Local poet pens 112 poems

Yvonne Ncube, Showbiz Correspondent

LOCAL poet Mntungwa KaMbulazi (real name Kwanele Khumalo) has released a poetry collection of 112 poems.

He penned the poems in six months.

The book which was published at the beginning of this month is inspired by real life scenarios.

“Most of the poems focus on rural social problems such as cultural issues and poverty. One of the poems was inspired by the story of a Nkayi child who went missing and was found in Kenya. This story really touched me and I saw that if I don’t write it down it will continue haunting me. Generally, the whole book revolves around Matabeleland.

“It also tackles the issue which has recently been raised by the 2022 Census results that Matebeland people are few because they avoid having many children. I had actually written the poem way before the census revealed this so I can be called a prophet,” said Mntungwa KaMbuluzi in jest.

In his poem Mntungwa KaMbulazi encourages people in Matabeleland to have more children and grow the population.

“The book cover represents poor people who are undermined. They are being represented by a woman who sells tomatoes. It represents the endurance and patience of vendors who are undermined and poor yet they continue persisting in their jobs.

“Also it represents the poets in the community as vendors who try to sell their ideas to people who ignore them yet they continue yelling and persisting. Writing for me is a calling and a duty. It is a way of escaping the real world,” he said.