IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 23 May 2016

Woman issues series, BNAP Interviews Claudia Cassoma, the Angolan poet 

1. Tell us about yourself.

I was born in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, Angola, in it’s capital city, Luanda, and I am the second of six children.  I’m constantly in the pursuit of a higher education and while in my praiseworthy journey I invest time in social work believing that the volunteer help those in need, contributing to a more just and united world. I have been passionate about writing from early age. I’ve explored different literary genres, but I must say that, for now, I’m mostly recognized for my poetry. I had my first book published in January of 2013 and since then I’ve celebrated several achievements in the literary world.

2. What inspires you to create?

Inspiration is not a constant; on the contrary, it’s ever changing. So whether it’s something I experienced, something I saw, heard, or even something I imagined, anything can inspire me. Life inspires me! The world I envisioned inspires me, so I go and I create it. On the other hand, that feeling that I can give someone a voice drives me deeply. It’s gratifying! 

3. As a woman writer what areas in writing/publishing you think needs a lot more to be done toward changing them, and what do you propose?

Although I’ve been writing for almost fifteen years, I’m just now entering the publishing world. And without separating the genders, I believe that it’s less arduous for the already renowned writers. You can be a good writer but when you try to create  your own platform it’s when it gets wearing. Particularly in the Angolan market, according to my own experience, it’s ridiculously difficult. I’ve had experiences with European and american publishers as well and things weren’t as thorny. In those, I found that  it’s really about your talent, so as long as you prove originality you have a spot, and that’s what’s in fault in some areas.

4. This week is Mother’s week, what did you do for your mother or the mother in you?
            It’s funny because, now, no matter the occasion, my family expects a message from me, poetry or not. So I did that. I wrote a new poem for my mom.

5. Give us your take on feminism, womanism…

There’s a lot of misconception around this subject. Anyone can be an advocate of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. The more the merrier! I agree that it is somewhat complex because we have to consider both genders equal yet different and find a common ground, so that’s the challenge. I do believe that we, woman, still have some miles to go in order to reach that equilibrium.

6. What else do you do or like doing?
            So, besides writing and volunteering, I like watching TV on my down time, going to the movies and just spending time with friends.  I love some quite too; just lay and  listen to music.

7. What kind of music are you now listening to?

Interesting question. It just so happens that today I find myself listening to a lot of underground hip hop. I found that there’s just so much poetry in them that I can’t help but listen to one after the other. I proudly listen to the music made in Angola, Kizomba, Semba, RAP happens to be my favorite right now. And I’ve always liked R&B/Soul, so I listen to that too. I guess what I am trying to say is that I have ears for all kinds of music, it just depends on my mood.

8. Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP.

Let’s start with the English one. I sent “Panties & Pots” mainly because of the reaction people had when I first recited it. It was an interesting circle, with people from different places, ages and gender, and to see the different ways they interpreted really inspired me. So when I got informed about this contest I just thought that it would be a great opportunity to talk about the issues addressed in the poem. I didn’t know people would take it so personally, but they did and I couldn’t be happier. We are in an era where the discussion is about what women were and what they are today, and what it all means. The poem is about this woman that just had an epiphany and finally understands the way she was raised and how that explains the way she lives now as a woman. What I love about the poem is that no matter the position anyone takes everyone has an opinion and they are talking about it.

            So I suggest that everybody acquires the book and read to understand exactly what I’m talking about. It’s on amazon, by that way here http://www.amazon.com/Best-African-Poets-2015-Anthology/dp/9956763489 .

My second favorite poem is Eu vou voltar (I’ll go back),  which talks about my love for my country, and how I feel about being away from everything and everyone, and just the eagerness of going back one day. The third one is a love poem, also expressing a woman’s feeling. Overall I am just honored to have these three poems on this wonderful, different and well-made anthology.

