Drum-Media discussion with Bhekumusa Moyo

Introducing Bhekumusa Moyo and his literary insights and views:
I grew up reading Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Athol Fugard, Charlse Mungoshi, Chenjerai Hove and Buchi Emecheta. I fell in love with the way they approached contemporary life issues. Their issues ranged from political. These heroes inspired my writing a big deal. They taught me to be true, relevant and consistent. When I discovered my touch on Protest Poetry, I respected that they had their own approach, I stood by the side of Protest and I am still firm on it. As a performing poet also, there have been blocks on my way because of my work which range from couple of arrests, questioning, censorship etc. I used to write for the Sunday News Poetry Column here in Zimbabwe until when I was requested to stop as my poetry was inciting. Nonetheless, from a few notes I learnt from “I write what I like” by Steve Biko, I said, I would write of what I hate.
Poetry is my first love. The way I write is the way I live and feel things. Each time something worth writing of passes my mind, I just write. I have never spent more than an hour on one poem. It sounds crazy! To me poetry is like my position on a subject. When it strikes it is just like that. I do not stress toning down or making it sophisticated. The literary devices in my poetry just find their way there. I don’t force them on particular lines. I believe simplicity is the greatest sophistication. I want everyone to read my poem once and understand what it speaks of.
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JUST SING A NEW SONG

i hear birds singing a song

they believe they belong,

to the jungle in which from they sing

they mind not the stone

that breaks them to the bone

from the hand of man

as a new day breaks

mend all your life’s leaks

and sharpen your psychological beak

to sing a new song

a better song that makes you strong

and believe you really belong



Simply MANDELA

Man of honor

Alpha wisdom

Naturally peaceful

Dynamic and decent

Ever loving leader

Loyal leader of all times

An icon

A DEDICATION TO MANDELA

Madiba Mandela Nelson

true emblem of reason,

an icon of all seasons,

which refused to die in prison.

you demonstrated rare leadership

a leadership of servant ship,

people spoke,

you gave an ear.

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MOBILE COFFINS

they were off

to bury their brother,

when it crashed

and killed their mother

others were merry

to a wedding,

when it fell from a descent

and they slept forever

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I CAN’T WRITE A POEM

I feel empty

Free from inspiration
Free from verse
Free from rhyme
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THE DAY OF THE STREET AFRICAN CHILD

I sat to write a different poem
A poem against my style
I sat to write a poem
A poem of love
I stopped to write about hate
The dictator and the bad system
The politics and the corruption
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