admin
Tafadzwa Chibukwa, Chronicle Reporter
WHOEVER said one’s talent washes away with the rains that pour on them and goes with the wind that blows on them lied! Poet, Zulu Mpofu who hails from Esigodini is a typical go-getter who lives the narrative that one can still attain their vision and pursue their talent even after years of tirelessly chasing their career.
Mpofu has been a poet his whole life, but forced by expectations and his responsibility towards his family, he was forced to abandon his talent and chase money.
He became a gold panner at Frieda Mine during his early 20s, but this never made him lose hope and vision for his love for poetry.
In an interview with Chronicle Showbiz, Mpofu said he was never content with being a gold panner as his heart was on poetry. He said even though the job gave him money and sustained his family, it was too risky for his liking and he hoped to retreat.
“My heart has always been on poetry, I tried to put my effort and passion towards the job at Frieda Mine, but I was always reminded that it wasn’t my chosen passion. Eventually, I found myself holding a pen and book working on something. I then decided in the early 2000s that I would divert back to my passion,” said Mpofu.
He said at this point, he started writing poems and would be invited to perform at weddings, school celebrations, and exhibitions among other events where he performed poems that were in sync with the functions.
Interestingly, not only is Mpofu gifted with poetry, but he also writes novels.
“I must say that not only do I love writing poems, but I also write novels. I usually sit down and scribble a few pages, but eventually do not finish them due to different challenges that I face as an author,” said Mpofu.
However, despite facing challenges, Mpofu has always been resilient in his fight to be one of the renowned poets in his province. He is in the process of writing a book titled Konke kulesiphetho which dwells on the vandalous and unruly behaviours exhibited by certain individuals in rural areas.
“I’ve noted with concern, the rate at which people in the rural areas are not scared of committing crimes due to the fact that they are far from police stations. What they forget is that society is also in a position to deal with them using natural means, which is some of the experiences that I have come across in my province. All will be captured in my book,” he said.
Working on expanding his poetry collection, Mpofu is working on cultural and educational themes which encourage children to pursue their passion.
His hope is to one day gain exposure.
“As someone who has been writing for some time now, I’m looking forward to being one of the renowned poets and getting sponsors and gigs, but I am facing challenges with exposure,” he said.
–@Sagepapie14
Online Reporter