9. What areas do you want future BNAP anthologies to address?

            I can’t think of many changes you need to undergo; however, as  Achieng’ Emily discussed on her interview I think it would be interesting to see poems in other (African) languages. But just so a bigger number of people have the opportunity to read and hear our voices, I suggest a translation side-by-side. I think there’s a number of ways it can done. Otherwise, it’s amazing what you guys are doing. Keep it going!

IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 9 May 2016

John Attah Ojonugwa

 

1.Tell us about yourself:

My name is Ojonugwa John Attah. I am a Nigerian poet and short story writer. I also write football reviews and compose text messages. I teach English Language and literature. I have a poem in the Best New African Poets Anthology and I have been published on notable literary platforms in Nigeria, Uganda, The USA amongst others.

2.Tell us about the poetry scene in your country:

Poetry is a large genre in my country. These days, people get involved unlike in the past when only those involved were the poets and those who loved poetry events. The promotion of poetry is something that has been done gradually since many persons in the past believed only prose was the thing and if you weren't writing prose, you were never read. Right now, poetry is gaining ground with the number of poetry festivals, poetry workshops, award ceremonies and seminars organized for children and adults alike. The spoken word is also gaining ground as well.

3.What influences your creativity?:

My creativity is influenced by a lot of things. One of them is nature. Whenever I see trees, the sun, the moon, animals, the birds and feel the general movement of nature, I pick up something. These days, I take photographs of nature with my phone until I get a camera as a birthday gift! Secondly, people, situations and events influence my creativity. There is a part on social media and then there is a daily interaction with the tea man somewhere, the tout on the road, the tomato seller and all others. This is why I love meeting people and experiencing several situations which are likely to develop the innate part of me that tends to keep those experiences for future use. Another influencing factor on my creativity is music. It just does not matter the genre. Sometimes, it depends on what I am doing or on what I am thinking about. The music could be hip hop, blues, jazz, gospel, reggae or pop. It depends on what I listen to at a moment or what I am doing at the moment. Sometimes, I love it quiet or alone to help me think more to create.

4.How do you get around life and your creativity, how do you achieve balance between these, living and creativity?:

Combining life and creativity can be so interesting. One thing that improves my creativity is my daily interaction with all that life consists of. It is not good enough to disengage both from each other and feel alright. Life goes with creativity and that is what I feel. One thing for me is to live my life daily interacting with those I meet and with the animals or things I encounter and to an extent, bring them into my
writing.

5.What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry-making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?:

I will choose to speak about the problem of poetry-making in the African continent because it is very important. Prose and drama took early centre stage in and around the continent. Poetry was initially seen by many as a genre filled with complexities in language, imageries and all. Many refused to dedicate their time to interpreting in their own words, the content of poems they come across. This withdrawal led to a lot more problems. Although the continent keeps rising in this area, a lot still needs to be done. One problem I feel needs to be addressed is that of an early contact with poetry from childhood for many school children. At the primary or basic level, nursery rhymes like "Twinkle, twinkle little star" and "Old Roger" could be taught before other poems from poets around the continent and beyond are taught at intermediate and tertiary education levels. At that point, the learners would have encountered the poems and works of old poets like William Shakespeare, John Milton, Robert Burns, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson, PB Shelley and co while kicking on with modern poets like Chimalum Nwankwo, Tendai Rinos Mwanaka, Shittu Fowora, Jumoke Verissimo, Damian Opata, Daniel Chikwuemeka, Chuma Mmeka, Ejiofor Ugwu and the numerous poets brought to the limelight through the publication of various anthologies of poetry in and around the world. If we begin from the grassroots, poetry will become more than a national or continental genre and not be limited to only those who read, write or critique it. This is the type of transformation the continent needs. Poets are as well not properly recognized, promoted and awarded. This has to change but we must start somewhere.

6. If you were a poem, what type of form will you be in and why?:

Waoh! That is a tough one there. If I were a poem? Well, I do not have a particular form which I love. When I initially started poetry, I loved the sonnets of Shakespeare and the pattern as well but I prefer the nature of poems these days. They barely follow a certain pattern as each person tries to develop something beautiful instead of being limited to a particular form or content.

