(11 poems) by Floral and Faun Wet for syntax sex.Her fonts winkedpurringat his tall,spangling syntax.Xxx Crashing.Tickling her funny-bone ISlammed her into the wall whichMoanedin submission.Xxx The curve of her breast ...

(2 poems) by AA Maree A dead swallow I saw a swallow on the walk up on the bench, dead on the floorI’d guess a cat or dog had got ...

(2 poems) by Antigua Koekemoer Blades Within They told me watch out for strangers for people in the dark They told me never walk alone But alone you walk Blades ...

(2 poems) by Goodwill Siboniso Mkhwanazi Inkanankana Impilo ehalelwa izinkumbi,umkhosi ophithilizelisa abasha nezaguga,umkhosi odedelwa ulaxazwe njengomlilo,abawuphethe bayawuphihliza bebaleka,abawufunayo baphithizela njengamatsheketshe,umkhosi ozingelwa njengenyamazane.Umkhosi omtoti ngamehlo,abawunambithayo bewuphimisa njengolwandle,abawubukayo bewulambele okwendodo,umkhosi owakhiwa eningini,kodwa othwala ...

(2 poems) by Hassen Lorgat The Rusty Spoon (Written 10 September 2021, before the news of the arrests of the escaped Palestinian prisoners was confirmed.)   that rusty spoon++++a few ...

(2 poems) by Kwazi Innocent These Walls‘When I write baby, I’m the hero of my shit.’ Profound words if you ask me. I’m not the first nor will I be ...

(2 poems) by LLM Mbatha Operation DudulaI Just yesterday they tried To #CleanSAAnd now we knowHow all of it was a LIEBut none came to apologiseFor the damage already doneHow ...

(2 poems) by Martin Labuschagne die rewolusie het uitgereën vanmiddag, jare na die persreën,word ‘n bedonderde betogingvir dié of daai agtienpersent verhoging,aanmekaargeflans en in-gebus.-: slagsprekende spreektrompette metverwytende vuiste in die ...

Umthandazo wokuvula by Poppie Ntaka Masihlangane emasimini ezinhliziyo zethu   Masamkele lesi memo esikhulu; masi’hloniphe   *** Usho uma usufikile   Mngane,     Ngihambe kahle bandla izolo. Ngifike kusakhanya, besavukile bonke abantu.   Bayakhonza ...

(2 poems) by Sue Nyamnjoh have you eaten?   I come from a long lineageof proud and brave heroes. Stories of their greatnesswere passed from father to childwith the cycle ...

(2 poems) by Lindiwe Mpofu Zimbabwean gestationanother day, another spellof gut churning nauseamorning sicknessfrom the growing foetus of lonelinessand the longing to returnto the soil that formed me,the ground where ...

(3 poems) by Bafana Charles Peter 1. Yinyath’uqoboNdimva ndikud’enyathelaNdiv’imvekw’ithule kant’iyozelaNdimbona ngaphambi kwanax’evuthelaNdibabona besaba bemnik’indlelaLiqhaji lendoda yinyok’ubulumkoUnamehlw’okhozi undand’emafiniYinkunz’enkom’uyangcangcazelisaYintab’uk’phakama sonke sinamandlaLixhents’okomXhos’ingesi lakumbonaNdoyik’okwempukw’emngxunyen’isitheleNdihlob’okwamas’engekaselwa nguyeUkhaliph’okwegorha lemfengu lixhobileIyamkhahlel’inyosi nayo x’imbonaLuyamthand’ulwandle ngumhlob’aloNqandani nants’intlanz’indibulisaLamla Nxishaneshe kunts’uk’uthuleNdincede ndlulamth’undifunquleYandil’intlungu ...

(3 poems) by Deon-Simphiwe Rakaku Graaff-Reinet The hinted sense of desolationhaunts The woundedness of facesone encountersweighs heavy on the heartsuch is crispness of a people charredby not having povertylives herein ...

(3 poems) by Frank Meintjies CambodiaIn Hao Lao, light shines through the death Through the eyes of shackles Stories tie-dyed in the colour of flags, Stories moored by flagpoles. Flagpoles ...

(3 poems) by Kalahari Marrakesh A Turbulence of a Spinning TsunamiFor coloured girls who love the spinning of a Gusheshe The distance between Hanover Park &Eldorado Parkis marked with asynchronicity ...

(3 poems) by Sarah Frost The PastWhat were you thinking, mother,When you handed me the slim rectangular package –A watch for my tenth birthday –When I came to your bed ...

4 love poems for Qi Hong by Yuan Changming Stream & LakeAll your life, you have been tryingFlowing, pouring and dissolvingEvery droplet of your thick and transparent beingInto this lakeFor ...

(4 poems) by Ayabonga Molo Slaughter Master Low down, dirty shame; that’s my name,Madness and creating chaos; that’s the game.An outlaw, I taste like medicine,Give me words I become venomous.That’s my ...

(4 poems) by Mingyue Fairytale Dream in the Sunlight Perhaps an angel cast a spell, awakening a conversation between you and me.   That day by the lake fountain, sunlight ...

(4 poems) by Joop Bersee Queuing Up In a queue outside the museum,covered by our century,waiting to see what hesaw with his brushes.Once inside, a flood of people blockmy view, sand ...

( 5 poems) by Lunette Elle Warren Naguil middernag (alweer) en my ore singseker om die geraasvan jou stem te onderdrukek moet jou uit my uit skryfhierdie keer dig ek jou(wat ...

(6 poems) by Abu Bakr Solomons B---------light​Does the pope's walk of words for his followers' scandal of evil –‘’assimilate, you savage Inuit!’’ –  heal wounds...+++++++++++++++++++++++++?Can the German nation's Nazi guilt ...

