THREESOME Poems by Pulane Moiloa

Pulane Moiloa, author of the collection of poems titled “THREESOME” has a formidable pedigree. She is the latest in a long line of distinguished, creative writing family. How is this?

Pulane’s grandfather, Dr JJ Moiloa was the prolific avant-garde, outstanding intellectual whose books in Sesotho are prescribed in many schools. Pulane’s father, Kolisang Moiloa, has also published impressive works in Sesotho.

Pulane started writing – ironically in English, at the age of 12. She appears to be an instinctive poet, as her debut book, Threesome, shows. Her voice is restrained, yet probing, intelligent and focused. She appears to be devoid of undue bitterness and acrimony.

THREESOME contains the following poems: A path of yonder, Africa’s path, African appearance, Brought a smile, Can U, This is not the end of the road, hand in hand, hear me out, How sad, my apologies! Longing, Mama Africa, meet my ideal. My first piece of love, Realise, Success. Threesome, Well where are you, Yeh missing Yah; and never Thought.

The poet is obviously proud to be an African, as the buoyant, effervescent mood of “Africa’s Path” and “African Appearance show:

The lands of fruits and herbalists
The land of charity, season to season!
The multi-cultured, so to multi-lingual
The old, so to the new still

The poet’s tribute to “Mammy Dinku” in “How sad my apologies” is heartfelt:

Like the sunrise every morning
Like a candle with undying flame
Like the moon and stars brightening up the sky
U’ve always been there
I LOVE U SO MUCH!

The poet shows her philosophical side in “Realise” where, inter alia, she muses:

Life is a journey
Life is full of complications
Life is unpredictable
Only one’s prayers and faith would help
Life is planted like a seed
Only one can water it with smiles

The title poem, “Threesome” is also in this vein, with some astrological connotations. Like so many young South African poets, Pulane’s poems largely adumbrate the ambience of typical English poems, which are generally lyrical and uncomplicated. Reading her debut collection, the impression that Pulane Moiloa is a talented, promising bard becomes reinforced.

* This review, re-published here, is courtesy of the Phoenix Literary Club (Ladybrand)

THROUGH IT ALL. By Teboho Masakala

Thaba Nchu (in Free State, South Africa)

On 15 April 2011, Selosesha Library in Thaba Nchu came alive as Teboho Masakala launched his work of fiction, Through it all.

The Hall was packed with learners from different schools in Thaba Nchu who came to witness the book launch. Guests included Sechaba Marumo, Ditlhare Mabitle and Job Mzamo.

Thamsanqa Job Mzamo, illustrious author of the anthology of poems, Pride of my Heart is already a celebrated poet of international repute. As a polished versifier, his support on the day was invaluable.

On his part, Sechaba Marumo, an author of the motivational book Be the best you can be encouraged learners of different schools to use their talent and to be proud of their place of birth. “They must also be encouraged to read. Do not compete with useless things, but rather compete academically,”

Marumo also highlighted his background and encouraged students to take their studies seriously. He was followed by Mrs. Ditlhare Mabitle who encouraged the use of mother tongue languages: “a reading nation is a winning nation”. Mr. Mzamo in his articulate way also encouraged learners to be writers, and to read.

The distinguished creative African writer and novelist, O Bolaji has already written about THROUGH IT ALL, inter alia: “Teboho’s debut novel focuses on a certain young woman and her vicissitudes. The protagonist is Monica Classen who is dragged through the mill! After the death of her parents, she is unfortunately raped by her own uncle, an exceedingly harrowing experience for her.

She decides to flee Thaba Nchu and start a new life in Bloemfontein, but her ordeal is not over; not by a long shot. More painful episodes await her till in the end, like a deus ex machina all is well with her, and her sorrows are behind her. Read this moving work and ponder..."

Excerpt from the book (exemplifying the sad metamorphosis of Monica): “Monica (who had been) fragile, kind-hearted, was now this weak, controlled drugs loving, money hungry Monica…the city of Bloemfontein had swallowed her and was not prepared to throw her up anytime soon as there was no way out…”

HOW DO I TALK ABOUT MY ORDEAL? By Maxwell Perkins Kanemanyanga

Review by Paul Lothane

This work, How Do I talk about my Ordeal? follows on the heels of the author’s first book, Enemy of the State (2009). This new book reinforces the literary fecundity of the author, Maxwell Perkins Kanemanyanga.

Kanemanyanga has the penchant to produce works that are somewhat didactic, with moralistic undertones. It is no surprise that this continues in this new work, starting with the Introduction. This gratuitous, sometimes irritating approach can be seen from when Gogo spouts the following to a nurse in the very first story:

“But gogo tell me, what is wrong with our society today?” nurse Sibanda asked gogo maMoyo as they were waiting for the results.

“Uh, it’s not easy. You children of today don’t listen to your elders anymore. You say you went to school and us we know nothing. But look at me; I have seen my grandchildren, something that you are failing to do. You are dying young. Go to the cemeteries you will see what I am talking about. Born 1980, died 2000, born 1981 died 2009, born 1985 died 2010. During our time we learnt how to cook like our mothers but now you, learn to drink like your fathers. The young men are like bulls. They leave babies all over they go. The first born is in Bloemfontein, second born in Eastern Cape, the third born in Polokwane all with different mothers. How do you survive this disease? Your children grow up without guidance, because they don’t know their fathers. Every day they are introduced to a different man saying he is your father. A child needs a moral compass. That means instilling a sense of right and wrong. The moral compass for children is their parent’s behaviour. Unfortunately for you children of today, family is no longer important and that is very bad. By the time you will you realize this most of you will be dead.”

An ominous forecast. Yet despite her horrifying ordeal, Maze the young lady violated in the opening story manages to go on with life. As the aphorism points out “As they say the axe that cuts quickly forgets but the tree that was cut will never forget.”

Yet this initial story, like others, goes on and on to the point of becoming tedious. One gets the impression that perhaps this story should have been further developed into something like a novella.

Once again, fine expressions intermittently come to the fore and are lavished on us; the display of eclectic knowledge and references still predominate; eg “She remembered one of the best statements from William Shakespeare’s books and tears began to flow on her pretty face. “The liquid drops of tears that you have shed shall come again, transformed to orient pearl advantaging their loan with interest of ten times double again of happiness.” And the likes of Martin Luther King Jnr are quoted with relish too.

We have what comes close to true pathos in the story “Beautiful Ghost” as a woman is abused and humiliated by her husband. “One night she heard her husband arguing with another woman in the next room. What else could she do anymore? Was it because she was dying? But she had always been there for him. In the dawn of that same night Janet passed away in the arms of her mother whilst, her husband was sleeping in the arms of another woman. She died with a heavy painful heart.” This is heart-rending.

Yet the story is a rather disjointed one that can easily confuse, with the didactic fulminations once again overdone, and the authorial intrusions sometimes jarring. The author wants to make a point here, and certainly does so.

The story, “Baby from the plastic” might have been a success, but once again it is marred by the author’s penchant to go on and on -even including a long discourse on football, Arsene Wenger and his regime at Arsenal. It is clear the author loves football. But here in this context it comes across as gratuitous, over-stretched and even boring.

By and large, this is an impressive work by Maxwell Kanemanyanga; his commitment to his art, his principles (even if overdone to the extent of marring his artistic level), and his love for general knowledge have to be commended.

Kanemanyanga has started his literary career by publishing two books of short stories. Many in the literary fraternity will now reckon that his next step should be a novel or at least a novella. In these days where when imaginative writing is thin on the ground at grassroots level, one can not but wish Mr. Kanemanyanga all the best.