A VOICE FROM MANGAUNG By Lebohang Thaisi

Review by OUPA TSHABALALA

(above) Poet Lebohang Thaisi

The first thing that strikes the reader of this book, A Voice from Mangaung is that Thaisi has put together a collection of quite simple, readable poems. They are moving, they deal with feelings and they are narrative and lyrical; eg

“When I was but a child
Mama dragged me behind her to school
With tears mixed with saliva and mucus
Mama said “you must go to school today”
I am grateful today… (for) I can read and write”

(*To My old School)

In Thank You Thaisi betrays an uncertainty and lack of confidence typical of a very young writer/poet:

“I’m not a poet (yet)
but I love poetry
I am not a poet
But I love playing with words
I enjoy the rhythm and vibrations
Thank you for reading my scribble”

Again, in TO A BROTHER:

“Whenever I pick up a piece of paper
I fear but for a minute
Of who shall read
My little piece of work…”

Not surprisingly as a young poet, Thaisi also writes sentimentally about love:

“Have I told you how I love
Your perfume
The aroma… sprinkles new life
When you are not present
At times, vividly
I feel the sweet odour of your perfume…
Patiently I wait
For your return, Love”

(*I LOVE YOUR PERFUME)

And the frustrations of unrequited love:

“I propose love
She enquires after my bank account
She asks: if dad drives Volvo
It is a shame I possess no accounts
Dad… cycles to work”

(*MONEY)

This note of despair sometimes creeps into Thaisi’s poetry’ especially in DOORMAT:

“Trample on me
Smudge my fibres
Rub (your) dirty boots on me
Even the little ones
Piss over me
I am a doormat
Over me
They come and go”

Many observers would feel that difficult or “pretentious” poetry might come across as tedious and boring to the ordinary reader I feel the poetry of Thaisi has more relevance to the common man. We easily relate too simple, pragmatic and down to earth poetry. In this wise Thaisi has to be praised. Again his poem, “To our BBT” shows how important it is for one to relate to, and identify with something:

“BBT with us you Relate
Your DJs we know
Their accent we understand”

Or his moving tribute to MOTHER:

“For giving me Mother
Lord I praise You
When I tried my first steps
She was here
When I developed my milk teeth
She adoringly nursed me
She was also there
When I first walked to school
When I have Mother
I have everything”

Flaxman Qooppane says that he was inspired to write poetry after reading Mongane Wally Serote’s early books, because they were easy to understand. This writer, and others, finds Thaisi’s poetry an inspiration.