(6 poems) by Siza Nkosi the music that keeps me up at night  in the hour of dreamsyoung voices danceto the distant doef-doef sound of senseless lyrics drums chant ceaselesslyto ...

(7 poems) by Chestlyn Draghoender Om te let gosom brase hetti lyn nien kan maak latte vroumens haaself haat.dat sy haaself oek nooit kan vegiewe nieal het sy niks vekeed ...

(7 poems) by Sanet van Rensburg CeasefireThe call to prayer soundsa familiar cry of melancholyrespect resonatesthrough ancient notessilence fallsdissolving enemy linesmomentarily The EndBe bravelike mewalk away from this broken urnit ...

(7 poems) by Sihle Ntuli Remember Nokuthula Simelane for daughters of the armed struggle the ones pictured standing alongside revered black male deities,partaking in the same contestation for liberation,the very ...

(8 poems) by Zeenit Jacobs Bright LightsA boy with a pointed finger exults:"Look at the stars falling fast!"  Collective awe as fifty become onehundred; bright lights from East andWest illuminate the ...

(9 poems) by Kyle Allan Poem 27 where doesour name lie like a countryon its sidebreathing or sleepingsometimesdead where doesour identity fall like leavesfrom the treesvery dry where does our culture ...

(9 poems) by Partha Sarkar It has showered symbolically, just beforeIt has showered symbolically.Has returned home the boat leavingThe sultry warehouse.Has returned the necklace made of moonlit silver.Yet there is ...

A Meditation on Certain Times and Places by Stephen Faulkner (Celebrating the life of Gerald Kraak at his wake*)Joburg –The cold facts first.CancerSpreadingCreeping into secret crevicesClosing down organsSnatching breathAlmost stealing ...

Threnody for a Queen in Four Parts – a short Opera by Christine Coates Queen LearIt's the last year of the queen, early summer,sarcophagus dream.everything is bursting with life. She ...

A Silver by Alexander Smith There is a silver that glidesAcross the heads of bushesAnd hides beneath each leaf.The silver which dances inThe belly of the wave,Illuminates the bald skulls ...

A tribute to Harry by Lehlohonolo Shale   At the festival of Letters, they say: Greet Harry when you meet at the AcademyWhen you learn about Rodney at the GalleryHow ...

Absolute happiness by T.S Hidalgo I tore the corners of an envelopeon the day of my childhoodsomething like exultantand cathedrals, shields,even masters in blackcame out of it(and this is somethingI ...

Accelerate by Natalie Railoun  be carefulpinpoint your locationin case you want to rememberexactly where youexactly how youtook that turnhow fast you were goingwatching once loyal now stray dogsknocked to the ...

an almost sestina lente by Mike Dickman today is the spring festival of poetry:the moon is on the waneand I've not done much with the day at all:slept with the ...

Andre Marais and the Kids by multiple authors Die vuur op vygieskraalby Tanya Booysenmy mooi pop is wegin die brandnet die hare bly oorin die sandek was te haastig veroggend ...

another dead poet by Amani Karisa we’re gathered hereoutside parliamentboys and girlsdressed in blackswinging our bodiesin slow motionsinging dirgeswith hoarse voicesfists raisedagainst the windarms stretched outholding posterspainted with bloodfrom the ...

Another Woman Is Dead by Myesha Jenkins   Translated to Sepedi in 2011 with permission from author. Myesha Jenkins.   He beat herHe stabbed herHe kicked herto death Because she ...

At Wespark (A poem for Bra Don Mattera) by Lehlohonolo Shale The first was at your homeWhen Comrade met ComradeIn a never-ending liberation viewLike when sea met sandNow at WestparkWhilst ...

Babylon by Bokang Kamvenhle I have loved you, some might say,in the worst times;I held your breath inside me when the sun set,perhaps without returning;yes, the sun stopped bending toward ...

Basket weaving by Sarah Godsell My country, my love,(my heart lives here.It is here she makes her early morningCoffeeAnd here she wakes up with her night time tears)Requires an active ...

Basket weaving by Sarah Godsell My country, my love,(my heart lives here.It is here she makes her early morningCoffeeAnd here she wakes up with her night time tears)Requires an active ...

Bea's Spoon by Casey Golomski Hand-less, arm-less Clocks analogize what remains of time Here—night is a blue moon affixed in smoke-grey surrounds, Day an orange sun winking “you’ll see,” another ...

Behind a Half Closed Door by Khadija Shariffe behind a half closed door, you saidmad money coming your way, leg shakingto the sound of loose change, thus jingle jangle in ...

Blasphemy by Amani Karisa   Show me your Godwho had a sonTell me about himwho impregnated someone's wife I wanna know himthis god with a penisHe, him, his Tell me ...

Boa Morte by Jana van Niekerk (Song of Life)I remember you when you were young and vigorousThis is lifeIn the beginningWe all piss ourselves, it’s not AustenWe wake up rumpled, ...

Broken Clock by Rofhiwa Nelwamondo The hatched darkness takes its course,The rude goat proud and tight!On the edge of a broken lie,Darkness stole the trust.Awakening terror creeping throughThe slowest heaving ...

Calculation by Lerise Johnson I have tried various methods of calculation;counted and recounted, countedbut I can't seem to cross the divide that the times have brought between us.Me + you ...

Colibri for a girl by Lepota Cosmo Indigo and silkGentle breezeFeathers tornAmong the paper flowersTwigs and kestrelLight plays chessOn your eyelashesThe child choosesBetween swords and hummingbirdsThe girl blondeThe child choosesBetween ...