March 2018 Vol. III No. III
Not your ordinary poetry magazine!
If good coffee (or just the concept of coffee), great books, sharp wit, and great authors excite you, we are for you!
International Poetry الشعر শ্লোক ကဗျာ ליבע ਪਿਆਰ өлүм
with Tendai Rinos Mwanaka and Rameeza Nasim
SOCIAL MEDIA SWAMP
My eyes start to burn as I
Recount how many hours I’ve
Been sucked into this quicksand
Of comparison, advertising and
Collective loathing.
I thought I came to this place to
Be inspired by successes
To be motivated to be my best.
But all I found were masks,
Concealing people who were dying
Inside.
Pride wouldn’t let them show it on the
Outside
Where people can see
That this solid mansion is only made of bricks
And on the inside hollow.
This beach is made of plastic refuse
And it’s not a place for souls to go.
Maybe it’s a sign I should get off my phone
And wash off the swamp’s grimy flow.
PLASTIC SOLDIERS
The one too young to know the conflict's cause,
They wage war and do as they're told.
In the West they play make-believe battle,
With toy guns and plastic soldiers,
Not knowing across the sea,
There lives those that have it as reality.
Africa loses her children to those who see her young as expendable figurines,
Straining underdeveloped muscles and silent conscience
To bear the weight of death in tiny hands
Too young to comprehend the value of the breath of man.
Desensitized,
Like pre-programmed drones they march on.
They're in the battlefield,
Not for country,
Not for honor,
Not as heroes.
They die without monuments.
Even after losing their innocence
Khwela Nelisa Khethokuhle is a 21 year-old from a small town in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. She is an introvert and enjoys spending her time reading and reflecting. Her interests include languages, astronomy, literature, art and gothic calligraphy. Her poetry is inspired by poets such as Sara Teasdale and Emily Dickinson. She is studying for her first degree at University of Cape Town
I love poetry
Metaphors paint portraits in our dull minds
Onomatopoeias plays DJ to interesting sounds
Similes photograph horrid or wonderful comparisons
Personification acts out human tragedies, comedies...
Rhyming couplets stick together as if they're slow dancing
Assonance's choir of vowels entertains listeners
that's why I love poetry
Eyethu Mfazwe is a spoken word artist from East London, South Africa. She is studying a BA degree at the University of the Free State. Eyethu is a member of and was the Secretary-General for Enactus UFS in 2017. She was also a member of Psychology Students Association.
The nature
Icy Icy heart?
Plea
Bad lucked dealing everywhere
Promise still
Who's the surgery for?
All need performance.
Lay mandates at your desk.
Sinister mission impossible.
WE ARE ALL THE SAME
Saying, "We are all the same.
Metronome and tempo measurements.
Angst.
Hi! Anna!
Remember back the sober days.
Reminisce in november the october days.
Novice nobel intentions.
Rocky path sections.
Pad pals.
Temples.
Deduce destructive notions to dates.
Cold feet, pulling her leg.
Break a leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My love.
Love options.
Oh! We! My mister
Councilman minister!
Rose growing on concrete.
The on and on song.
Over and over.
Building up courage to exercise, No.
My name in that air. Aired out!
Forgive card. Will you play the forgive card?
But love. Ah! There we go.
We say it's skin deep momentarily.
On the call?
On the call?
She and I had few bible scriptures.
To share.
On the way...................
Maiketso Augustinus Ntsholi. I am Poet in South Africa. I am a 27 year old man in Business Management. I write poetry in both Sotho vernac and English.
PITCH
Pitch him;
We want to hear.
Impeach him;
He has failed.
Ditch him;
He is dry,
Sulk,
Empty,
Broke.
Bury him;
He is a villain,
Fallen,
Dead,
Late,
Obsolete.
IMPOSSIBLE MISSION OR COMMISSION!
When I graduate;
I want to be capped by King Mswati,
Crowned by Queen of England,
Hand shook by Obama,
Smiled at by Khama,
Photographed by Obasanjo,
Congratulated by Putin Vladmir,
Videographed by Xin Ping;
If not, I don't want to be a graduate!
Send me to Oxford, I shall dropout,
Send me to Canada, I say "nada!" in Portuguese.
Send me to Los Angeles, I shall be a lost Angel.
May be try me Arabic language and Islamic teachings,
I shall call self learned.
I was a doctor of philosophy,
I was professor on my land;
But they said we graduated from outdated syllabus;
Teach me new curriculum;
I want to be a true graduate!
