The Sunday Mail
THE Shona language is rich with mesmerising diction but is still underutilised on the literary scene with most writers expressing themselves in English.
While there are numerous writers who have made a name writing Shona literature, English literature still remains dominant especially among upcoming authors. It is always refreshing when I get to read new material in the mother tongue, especially if the text is well written.
Charles Machakaire’s poetry anthology “Muninga Dzanyanduri”, is not only an interesting read but is laden with powerful life lessons.
The poems in this book explore various societal aspects that include love, admiration, tragedy, praise and memories among other things.
The poem “Zvinouya Zvega Seman’a”, displays the poet’s talent as he explains how he comes up with his poetry. From the way he acts while digging deep in his thoughts for inspiration to the way he lays his expressions on paper, this poem intricately captures how the writer goes through his paces while he is working.
Some of the pieces in the book have a musical feel, which comes as no surprise considering the poet is also a musician.
In the poem “Ko Nhasi Uripi”, the poet revisits memories of his past love life, making use of enthralling diction, woven together to create a beautiful piece.
While the poet is no longer on the same page with the love of his life, the poem describes how they first met and some of the memorable moments they shared together. Numerous literary devices including rhymes and similes were used to spice up the poem, making it more visual.
Another interesting poem is “Ndinozvidawo Mufunge”, is written in a humorous manner, despite being a sad piece. The writer is crying foul over the big gap between the poverty stricken and the rich, painting a realist picture in mesmeric words. The way he manages to capture the two different worlds in a single piece is brilliant, highlighting the conflicting aspects with witty verses.
While this book has many interesting poems, there are a few that are too flat, boring and generalised, lacking the poetic flavour characterising the bulk of the work. Another setback is the editing, with a spelling or grammatical error popping up every now and then. However, despite the few glitches in the work, which might have easily soiled his good artistry, the poet succeeded in producing a readable literary piece. Besides being refreshing, this book proves that there is room for good Shona literature within the country’s book culture.