7. What type of sports are you into?:

I love football. Although I am a Chelsea fan, I love football without borders. I prefer people discussing or arguing about football with some bit of sense and not negativity, taking in the truth no matter how painful and learning further by listening to the opinion of others whether favourable or not. I also love volleyball and basketball but I love watching and playing football more!

8.Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP:

 I have a solitary poem in BNAP. It is titled "I Have Been Watching You." The poem is written from the point of view of a young man whose lover has done something terrible and wants to own up but remains silent. This silence makes the poetic persona to speak in these words to his lover: "I have been watching you/I know you want to say something/But you don't want to or are afraid to do so.." The lover concludes by saying "But I will keep watching you!" It is a poem I love and for it to appear in the
anthology is an achievement.

9.What do you think can be done to improve BNAP anthology in the future editions, marketing, editorial etc?:

First of, I would like to register my gratitude to Tendai Rinos Mwanaka and Daniel da Purificação for the consistent efforts in searching for good poets as well as good poems from the continent and beyond and creating a melting pot out of our varied creativity in all its forms and themes. There were challenges no doubt but the successes recorded thus far have been amazing. Although there are successes all around, there are places the anthology can still improve. One of them is in the area of promotion both of the BNAP anthology and the contributing poets. As I speak, a lot of the contributors in certain parts of the continent are yet to hold the anthology in their hands which should have been before other readers and reviewers did. The marketing as well needs to be improved upon. Besides Amazon, if there are other retail outlets, there should be co-opted into the distribution of the anthology. If possible as well, let there be publishers in at least four to five African countries so that the production and marketing stress will reduce and the anthology get to the contributors and other readers in time. All the best to all the contributing poets for the future. I am happy to have featured in this wonderful anthology!

Thank you for the interview.

IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 3 April 2016

BNAP presents an interview with Fayssal Chafaki, the Poet from the Kingdom Of Morocco

Who is Fayssal Chafaki

Whenever I am being, respectively, asked this question, my answer reveals itself this way. I am a simple farmer, poet, and writer. This humble answer summarizes a great deal of the poet's life, as it also sheds light upon who Fayssal Chafaki, the Poet of the Kingdom of Morocco, is. I am a farmer because this is what I have chosen to be. I am a poet because this is my nature, my inner self, and the reason of my existence. I am a writer because my modest academic background has granted me, alongside the composition of poetry since childhood, the ability to write prose in terms of short stories, articles, novel-attempts, books, and research papers related to the study of Phonology. (My writings in prose are only in English.) Fayssal Chafaki, in a sum of words, is a Moroccan Arab poet, whose poetic style still preserves the norms and conventions of Classical Poetry, both in Arabic and English, in form and content, but delivers conventionally and conveys faithfully a modern and contemporary message to a multi-cultural literary audience. Fayssal Chafaki, the farmer, the poet, and the writer, lives now in the Western country-side of the Kingdom of Morocco, where he leads a normal life, yet full of struggle, and where he has devoted himself to revive poetry and literature which, seemingly, have ceased to play their great and important role in his country.

Tell us what inspires you to create

To be frank with you, the one and only thing that inspires me the most will have to be the last thing I mention to you. I can almost be inspired by anything that surrounds me. Nature and the farm come first. Then, the fact of being away from the noises of the city-life is what constantly pushes me to create. I can also compose under any circumstances and, above all, when I am faced with stress. When I sense danger, mainly danger that threatens faith, ethics, my homeland, human-being existence as a whole, or any kind of danger that may menace all of us, I use my pen. I compose for war, as I compose for peace. Many of my Arabic and English poems are triggered either by a global, or social, or political event that necessitates the interference of poetry. Sometimes I can be inspired by a simple post on social-media sites, an article I've read, a video I have watched, a comment that made me happy or upset, a kind message or a provoking insult, an old poem, a beautiful lady, a flower, a bird, an insect, an idea, simple or complex, a piece of art, a constellation of the stars, the raising sun, the moon and the clouds, the rain and the winds, the movement of the seasons, calm and solitude, my adorable spouse, my beloved little daughter, my dear mother, and even a friend or a person who may request a certain poem for him or her. At the end, the one and only thing that inspires me the most, and which I always consider the source and power of my Arabic and English poems, is the Holy Qur'an.

