Poetry Reading with Modjaji Books at the CTBF
Poets Joan Meterlekamp, Helen Moffett, Sindiwe Magona and Fiona Zerbst read from their new anthologies, published by Modjaji Books. The four poets were introduced by Modjaji publishing director, Colleen Higgs who was more than enthusiastic about the four collections: Burnt Offerings (Meterlekamp), Please, Take Photographs (Magona), Oleander (Zerbst), and Strange Fruit (Moffett).
Meterlekamp was the first to take to the stand with a reading of “Phenelope” from her collection, a poem that grapples with the raveling and unraveling of the threads of one’s experience, and the weaving together of both the male and female aspects of midlife. Helen Moffett read “Evening Stables”, evoking childhood memories of riding horses on their farm, which she dedicated to Anne Landsman, a then childhood friend. Other poems included “We will fight them at La Playa”, which details the events leading up to the purchase of a pair of pink “shagg me shoes”.
Magona’s poem, “Maria”, spans over almost nine decades. It details the main achievements and realizations of each of her personal “era’s” and is written for the birthday of an acquaintance’s mother. “Now I know all about life,” she concluded, “having made it from scratch myself.” Malika Ndlovu read on behalf of Fiona Zerbst, from her anthology Oleander.
The reading held the large crowd, despite the Book Fair Sunday programme drawing to a close, who remained to hear the threads of these women’s experiences being woven together,
Quote of the hour: “I just hope sincerely that there won’t be a goal while I read!”
-Helen Moffett (referring to the noise from the soccer stand)
