BWAZ Young Readers Review, Issue No 3

Profile: Neville Nyoni

Thirst
By Neville Nyoni

Long queues
Still getting longer
Shrivelled men and women
With twenty-litre containers
Wait under the scorching sun
For a chance to get water
From the unprotected wells they dug
Out of desperation for water
Despicable thirst!
Yet even the wells begin to succumb to thirst

Babies cry behind their mothers’ backs
They too can tell from their mothers’ milk
Turning yellow
Turning powdery
The wells of their breast dry up
Lullabies from the mothers’ biltong tongues
Have since lost meaning
They are raspy grants and groans of pain

Taps have since gone rusty
Not a trickle out them drops for years
“The pipes are burst’, water authorities say
“We are working flat out to rectify”
Same decade-old song

Nothing changes
Wells are filled up with sand
Because they say they are illegal
As if it’s more legal for people
To die of thirst

The sun has had its day
Tired of hanging in the sky
It retires
The mothers too head home
Faltering under heavy load of hard-won water
Musing and sighing

The men too
Loads on both shoulders
Shake their heads
As if to say:
We are simply ordinary people, what can we do?

(Above poem he performed at the 2009 NANGO Expo)

Neville Nyoni (pictured above)

Performance, as it is, requires a great deal of enthusiasm and word power, and Nyoni, through practice and participating in various poetry functions and contests in Harare, sharpened his skills that now he can look forward to becoming Zimbabwe’s great.

Since 2007 Nyoni has been performing his poems at different functions and contests, such contests as the Padare Schools Poetry and Drama contest (2007) in which he became 2nd, Power in the Voice (2007-2008) in which he was finalist (he also appears on the DVD produced from the PIV programme by the British Council), the BWAZ Poetry Contest (2008), and functions like the Manica Arts Festival, the African Youth Arts Festival and this year’s NANGO Expo.

Nyoni has a short story titled “Far Away Hills” in the 2009 NAMA nominated anthology called “Children Writing Zimbabwe” (edited by Ruby Magosvongwe, Jerry Zondo and Memory Chirere) published by the Zimbabwe Standard newspaper in 2008. Children Writing Zimbabwe is a compilation of short stories selected from the Cover to Cover writing competition which drew entries mainly from schools in Zimbabwe. Nyoni was at Churchill Boys’ High when he participated in the writing competition. It was also at Churchill that he learnt his skills of orature in the Public Speaking and Drama/Writers Clubs.

Asked what he thinks of BWAZ, Nyoni said “BWAZ helps us to realize our dreams. It has taught me to believe in myself. I wish to say to other young writers and poets that they should do what they do to the best of their mettle. Nothing should limit talent.”

The 19 year old poet is currently doing Draughting and Designing Technologies at the Harare Polytechnic.


A Dream
By Barbra Anderson

Zimbabwe
I dreamt of you
In deep slumber
I dreamt of you
You came to me, a bright lady in the sweet night
Took my hand and led the way

You, Zimbabwe, gave me wings
Made from the leaves of your beautiful trees
You gave me wings to fly
Over the Zambezi
White and foaming, crashing down
The great Victoria Falls

I walked in your forests
Became one with your creatures
I lived with the baobab
And heard her unborn child scream
Inside her belly never to know
The African sun

I ran like the cheetah
Jumped like your impala
And blundered forth like the elephant
I walked on your mountain
Wrapped in a blanket of sand on your hills
I saw un-ending plains

Zimbabwe
Beautiful goddess
I fell in love with you

BWAZ Young Readers Review, Issue No 2

PROFILE: BARBRA ANDERSON

Reform
By Barbra Anderson

Thud and thump! Her body falls on the floor
She lies there
Beaten, bruised
Battered and sore
The beastly brute stands above her
Satisfied

Blood scarlet spurts out
As she laughs hysterically
Recalling “reform” she has heard of
He stands unaware of the fate
That awaits him behind steel bars



INTERVIEW

When the “Power in the Voice” programme done by the British Council last year involved her school Hatfield High, Barbra Anderson was dithering about taking part. Then she made up her mind and wrote a story for presentation. It was her first time to view herself as a storyteller. She was nervous. Although she proceeded to the semi-finals she felt she needed to write much better poems and stories. Having studied Literature at school, Anderson already knew how to criticise literary texts and she began developing her writing skills with the help of teachers and friends.

It was through a friend in the PIV programme that she heard about BWAZ and decided to join. Today Barbra is content with what she has learnt and enjoys the writing functions at which BWAZ constantly ask her to do her poetry.

Born in 1991 in Kadoma, Barbra Anderson did her primary learning at Eastridge Primary School in Hillside; she proceeded to Hatfield Girls High for her secondary education. She then did her Advanced Level at Girls High School (Harare) where she affiliated to a Debate Club.

