admin
Kelvin Chiringa Cool Lifestyle Writer
Amidst the mourning of acclaimed literary giant Chenjerai Hove who passed away recently, the literary world will look to young writers to carry on with the legacy. One such budding author whose dedication to take the baton from such veteran artists as Hove remains unquestionable is 17-year-old Prince Chidzvondo.
Writing is a culture, if you don’t have it you are not in the system.
Cool Lifestyle tracked down the Hatcliff based poet-cum-novelist in a bid to get insight into his literary works, which he has set to add to Zimbabwe’s contemporary literature.
“I was introduced to Zimbabwean literature at the age of eight when I first read Dambudzo Marechera and later Chenjerai Hove, whose poetry and short stories prompted me to start thinking seriously about writing. I then started writing back in form one and so far I have managed to bring out a collection of post-modernist poetry and short stories compiled under the title ‘Saints and Sinners,” he said.
Commenting on his poetry, Chidzvondo explained that anger is what drives him.
“My poetry in short can be said to be a product of anger, in other words I write when angered by something, meaning to say I find inspiration from anything I get angry at,” he said.
His debut novel, “Saints and Sinners” contains stories like Demons, Raged Thorns, Through her Fault, Mourning Morning, When Mary Remembered, Ave Domira, The Ring and It Was a Chance to Make Easy Money.
All eight short stories are connected by a thread that weaves themes of hatred, lost love and betrayal and places emphasis on family life.
“Writers are like word-smiths, we write about love, we exploit anger, hate, kindness and humility, we write about everything,”
“Writing per se is hard, but when I finally finish, I equal myself to a man who has just finished ploughing a whole hectare or building a rocket that’s just about to launch,” he said.
Asked about who inspired him Chidzvondo pointed at Chinua Achiebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Mariama Ba and said just like these literary giants he would never stop writing.
“I find great inspiration from African writers like Adichie, Chinua and Mariama Ba, I will never stop writing until I hear the astounding ecstatic applause that gets me so high I defy the theory of gravity,
“In my heart there is a deep poetic curse, the same Oscar Wilde disease, the same Chinua Achebe illness, the same Tendai Huchu jinx and Jackie Collins-Sydney Sheldon virus such that on my death bed I will still write,” he reiterated.
The evidently well-read seventeen year old writer commented on Zimbabwean literature as rich and praised the media for helping reflect Zimbabwean Literature to the outside world.
“The value put to our literature by the likes of Chenjerai Hove, Dambudzo Marechera, Charles Mungoshi, Musayemura Zimunya et al has made it so rich and it is our obligation as budding artists to carry on with this legacy,
“At the same time our media has been able to herald our literature to the outside world as well as such programs like the Cover to Cover Writing Competitions,” said Chidzvondo.
Asked about his aspirations as an upcoming artist, Chidzvondo had this to say in a poetic if not philosophical tone|:
“Each day,I want to paint a different horizon for the colour blind, I want to borrow yesterday’s clay so I can make my own statue of liberty, I want to write as if there is no tomorrow and yes I want my works to deserve The People’s Choice Award.”
Online Reporter