Above being a poet you are also a farmer and academic, tell us how you balance these three

I have mentioned the fact of combining between poetry, writing, and farming into one of my Arabic poems stating that “By day, my work, a hoe in my hand; and when night comes, it is my pen.”In truth, farming has never appeared to hinder me  from composing my poems, reading, writing, or conducting research. The farm is not that big enough, so the work there is easily planned and done. Usually my work in the farm starts early in the morning and ends with sunset. After the kids go to bed I isolate myself in a room and begin either to compose a poem, or read, or deal with my writings. I always find the appropriate moment to be in the company of books, papers, and pen. I also find time, occasionally, to be on-line and post some of my poems. Conducting academic research as a farmer and a poet, though demanding, is given a share of my time, and has never been a heavy task for me. Mainly my academic research is conducted independently after facing major obstacles from some university professors. The main focus of my research papers evolves around the study of sounds in Arabic and Old languages. The life of a farmer is very simple, and so the life of a poet, or a writer. To balance between these three, I always feel the need to exert mental effort beside physical one. You may not recognize me as a poet and a humble educated person when I am wearing my boots and plowing the land for crops, but when I compose and write you will.

Tell us about your work as a farmer, what crops you grow or animals you keep etc

The farm, as I mentioned above, is not that big enough, a four acres land, situated in a plain zone in the West of the Kingdom of Morocco. The main agriculture we deal with is seasonal. We grow wheat, corn, beans, carrots, onions, clover, and different types of vegetables in a system of rotation. In the past ten years and more, we used to find difficulties with irrigation. In the present day we have been able to set a small system of drip irrigation that really saves time and effort. As to animals we keep, for the time being there is only some chicken and few sheep, as we witnessed a period of drought and lack of cattle feed. During this actual season, we are planting yellow melon. We are also planning to innovate our small farming agriculture techniques and methods. The whole work in the farm is done and managed by my brother and I, and our two small families.

Tell us about the Moroccan poetry and literary scene, both performance and written

Very recently, the Moroccan Prime Minister announced that the Kingdom in the future will not be in need of poets, writers, philosophers, and Men of Letters, but rather will be in need of people who produce wealth. This is encouraging and dis-encouraging at the same time. Encouraging in the sense that poets in the Kingdom of Morocco will have to be more creative than they may happen to be, and of course dis-encouraging in the sense that poetry and literature are endangered in my country. This leads us to tackle the issue of Moroccan poetry and the literary scene in brief. Moroccan poetry possesses a rich poetic and literary heritage. Poets of the twentieth century like Al Halwi, Al Balghiti, and Bin Brahim will always be the same great modern poetry figures who have lit the path for many other poets. Today, unfortunately, there is very few poets like these great ones, if not even a single one. The reason lies behind the fact that great poets like Al Halwi, Al Balghiti, and Bin Brahim belong to the Arabic Prosodic Poetry school, also called Classical Poetry. After these poets and their likes have gone, Free-verse “poets” have taken the literary scene for a period of three to four decades with the claim that Moroccan Arabic Classical Poetry is not fit for the modern world, and, therefore, is dead. As a result to this kind of literary “conflict” between Free-verse and Classical poetry schools in their Moroccan Arab context, Moroccan poetry, and Arabic poetry in general, degraded. Poetry lost huge audiences of ordinary and educated people alike. This made the literary scene vulnerable to low culture interference, where commercial singing and dancing festivals, for instance, replaced poetry and literary gatherings. People's artistic taste in Morocco have deteriorated towards consumable and ready-made low types of art, leaving poetry and literature into a dark corner face to face with oblivion. There are of course contemporary Moroccan poets who also belong to the same prosodic Arabic poetry school but are seldom active in the literary scene, and if there is any, they do not happen to gather their efforts and collaborate with each other to bring back poetry on stage. Some Moroccan poets secure themselves into closed groups and organize their own events without taking the pain to open their arms to other poets. Some others are timid. Some are fake. Journalists, critics, university professors, the Ministry of Culture, and media are also responsible for such grave and dire situation poetry and literature has reached in the Kingdom of Morocco. Media platforms and newspapers are for sale. Critics are blocked. University professors do not care very often. The Ministry of Culture supports everything but poets' creative work. This is in brief the harsh reality behind the literary scene in my country. To measure how much does a nation value its poets, it would be enough to see how many of them are honored by that nation. My country, I am sorry to say it, values the more all that would help spread ignorance, not what would enlighten brains. The burden is still upon us, poets, to bring poetry's fame back.

