African poetry

Akan symbol Obra kwan ye nkyinkyimiie
The course of life is full of twistings, ups and downs, and zigzags
- Akan proverb

Updated: November 2011 (why does things keep disappearing, eh?)

Poetry International: Large and it seems stable, well curated collection of poets, with poems, interviews, essays etc, by country, bit of Africa there - South Africa: Antjie Krog, Ingrid de Kok, Karen Press, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Michael Cope, Mxolisi Nyezwa, Tatamkhulu Afrika etc, Zimbabwe: Charles Mungoshi, Chirikure Chirikure, Chris Magadza, Albert Nyathi, Freedom T.V. Nyamubaya, John Eppel, Ndebele & Shona praise poetry etc, Morocco: Abdel-ilah Salhi, Ahmed Barakat, Amina El Bakouri, Ben Younes Majen, Fatiha Morchid, Hassan Najmi, Mohammed Abu-Talib, Touria Majdouline etc.
word speaks: Poem by Kojo Baffoe on his blog Imperfect Poetry
Nii Ayikwei Parkes: Ghanaian writer resident in London - two poems here including I like it to rain: Sometimes I like it to rain / Heavy, relentless and loud, / So you burrow into me like pain, / And inhale me slow and free.
KiSwahili praise about love: Nipa loho ya kihindi Give me a writing board of Indian wood
Butteryfly: Poem by Chinua Achebe; Matt's note on this poem
Eze elina, elina!: Kemefuna's song from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe; Matt's note on this poem
Vultures: Poem by Chinua Achebe, with revision notes! (BBC Schools)
Another Africa: Extract from Another Africa (Lund Humphries, ISBN 0853317291), poems by Chinua Achebe, photographs by Robert Lyons - if your house burns down save this book
Chris Abani: Los Angeles, London, Lagos
Ambara, The Interpreter: Dogon Tige, with line by line interpetation
Lithothokiso (Praise Poems): From Rethabile Masilo's blog On Sesotho
Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac (‘Gaarriye’): Interviewed by James Byrne for The Wolf magazine
Kudu: Poem by Gaarriye, translated by David Harsent
Dedication: Poem by by Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka in conversation: First African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature - Soyinka was in conversation at the University of Berkley, video
Crossing project: From Devon County Council, including poems from Peter Clarke, Ingrid de Kok, Mike Cope, Abner Nyamende and transcript of a conversation between Tatumkhulu Afrika and three students from Westerford High School
The beginning of beginning rhythm etc: Two Bambara praises for the Crowned Crane, in English
The hunter will go: he will bring meat: Five Akan praises of hunters, in English; Matt's note on these Akan praises
We are meningitis: Yoruba praise, in English
Train and other praises: Praises in English - You are the black centipede, the rusher with a black nose
African proverbs, sayings and stories: In original languages and English with explanation, biblical parallels and meaning for everday use
African educational resources: Renowned poets Kofi Anyidoho and Tanure Ojaide are featured, plus others
Recent South African poetry: Virtual anthology edited by Michael Cope - from Ingrid de Kok to Isabella Motadinyane
Adinkra symbols: West African symbols, origins and meanings.
African praise poems - examples, analysis, links: From Cora Agatucci, Professor of English, Central Oregon Community College
The tether will suffer the wear and the tear: Poem by Akoli Penoukou - Tether which inhibited us in barter etc
5 poems by Reesom Haile: Eritrean, in English translation by the author and Charles Cantalupo

Comments, suggestion: get in touch - matt

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