Mhondera Chenjerai is a Writer (novelist, author, poet, playwright, song-writer) an Actor and Performing Poet, published in Best New African Poets 2015 Anthology, Zimbolicious Poetry Anthology, and several online journals. He is a Patron and Founder of International Writers Association (IWA), formerly Young Writers Club. Helps to nurture talents and publishes upcoming writers through his literary Organisation. He is a Citizen of the World. His upcoming book of quotes entitled A Case of Love and Hate, will be published by Mwanaka Media and Publishing
Tendai Rinos Mwanaka is a leading poet and writer of the new generation of African writers and works hard to promote African writing through anthologies he has curated and co edited. Mwanaka has been shortlisted and won several writing awards, including being shortlisted for a record 7 times for the UK based Erbacce poetry award, 3 times nominated for the Pushcart, The Caine African Writing Award etc.
*Heo Nanseolhean (1563-1589)
If women have han in their hearts—
To be born a woman
To be born in the Chosǒn Period
To be the wife of a husband
— frost will come in May.
Father let me study poetry with my brothers
until I married Kim Song Lip and I put it aside.
Waiting for my faithless husband, father said
Write a poem
ask yourself,
Who am I?
*Heo Nanseolhean (1563-1589), born Heo Chohui, was a prominent Korean Female poet of the mid Chosǒn dynasty.
first published Paris Press Spiraling Poetry, 2015
DEAR YEOBO,
When you say ramen
then I am ramen.
When you say tea
I am tea.
When you take off your clothes
then I take off my clothes.
If I could leave my senses
I would be no trouble.
You don’t give food
to the fish you’ve caught.
You no longer need to hold me—
please drink your tea.
Yeobo: “darling” or “honey,” a Korean term of endearment
first published in Rattle, 2014
Denied
After fifty, I should want nothing
Your kiss, touch, embrace
not even the smile that says
I know you, Wife,
I should not want
to speak my mouth should be a stone
on this pillow beside you
my mouth is open
with longing hungry
to taste you
betraying my need.
Even stones yearn
flowers grow
between them
glowing the deep tree roots
break apart with life
sweetness pushing through like song.
Unmasked Anthology, 2017
Tanya (Hyonhye) Ko Hong, poet, translator and cultural curator, has been published in Rattle, Beloit Poetry Journal, Entropy, Cultural Weekly, Korea Times, Korea Central Daily News, and elsewhere. She has an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, and is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently, Mother to Myself, A collection of poems in Korean (Prunsasang Press, 2015). Her poem, “Comfort Woman” got honorable mention in the 2015 Women’s National Book Association. Tanya is an ongoing advocate of bilingual poetry, promoting the work of immigrant poets. She lives Palos Verdes, CA.www.tanyakohong.com
Entirety::
Walk around me and see
If you can find my scent
Hidden behind the layers
Scents of the world
And the men in it
Because last night in bed
I couldn’t smell myself
I couldn’t feel what my
Scent has become
It smelt of betrayal
And lust, of power, and
Of misery,
The long lost scent
Of innocence and me
Is lost, dead and gone
Love me savagely
Maybe then
I’ll smell of you
But still, not my own
Because last night in bed
I couldn’t sleep with myself
I smelt different everywhere
My hands
My neck
My heart
They all smelt different
And I couldn’t sleep
Love me savagely
See if you could
Wash them all away
So only I remain.
Irum Zahra
there is summer outside
casting its full glory
as the monsoon is about to be welcomed
but what about the snowfall
deep inside
the weather of my heart
is frozen...
frozen enough to not let the outer world get into it
I'm dying
dying inside...
let me borrow your sunshine
to survive
to revive
what I was...
Hira Naz
I am the Beauty
I am the beauty
I am the brain
There lurks a beast
And dragons I've slain
A princess, I may be
I warrior, I am
Fighting the world
And becoming my champ
There'll come a day
When the world will see
For women's forgiveness
They will all plea
Guiding Lights
Dreams are but guiding lights
On scapes of crossroads and more
To bring forth the deepness of plight
Rise to the occasion and go on to score
Keep dreaming wherever you are
Strive on the chosen path
Tis not impossible to reach the stars
This world, thus, becomes your strath
Hina Tabassum Khatri is a corporate banker by profession who loves playing around with words in form of poetry and prose.
Rameeza Nasim was born and lives in Karachi, Pakistan. Holding a masters degree in English Literature and Linguistics, she makes her living through writing and Blogging. Poetry is her Passion and it's something in her genes.