If you were to be reborn, what form would you like to return in

If I were to be born again, I would like to return into nothing but the same Servant of Creator, the same human being, the same simple poet. I would like some change, yes, but a change in time and probably in space. I would like to return in time when bards used to be listened to, respected, counseled, and regarded with high esteem. As to place, it does not matter. Everywhere there is the High Creator, and everywhere there is Him, we have a chance to be reborn.

Tell us about your poem, No Wise Man in BNAP

Talking about my poem “No Wise Man”, or any other poem of mine, is always done with some reservation. I prefer to leave room for readers, critics, audiences, and potential researchers to study the poem, or poems, without the interference of the poet, fearing that my opinion, somehow, about the meaning, the structure, or the whole essence of the poem would be taken for granted and considered as a final judgment. Yet, I can always talk about the circumstances under which this particular poem has seen light and the reason behind composing it. “No Wise Man” is a poem about a very old so-called political conflict in the North of Africa. The poem is one among a series of English poems defending the Issue of Moroccan Sahara. “No Wise Man” points to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara and is considered very critical for the poet. The Moroccan Sahara for him is an issue of existence, and in his poem “No Wise Man” he provides evidence to support his right. This poem, and all the other poems that fall under the title of “Defending the Moroccan Sahara” explain to what extent the poet is related and linked to this desert part of his homeland. The poem indicates that the Moroccan Sahara is the poet's mother and place of birth, mentions the poet's origins as connected to his Moroccan Sahrawi nomad grandfather, and informs the reader smoothly about the reality and truth of this so-called conflict. The poet in this poem, “No Wise Man”, refuses to break his historical ties and bonds with his grandfathers who constantly live in the Moroccan Sahara. The poet respects the past, lives the present, and looks for a peaceful tomorrow in the region, as reflected in his poem. What really triggers the poet to compose poems defending the Moroccan Sahara is that the poet is born six months before this so-called conflict started. Prior to 1975 there has been no such dispute and no one has claimed that the Moroccan Sahara is another nation. During that period the whole Kingdom of Morocco has been suffering from colonization. The North and the South is colonized by Spain while the rest is colonized by France. French colonizers have left the country in 1956 and the Spanish have kept the Moroccan Sahara under their control until later. We have been colonized, and so many African countries, and still today there are greedy persons who want to divide our country. The same tribes that live in the Moroccan Sahara are living all around the Kingdom today. All these reasons above, and many other ones, are behind the composition of “No Wise Man”. The poem at the end makes it clear that only a fool will keep fighting for something that does not belong to him or her, and that the earth will only be owned by the creator.

What does BNAP represent for you and the continent at large and what improvements do you want to see in the next BNAP

BNAP is home for me and the best and unique adobe for African poets. BNAP is a torch of enlightenment the continent really needs. It has succeeded into bringing African poets together and presenting them to the world. By this, BNAP has carved a honorable mark in the field of poetry and literature. BNAP is a new African literary movement able to carry the universal message of poetry and give Africa a strong voice among other continents. I will always be happy to see BNAP supporting African poets and leading them towards success. I certainly hope that future series of BNAP would welcome more African poets, especially young ones, and would one day, if possible, include poems in Arabic and Hausa. BNAP is always that heart that speaks for Africa.

