Friday 22 September 2017

THE POETRY OF TIISETSO THIBA





Book: Let’s Take a Walk Mama

By Tiisetso Thiba


Review by Henry Ozogula
The author is a talented, effortless poet and most of the content of this work constitute true poetry. The examples are legion but I’d just point out some samples here including lots of impressive similes.

 "When I cascaded a tear and made the pillows sludge" pg 38  …  

 "I close the book. Before waterfall in my marble"  

 "Desperation is buddy of depression"  

 "His hand to ease me from the cuffs of agony’’ Page 11

 "Mum's Coffee...made by magic hands. And adorned by the cream of profound love"

 "Be my derrick to uplift me from the muck"   Brilliant!

And savour this line, which highlights the sexual flavour of wordsmiths! "I ejaculate my thoughts onto paper" page 46

Note the doses of philosophy in this work too, eg "Life is too short, but we'll be here for a while..." pg 18

Similes include, "like python that preys on some animals" page 8.

"Africa vanishing like rubbish in the ocean"   pg 12.

"He was short tempered like a lion" page 16.

"Our love for you burning and boiling like a gold pan"  (33)

However, there are some spelling or printing mistakes in this book, e.g on page 1, "tears running down my chicks" which should be "cheeks". And on page 22 "past compliments the present" - It should be complements. Also, "he pretends to be holly" which should be "holy".

But despite some mistakes, this is a very good book by a sensitive, intelligent South African poet.

10 comments:

  1. An interesting, concise review and critique. The poet here grows by leaps and bounds

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  2. I'm very humble to receive such a great review and critics that will grow me as an artist Mr Ozogula. Malome Bolaji you are the real instigator in my career. Obrigado The Great One's.

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  3. An excellent review indeed.There can be no doubt whatsoever that Mr Thiba is a brilliant poet.

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  4. The poet is a master of words, a skilled writer. I believe the South African book publishing industry - including distribution - is better than in west Africa

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  5. You are right, Ben. SA is more advanced than us in this wise...book distribution much better, more affluent middle class to buy more books, and best of all, developed library system that often buys many copies of new books

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  6. Thank you very much Mr Giwa, your words are very encouraging. Mr Odegbami Chief Bolaji is right, there are more services in place to assist writers, buying their books and publishing their work despite challenges.

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  7. The poet here is very good indeed, and we assume that nothing has been plagiarized in this work – plagiarization is the scourge and embarrassment of literature, and people do this sometimes because so much writing exists, and one might not be able to trace such. Do not get me wrong – the poet here has a good standing and stature in poetry and it can be stated quite surely that nothing is plagiarized in his work. But as people in literature, we have to point out such things. And since we assume that this is authentic work, we have to admit that the wordsmith here is of a fairly high class and standard. Lines like ‘Coffee.. And adorned by the cream of profound love'and 'Be my derrick to uplift me from the muck' are quite impressive. Well done.

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  8. I have to thank you Ntate Mokoena and your support to my growth in writing is appreciated. Readers and fellow poets will tell the authenticity of my work and your point of plagiarism is very important as it has happening more often to other writers.

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  9. Hehehe, Mr Thiba's poetry can be so sparkling and powerful that those unfamiliar with him might wonder whether all the work is actually his. But we can assure the literary world that Thiba's talent is genuine and original. Like Es'kia Mphahlele, Thiba's rural origins (Ganyesa) and fecundity nurtured a remarkable, brilliant literary ability.

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    1. Thank you for the fine comment Malome, and you are right, all my work are mine and not connected to anyone's work. Mr Mokoena raised an important question and which other writers falls victims of plagiarism.

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