Andrew
Edmore Zvinonzwa
MARCH is the month in which the world celebrates International Women’s Month and International Women’s Day.
The campaign for gender parity has become global although many countries still have to realise their own targeted thresholds.
It is in this light that Margaret Chideme’s collection of poetry titled, “First Thirty” assumes new relevance.
The anthology seeks to explore the life experiences of the writer and also centres on topics that resonate with women’s issues.
Published in 2021, the poetry book has been Chideme’s experimentation on hitherto taboo topics of life like womanhood, ambition and self-discovery. Speaking in an interview, the writer says she initially intended to publish the book at the age of 30.
“The 174-page collection, which is my first book, contains 30 points in poetry that covers the experiences I had in life. In a way, it is a story of my life. It revolves around womanhood, searching and rediscovery, love and lust, pain and abuse, among others. It is about the rediscovery of a woman,” she said.
The patriarchal setup that has been in place globally and places men as the overall heads –who call the shots and make decisions –has conditioned many to think the position of women is second-rate.
As such this anthology has poems that decry the marginalisation of women and also the labels they end up getting from society.
Chideme, who does not censor herself in her poetry, says she never had an audience in mind when she penned “First Thirty”.
This is one reason why her art becomes unique, refreshing and interesting. By writing as is, her subject becomes intimate.
“When I wrote these poems, they were never meant for an audience. The public was never supposed to read them. I wrote like no one was watching. At the time, it was an honest raw release of my true emotions and thoughts and I decided to publish a book of poetry because it represented my uncensored thoughts and my truth. I wanted a true version of myself represented in my work and poetry is that place for me where I feel I can be myself,” she said.
The writer, who is a single mother to a seven-year-old daughter, started writing while in high school at Monte Cassino.
She says that her greatest inspiration was her high school Literature in English teacher.
Chideme was born on November 17, 1985 in Warren Park, Harare and formative years were not spent in one place.
Her grandparents first took her to Beitbridge. Her grandfather took her to Hwange where she attended Thomas Coulter Primary School in the Matabeleland North Province coal-mining town.
Unfortunately, her grandfather later died in an accident. Her aunt took her to the small mining town of Lalapanzi in the Midlands Province. She later lived in Glen Norah and Msasa Park in Harare, leading to her changing schools from Ruvheneko Primary School to David Livingstone in central Harare.
Chideme is also a businesswoman who is into the construction of rural roads countrywide and says it is not easy to balance her work, family as well as artistic sides.
“It is not easy but is all about knowing what you want. Self actualisation remains central and when you have a talent you have to use it. I feel like it is my purpose to write,” she said.
The writer, who is the founder of Lifeline Foundation –an organisation that brings mental health awareness in African society – is keen on living life with a purpose.
She is currently working on “Next Thirty”, another collection which will trace experiences after “First Thirty”.
Chideme has a personal blog Maggie’s Diary, where she posts some of her writings.
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Online Reporter