Fayssal Chafaki

The Poet of the

Kingdom of Morocco

04/04/2016

IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 21 February 2016

This week BEST NEW AFRICAN POETS has a double interview with Fiona Khan and Magno Domingos

 

Em ser um PEN- GUINÉ , Fiona Khan leva-nos profundamente em seu mundo bonito e animado como um poeta , pessoa, mulher, artista e pensador, e cito: " Tudo é por uma razão ou uma escolha ou uma motivação . Nada é incidental. O Universo eu vejo como uma criação relativa. É uma fonte de energia transiente e é binária . Nossas vidas aqui são apenas uma passagem, uma passagem ou um cruzamento. Não há permanência de qualquer coisa " .

And here is Magno Domingos secret. Some day he went to church late with his wife, thus they had to sit at separate places since the church was almost full. Midway into the preacher man’s boring sermon, he left for home, forgetting he had come with his wife to church. Midway home he remembered he had left his wife at church, thus he drove back to pick her. Magno says this still embarrasses him

ON BEING A PEN-GUINE:   Fiona Khan

       

My literary meandering started in 1992. It was my first poem published in America entitled The Cheetah and the Antelope. It was the start of many successes. These successes came from a very painful backdrop of domestic violence, emotional and mental abuse. There was only one thing that could save my sanity and that was one thing I was born with. My writing! Being gifted was something my teachers discovered when I entered school. They groomed and nurtured that talent through much toil and encouragement because I guess I always broke the conventions. I made and lived by my own rules and restrictions. My appetite and thirst for writing and reading was and still is voracious. I feel bereft or lost without it. Having a lonely childhood with very much older brothers and sisters my only companions were music and books. I am a fantastic singer from opera to pop. I wrote on everything. Toilet paper, tissues, newspapers, walls, books, pages ….

There were many poems published internationally in many magazines and anthologies. In 1995 I had my first children’s book published called I Am What I Am in five languages. It set me on a path that has been an adrenalin rush and I marvelled and cherished every moment.

What sets me apart from other poets is that I was raised and taught classics in literature. So I write with an excellent vocabulary and many feel that it makes me too bourgeoisie. It was a harsh lesson to tone down. I started spoken word poetry in 1995 and even converted it into a dramatic art form on stage with Windows of a Women’s Mind. I know how to teach students and children to write and perform poetry using rap, musical instruments and drama. I can write immediately on any topic and that’s versatility. I don’t need prompts. I have not been promoted much because of racism. Writing and publishing in South Africa has always been white and elitist and sadly I stood alone all these years fighting the system. Now we have young black yuppies who have taken up the fight and I am glad. I was really ostracised for speaking out against the system.

I am a bookaholic and invented the word ‘únputdownable’ in 1982. I live breathe and write books. I am listless if I do not read. I have become more sophisticated now with the social media where I receive all my news, reviews and the latest on everything. I have quirkiness like I must read a new book or the daily paper that is untouched. I love the fresh smell and the crispness of the pages.

My favourite books started at three years old. I was raised on fairy tales and there was one story that was edged in my mind as it was used to scare or control my waywardness. It was called The Hobbiyas and little Dog Turpy. At 4 years old I was an avid reader. At 5 the librarian used to keep all the Noddy books for me. I revelled in Enid Blyton and Beatrix Potter and read them voraciously. I was fluent at 5 years of age. My appetite for books was unstoppable. Even the librarian and my family couldn’t cope. As I grew as an orphan it became my only solace.  I was captivated by Shakespeare at the age of 12 and Thomas Hardy and Dickens, then the Iliad and the Odyssey, I read Lady Chatterley’s Lover at 12 years. It was a banned book in South Africa. My brother brought history alive with his vivid narratives of Egypt and Rome and those books filled my imagination with Helen of Troy, Cleopatra and Julius Ceaser. I loved French books from Napoleon and Three Musketeers, then Jules Verne and his Science Fiction, Wilbur Smith because being a South African he never supported the SA government and apartheid. Unlike other authors who cried apartheid but forced us to study their hardcore narratives at school and were supported financially by the education department. I loved the Orientalists in Ghalib, Tagore and Khalil Gibran. Gibran inspired my love for poetry until I found that he was very inspired and indirectly copied the styles of Indian Poets and writers. To Sir with Love was my first introduction into African literature, then Things Fall Apart. Bessie Head and the American writers.

