Ngubelanga. Image: Werner Hills -   https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-05-28-writer-xolisa-ngubelanga-goes-to-us-for-mandela-fellowship/ First up in my conversation with South African poets project , and chosen randomly because it's the last english-language South African poem on the site, is a poem on Badilisha Poetry X-Change by Xolisa Ngubelanga - Victoria's Secret Threat. Read the poem, as well as some of the poet's other work and his bio  here .  My response is below. If you'd like to, please add your own comment or response in the comments section at the end.  shells of themselves a poem by Jean Watermeyer, after Xolisa Ngubelanga I tried to find any word from a first-generation slave -- stolen.  There was nothing there. I tried to think  what I have from my great greatgreat grandmother that I might not have if she had been born elsewhere. I must admit that most of our history begins after the war, climbing a scenery establis...

Below, I have tried to compile a complete and up-to-date list of local ways for South African writers to get their english-language poetry published. In compiling this list, I have built on Arthur Attwell's helpful page . Please contact me if you know of something I've missed. First, the bad news. The following magazines are no longer releasing new issues: Aerodrome, Carapace , Itch , Kotaz (as far as I can tell) and Prufrock.   As far as I know, poetry magazines have always had a high turnover, due mainly to lack of funding.  It's sad to see these go, and we can only hope that they will soon be replaced by other similar publications.  The good news: South African poetry magazines and other platforms still accepting submissions: Botsotso - Accepts submissions year-round, looking for "art that is of and about the varied cultures and life experiences of people in South Africa – as expressed in all our many languages." Publishes "irregularly," but at least...