Vignettes of a South African Township called Mdantsane

Friday, November 30, 2012

Nolutshungu Avenue, Poems of Simphiwe Nolutshungu

Nolutshungu Avenue

Simphiwe Nolutshungu's poetry book NOLUTSHUNGU AVENUE
Publisher - Aerial Publishing, Grahamstown, South Africa
Cover art by Amitabh Mitra

Book Launch at

NELM Eastern Star Hall

Anglo African Street, Grahamstown

5.30pm Monday 10 December 2012


On this Avenue                      
The moon and sun are single
Each day harbours its night
The night makes love to the day      
And we are the offspring of the day       
And the children of the night.

This Avenue strews poetry and hymns
No funerals tread on our paths          
Divorces are scared of breathing
But weddings fill our stomachs
Young graduates adorn our streets
Welcome to Nolutshungu Avenue


Simphiwe Nolutshungu is the author of three novels in isiXhosa – Amathunzi ezolo, Induli yexhala, and Iingceba zegazi (shortlisted for the 2012 Sanlam Prize).  His poems have been published in local and national journals. He has worked as a clerk and a freelance journalist, and has worked as a schoolteacher in many parts of South Africa.  His home is in Queenstown.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Accepting Submissions for South African Anthology of Migrant Poetry


Somali Spaza
Watercolor of a Somali Spaza Shop in Mdantsane by Amitabh Mitra

Accepting submissions for a South African Anthology on Migrant Poetry. The publication by Poets Printery http://www.poetsprintery.co.za is scheduled for February 2013. South Africa has been host to people from countries of Africa and beyond. This anthology will provide the best of migrant poetry and a rare insight into the problems of migrant population and the host country.
Who are eligible – Migrant Poets from other countries living in South Africa
Language – English, Can write in the language of the country but a translation in English has to be provided
Topics-
• Internal Migration
• Political Asylum
• Refugee status and border jumping
• Humanitarian Crisis and Complex Humanitarian Emergency
• Xenophobia
• Host country acceptance
• Economic denting to the host country
• Role of UNHCR – The United Nations Refugee Agency
• War and genocide
• Disease, physical and mental trauma and access to primary health care

We cannot guarantee every submission to be published
Please send three poems with a 50 word bio to
Amitabh Mitra at amitabh@amitabhmitra.com