Barbra says she is interested in themes which deal with young women’s place in society, love as understood or misunderstood by the youths, Africa and its problems, its superstitions and hopes. “But recently I have tackled issues of self-expression. I believe that women are sometimes made to live life in a straitjacket, questing for freedom which patriarchy believes can provide and yet the opposite is true,” she says.

She has participated in events such as Magamba, Poetry Slum and Sistaz Open Mic sessions run by Pamberi Trust at the Book Café in Harare.

To other young women Barbra has this to say: “Find yourself. One must have talent. After all, every body was blessed with talent. And then lets make a difference where HIV/AIDS is concerned. I know this is a boring subject to many youths but it is important that we learn to understand it and prevent its spread. On the other hand, AIDS educators should make the subject more acceptable to youths by engaging in imaginative approaches when they facilitate educative AIDS programmes,’ says Barbra.

While she waits to get to university, Barbra spends most of her time in the Harare City Library reading local literature and literature from different countries. “I am taking my time to learn my craft.”
With much encouragement and support Barbra believes she can transcend and do her country much proud.

(name spelling is correct because there are so many Barbara Andersons some who are writers one way or another)

Transition
By Barbra Anderson

Africa from days of war:
Liberation from oppression
Now to days of woe
No liberation from suppression
Leaders befitting Africa
”Where art thou?”

A continent succumbing to pain
Suffering and hate
Rise again
To a new dawn of celebration
“Viva Africa!”

Rise again Africa, my beautiful woman
Take away the pain and once gain
Reclaim your dignity

BWAZ Young Readers Review, Issue No 1

“POWER IN HER VOICE”

Fifteen year old Nicola Grace (pictured above) from Bulawayo, performing her poem in the December 2008 BC-BWAZ Spoken Word Contest at Ranche House College, Harare

INTERVIEW

Below is an interview with one of our members, 16 year old Lisben Chigwenjere (Picture not available as yet), currently in Form 4 at Herentals College, Kuwadzana 6, Harare. Lisben Chigwenjere is also former student at Rakodzi High School in Marondera where he was key member of the writers club.

When did you start writing?

I started when I was 10 and I was in Grade Five at Kuwadzana 8 Primary School in Harare. By then, I only wrote poems. My first poems were Nherera Munhu, Unity and Love which was a reflection of my cousin brother’s love for a girl called Hazvinei.


Who inspired you?

I was inspired by both my dad and my cousin brother. My dad had a play script which he kept. I used to read the script and said to myself, “I’m going to be like my dad” – though he was not willing to publish it. My cousin brother inspired me by lying that he wrote two films which he never showed to me. But still I had seen his short story which was so beautiful and used very good English language in his descriptions. These inspirations came at the same time and I even endeavoured writing a film which I titled ‘Happy Ending’. I was still in Grade Five.

What is your vision as a writer?

My vision as a writer is to become established and that my work be recognised locally and internationally as one of the best pieces to ever grace earth. I am very optimistic about my work though sometimes my twin brother says it’s too much. But one thing is for sure! Every artist began by dreaming and in the end dreams came true. Even Martin Luther King Jnr had a dream also.

Does your twin brother Liberty write as well?

Yes, he does. He writes poetry. He is also a member of BWAZ.

Lisben, how has BWAZ helped you?

BWAZ has helped me in everything that concerns writing. I now participate in writing competitions and meet established writers who mentor and motivate us. I won two prizes in the British Council-BWAZ writing competition about climate change in different months. In August 2008 I won second prize and in September 2008 I won first prize. The prizes were cash and books. I was happy. I have also won an audio CD at the Book Café in March this year (2009). The CD is by Sara Dee and Sisters, a group from Bulawayo.

The End of Rainy Day

The sky is blue
The clouds are all scattered
It’s been rainy day
The plants are drunk
With this obviously acidified rain

On the other side the clouds have reddened
Reflecting sunset
And the moon is hidden beyond

The blue sky is no more
The light and dark grey clouds have hidden it
The moon is out
A beautiful shiny clear white
The moon
Put a little smile on my face
Yet soon, the dark cloud hovers around what
Not so long ago was a beautiful sky

By Liberty Chigwenjere

Marvellous

Little angels
Little babies
Little children
Leaping and running
Smiling and laughing
A marvellous sight
God’s marvellous work!

By Liberty Chigwenjere

Dawn Has Come

I walked in the dark night
Leaning on walls and never sitting on the lawn
The cold weather froze my body
But still I dug the mountain down to its floor
It was dead dark
I saw not a single thing
Everything was invisible
I only could hear the birds’ songs far beyond
But now I have reached my destination
The prize I hold
The darkness was but a thing passing

By Lisben Chigwenjere

So Help Me God

I am barefoot on a journey of life
On thorn-studded paths
Stuck here since I was five

Lonely I am
In this drain
I can hear mice squeaking
My heart wishes for rescue

I know I have a bright future
That’s your plan dear Lord
So …so help me God

By Lisben Chigwenjere

LETS WRITE!