Botsotso: The Poetry We Must All Read

 Imagine a buffet with over twenty types of the finest meats and salads and you can only pick one item!

That was my experience at the second African Women Writers' Symposium held in Johannesburg in 2011. There were so many books to pick from and yet I only had enough money to purchase a handful. Amongst those that I selected, was Botsotso, an anthology of contemporary South African poetry.

Edited by Allan Kolski Horwitz and Ken Edwards, over a decade later, I still firmly believe that my purchase was timelessly perfect.

Published in 2009, with versions of some poems previously published elsewhere, it was just this month of November 2024, after meeting Allan in Durban, that I picked up the book again and began 

're-devouring' the poems.

What a passionate and deeply moving anthology, with so many ideas, unapologetic imagery and well woven social commentary. Ike Mboneni Muila's MUYAHAVHO, a poem whose focus is on a child amidst the ravages of poetry and despair, still expected to continue living and hoping as a child would, as each day's hope keeps dwindling. There is so much helplessness and yet the phrasing almost spares us of total loss, with the momentum of waking up day after day. It creates a sordid picture against a meaningless reality for the child, in a stoic and creative way.

Allan Horwitz' 'Photograph of a Man in Baghdad,' is difficult to read, with its graphic and deeply tragic. With a deep sense of irony, using the innocent and beautiful things like sweets, to entice a child to their death. The death of a child is already incredibly sad. To manipulate a starving child by using sweets and other attractive edibles in the midst of a horrific war, is diabolical. Creating a temporary forgetfulness that will not only increase the hunger pangs but gives false hope.  More frustrating is the knowledge that while there is capacity to alleviate the children from this situation, it is preferred to dance around the gravity of their peril and provide temporary and purposeless tidbits.

Sumeera Dawood, like the other poets in the anthology, is one whose poetry I need to read over and over again because of the way it resonates. Her poem 'Red Brick,' sits like a wheel tuning and turning in my head. Many of us have so much fatigue because we have been depleted of our resources, endlessly giving of our time, our talent, and our energy too. In addition, is the abuse that we face, which often goes unchecked and unreported. Red Brick is such a powerful metaphor because bricks are strong, used to make permanent structures, while they bear the harshness of all the elements. The line at the end of the poem gives it an emotional and redemptive ending.

Vonani Bila's on the march for Dennis Brutus is an homage to a true revolutionary whom so many have deep respect for. The irony of what patriotism actually entails, against what the media portray it to be. Dennis Brutus embodied truth and was relentless and brave, in this regard. Vonani's lines,

    unscathed by genocides

    & tornadoes

    warrior spirit

    you traverse...

..

it is a well-deserved homage.

Botsotso continues to promote African writing and to learn more about them, follow this link. BOTSOTSO

Book review by Beverley N Nsengiyunva

Ber Anena Bursts Through Barriers

I  met Anena over ten years ago in Kampala, a friend to Aujo Lillian Akampurira, first winner of the Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award. Anena, undeniably consistent with her writing and determination, published in both print and online journals, amongst them Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation anthologies.

Anena travelled to study for her Master's in Creative Writing at Columbia University, in 2019. A few years later, Anena has won a a six-figure deal with Flatiron Books for her forthcoming memoir, The Lies We Tell for America.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Anena, after finding out about this incredible opportunity.

Please share a bit about the journey to your book deal

In 2019, when I moved to New York, I began writing about my journey to Columbia University. As you probably recall, I embarked on quite a brazen fundraising for the MFA Writing program I was admitted to. By 2020, what had started as short essays was a book-length memoir called The Lies We Tell for America.

I began looking for a literary agent to represent my book but was not successful until 2022 when Sophie Scard from United Agents sent me an email asking if I wanted to be represented. Someone she didn’t name at the time had told Sophie to check out my writing and she loved it. I was in disbelief but immensely grateful. Anyone who has queried agents knows how extremely hard it can be to land one, so having one show interest in your work is truly reassuring.

I went through several rounds of editing with Sophie from 2022 and in September 2024, she began sending the book out to publishers. I was beyond thrilled when Flatiron Books expressed interest and ultimately offered us a preempt deal about a week later.

All of this has felt surreal but I’m immensely grateful. I also feel really lucky that I found an agent and editor who share my vision for the memoir and understand and champion my writing.

This book, how important is it to you and your studies?

I started my creative writing journey as a poet and the memoir is an affirmation of the creative and genre versatility I’ve always wanted as a writer.  At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I’m pursuing a PhD in Creative Writing with a focus on poetry, I’ve endeavored to write and enroll in fiction and nonfiction classes as well. As I look forward to a career in academia, being able to teach multiple genres in the Creative Writing field is a blessing.

How has this deal shifted your idea of writing?

I don’t think my idea of writing has changed. I still believe in its value to the writer and the world in general. What has deepened is my belief that as unrewarding as writing can be, acknowledgement and recognition is possible. I had worked extremely hard at bringing this memoir to life. My poetry and fiction had been recognized and awarded prizes before, but whatever else followed was not a guarantee. The life of a writer is a constant hit or miss. A gamble. I had hoped that a publisher would pick up the memoir but never dreamed it would be this huge deal. It’s a writer’s dream and I don’t take the opportunity for granted.  

How far do you believe poetry can take us?

I don’t think there’s a limit to where poetry can take us. I believe that my debut poetry collection, A Nation in Labour, played a role in my acceptance to Columbia. When the book was selected joint winner of the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa in 2018, it provided me an introduction to the literary scene beyond Uganda. I have had and continue to have several opportunities because of that poetry collection. The limit depends on how far one is willing and able to push themselves, to grow as a writer and to take advantage of every opportunity that comes.   

Inspiring words for poets in Uganda

Send your work out. There are countless online journals today looking for work. Many of them are free, others offer submission fee waivers. I’m often puzzled every time I get an email from writers asking me where they should submit their work. As long as you can afford to be on social media, you should be able to Google search literary journals or look at the bios of your favorite writers. They always list the publications their work appears in. There will be rejections, but the acceptances will come too. And, read. Buy books by writers whose work you admire and learn from them. Attend writing workshops and readings. You never know where your inspiration or the next big break will come from.  

What's next?

I’ll be working with my editor to bring the memoir to your bookshelves by Fall 2026. I’m also working on completing my PhD and hoping for the publication of my next poetry collection. So fingers and toes crossed.

We're extremely pleased for Anena and are waiting agog for more super news.

Interview by Beverley N Nsengiyunva