Poetry has power
Yesterday I had a treat, listening to poems recited by members of the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights (ZPHR). The forum was in line with celebrating Black History Month, which is in February each year. In Zimbabwe, ZPHR will be celebrating Black History Month under the theme, “Black Poetry and the Struggle for Black Self-determination.” Poetry has the power to motivate, give confidence, and lift us up during difficult times so its an important communication device.
Members of ZPHR performed three poems from American poets. These were then open to the forum for discussion. The poems recited were Maya Angelou – Still I Rise, Gwendolyn Brooks – Say to them and Sir John Betjeman – Diary of a Church Mouse. Betjeman’s poem was much debated as the audience sought to contextualise it’s meaning to Zimbabwe.
The local poets then took the stage to perform their own original poems. There is such talent out there and I left the forum truly acknowledging that ‘poetry is a verbal war for freedom”. Interestingly a poet performed a poem dedicated to Nelson Mandela who had been reported to be ill in the past week. The poem generally looked at the greatness of the celebrated hero. A poet named PSP performed his own poem titled, “Rhythm of Device, the System Suffers Violence”. It was a poet’s story of how they struggle each day. Almost all the poets performed poems that show their day-to-day struggles and inspirational ones on how they want to be vehicles for change. I was particularly moved by one gentleman who recited a poem entitled, “Zimbabwe has not come”. It was really thought provoking and it left me deeply in thought.
For more please make a date to listen to these poets as they celebrate Black History Month at The Book Café, on Saturday the 5th of February 2011 from 2pm to 5pm.