I am presently working on a youth novel, a collection of essays on a gender issue, and my novels, two of them actually. I break this up with poetry and indeed I work so I have a full day. My social life is my writing and my followers or my colleagues. I am the project manager of the Minara Aziz Hassim Literary Award that focuses on debut and published writers. We kick started the project last year to a resounding success. I am presently completing my MBA and I am loving it. It’s my dabbling in the corporate world and its exciting.

I write every day even if its dabbling, doodling or just toying with ideas. I start at 4 am till 6am then again at 6pm until 10pm. I am flexible with time. My greatest distraction is procrastination. I do get a bit lazy. Sometimes I ponder both sides of a story or thought or idea. It takes a few days to reach a resolution. Then I get back to the writing process. I have had many challenges to divert my attention and time is not my best buddy write now. There is too much to do and too little time.

Everything inspires me. From a bee on a flower, to prayer, to the weather. I see beauty in all of God’s creation. Because I am a spiritual being, everything is viewed on a metaphysical level. Everything is for a reason or a choice or a motivation. Nothing is incidental. The Universe I view as a relative creation. It’s a source of transient energy and is binary. Our lives here are just a passage, a passing or a crossing. There is no permanency of anything.

Food for me has no value anymore as it has become too genetically modified and engineered. As a third world country we have become the dumping ground for the rest of the world. I am an award winning environmentalist. I firmly believe in permaculture and organic grown foods. The effects of climate change is devastating and has created a world -wide compromise on food, water and survival. It’s the catalyst for future wars and civil unrest. So I eat organic with a balanced diet and keep living simple. My vice is chocolate.

I am most cautious in everything I do. I know what’s my destination and I don’t allow people to deter me. If they do deter me it’s through scheming and conniving. And I do believe that karma is a bitch scorned. It comes back ten-fold to bite you in the ass and how.

The Leaf did not Fall is based on my observation last Winter and is an allegory for our political restlessness. I watched a tree shed its leaves but this one leaf, grey and shrivelled, refused to fall. For 4 months it bobbed and twirled and sung to and fro but would not fall. I thought of our President. Tenacious and indefatigable in keeping his position. No matter how hard his opposers and political foes dig up the evidence against him, he rises above them and does not fall.  Almost like a weed. I included this line which is very biblical and a metaphor.

‘Shaded by the Leaven’

In the Gospel of Luke, they speak of leavened bread. Leaven is a raising agent like yeast used to make the bread rise. But is also speaks of the work Jesus did in the community for which few people valued, most never appreciated his prophethood. And it refers to women being domesticated. When one looks at the president it is the women who are his strongest supporters, they who keep the home fires burning.

So the humble beginnings of our President has now become infected and has grown and has become too large for his own good and that of his country.

‘The parched thirst of African soil . . .’

Are the people of SA. They are tired of being raped and ripped. Then will come the succession after the elections. People are fickle and feeble with minds that change all the time. If they are not in favour of a leader ,they will be vocal by the way they vote. A typical

comparison to Animal Farm by Orwell.

BNAP is innovative in this continent in its strategy. It was researched and targeted well, looking for a niche market. This concept is only found in America but has been adapted to suit the African market and expand the opportunities in publishing. The strategic marketing via social media and using the poet’s websites and social media site to promote the book in fact encouraged the self -awareness and sales of the book. Publishing of poetry is limited to an elite few in Africa. BNAP has created a platform for emerging poets and a jump for established poets. At cost free the exposure and marketing of the talent and profiles related in making the poets a commodity and improved their profiles and saleability. With BNAP on their CV’s they are on the move. BNAP is the springboard for success for emerging poets.

My suggestion is that the poems be converted to a spoken word poetry slam at relevant venues. Its art. Its performance, its poetry.

 Magno Domingos

Conte-nos sobre si mesmo e sua formação literária .

 - Não tenho propriamente uma formação na área de literatura. Sou gestor, agricultor e estudante de economia. Tenho 39 anos de idade, sou pai (de muitos filhos), e participe das coisas da sociedade. Sou do tipo que não olha a sociedade a acontecer, prefiro me envolver.

O que você acha conjuntos que mais além da sua geração de poetas ?

- Creio que não escrevo para ser melhor, nem almejo ser especial. Apenas escrevo o que me vem à alma, sem seguir as regras e padrões impostos pela literatura. Na realidade escrevo de forma solta, de forma algo rebelde. Aí possivelmente está a diferença.

Quais são seus livros favoritos , autores, artistas e por quê

- Já li muito... Muito mesmo. Sou absolutamente fã da criatividade de Uanhenga Xitu retratada em Mestre Tamoda, Caito, Bola de Feitiço. Sou fã de Pepetela desde as suas Aventuras de Ngunga, Lueji até ao que ele escreve agora.

- Na verdade aprecio quase tudo que se escreve por aí, desde que eu consiga por as minhas mãos nas obras.

- Mas foi The Canterbury Tales de Chaucer que mais me impressionou até agora. Acho aquilo uma estrela de obra.

O que você está trabalhando agora?

- Neste momento estou a escrever dois livros (nem entendo porquê não terminei ainda), um sobre contos populares, e outro sobre uma infeliz experiência de cadeia por que passei a alguns meses atrás.

Quantas vezes você escreve?

- Escrevo sempre que tiver chance, escrevo a toda a hora, estou sempre a escrever.

O que leva a sua criatividade?

- Tudo que acontece na vida, me inspira a escrever. Absolutamente tudo. Eu escrevo sobre alegria e sobre tristeza. Também escrevo sobre os momento intermediários dos dois extremos.

Qual é a sua comida / bebida favorita?

- Gosto de comer massas, mesmo não sendo italiano.

- Ando a algum tempo a lutar contra um mini-vicio em Coca cola.

Conte-nos algo que você fez ou o que aconteceu para você que você ainda pode se envergonhar

- Fui uma vez com a esposa a igreja, chegamos tarde e o protocolo sentou-nós em lugares diferentes. No final, como não gosto de ficar nas rodas de conversas, levantei fui para fora, peguei o carro e fui-me embora... Só já quando estava chegar a casa é que recordei que havia ido com a esposa e deixei-a na igreja. Esqueci totalmente que não havia ido sozinho. Voltei, pedi desculpas... Mas enfim, até agora me envergonho de ter esquecido que fui acompanhado.

Conte-nos sobre seus poemas em BNAP

- escrevo esporadicamente. Nunca planeio o que vou escrever. Acho que sou uma espécie de observador das coisas que acontecem em todas as dimensões da vida, e está me inspiram a escrever.

- Os poemas que estão no BNAP foram feitos assim, a partir de observações que faço das moções da sociedade em angola.

O que você diria que é único sobre os melhores poetas novos africanos ( BNAP ) antologia e que tipo de impacto você acha que BNAP terá sobre a próxima geração de escrita Africano ?

- A liberdade e espontaneidade que estão patentes nesta obra, não têm par. E a obra acaba também por dar espaço a poetas, escritores e pensadores que de alguma forma não tinham espaço para fazer sair o que escrevem. E de repente temos esta visibilidade toda.

- É um exercício bom, que espero que continue é que tenha também divulgação a nível mais local.

- Claro... A continuidade vai certamente dar aos mais jovens a oportunidade de poderem influenciar-se naquilo que já está escrito, e a terem também a sua oportunidade de se anunciar.