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Apples from the Soul
Apples from the Soul is a collection of poems and pictures by then 84-year-old Eastern Cape artist Wendy Barker.
Wendy discovered her talent for poetry when the presenter at a life-skills seminar she attended some years ago placed a basket of apples on the table and said: “Write a poem about these.”
As Wendy says: “The Floodgates opened!”
Wendy has produced a collection of short poems which range from the deep and dark to bright and sunny pieces about life, children, animals and people – there is even a tribute “To Oprah”!
Every poem in the collection is beautifully and whimsically illustrated by Wendy herself! Her first love and huge talent is art and painting. -
Echoes of Gqeberha
While the Eastern Cape as a Province continues to contend with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality also faces broader challenges in the literary and artistic world.
In an attempt to develop, inspire, and empower upcoming writers and artists, the Red Location Digital Library & Archive (RLLA) in partnership with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal (NMBM) Libraries and supported by the Red Location Cultural Precinct team (RLCP), hosted a creative writing and poetry workshops aimed at motivating aspirant writers, empowering them through mentorship and coaching programmes.
Various aspects of writing, illustration and poetry ranging from the Creative Writing Process, Interpersonal and Business Skills for Writers, adding value for the Community through writing, Publishing, and promoting NMBM Libraries and RLLA, among other aspects, were explored.
These workshops lay a foundation for addressing the challenges borne by upcoming writers and artists within our communities. It is for this reason that these workshops are crucial in preserving and promoting natural creative talent. The voices of the youth must still be heard, and we view these workshops as a continuation in the path to uplift our upcoming writers, illustrators, and artists.
Therefore, it is the compilations of the work of those creative talents, put together, which has produced the book Echoes of Gqeberha. -
Graced in His Presence
The wedding banquet was held, and the bride threw a bouquet. We caught the bouquet simultaneously, and as we fell down, neither one nor the other was willing to let go.
As our eyes met, he said, “You are the bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. Let us get married in the nude.” and hence the poem Marriages Of Nudity. In case you are wondering what happened next, meet me in the pages of this book, but all I can say, is that I still blush with endless smiles as I recall the moment.
I bet it is rare to find a literary and poetic book which combines romance and Gospel all-in-one. The church is regarded as the wife of the Lamb, does that not make God romantic?
Shortly after my “I do”, I saw the Heavens open, and the writing on the cloud: “You Are Graced”. And my family was right behind me, hence the title of this book.
I declare that, as you grasp a copy of this book and go through each page, you will receive favour, receive freedom indeed!
May the Spirit of the Lord breathe in you! And may you receive a love letter from God! -
Ibhekile
Le yincwadi equlethe imibongo elichiza lempiliso ebhalwe ligqala likamakad’ ebona. Yonke ibhalwe ngolwimi lwesiXhosa esilula nesisulungekileyo. Injongo yale ncwadi kukonga nokulondoloza ulwimi lwethu lweenkobe. Le mibongo ichaphazela imiba eyahluke kakhulu, uya kufumana imibongo ethetha ngendalo, ngeziganeko zobom, enye injongo yayo kukufundisa, ukonwabisa nokuhlaba ikhwelo ukuze isizwe sethu singalahleki ezandleni zethu. Eminye yale mibongo isondele kakhulu entliziyweni yam; mibongo leyo ifana nothi IZANDLA, UBIZO njalonjalo. Ekuqaleni komnyaka ka-2021 unyana wam u-Olwethu walimala kwingozi yemoto waphantse ukunqunyulwa isandla. Loo nto yandicingisa nzulu ngezandla, xa ndandimbona engakwazi ukwenza izinto ezininzi ebekade ezenza lula.
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In Quite Realm
This anthology by Lawrence Mduduzi Ndlovu, Soweto-born Catholic Cleric, lecturer, writer, poet, speaker and arts enthusiast, has the ability to reach out and touch almost every human emotion.
In Quite Realm evinces pride, respect, despair, joy and profound sadness.
It remembers and salutes past and contemporary South Africans, it lauds them as Africans: “These are Africans”, it says.
It is a recognition that “Life Happens”, especially in our townships, and is a tribute to life’s virtues.
It reflects the author’s deep and abiding faith, and, “In the End”, it forces us to confront our own mortality.
An emotional and satisfying read.
In this elegant, compact and complex poetry book, Father Lawrence tenderly yet determinedly escorts us through a fantastic maze of his journeys – spiritual, political and social.- Ambassador Lindiwe Mabuza – Diplomat, Poet, Academic, Cultural Activist.
“This is a homage to the spirit and soul of our birth, the glories, the dilemma and the blessings of the sun and soil of the mother country… Father Lawrence would have us remember to hold close in our minds and hearts all that we are, all that has made us, and all that we are empowered to be.” – Jessye Norman – 5 times Grammy Award-Winning Opera Star. -
Isibane Kwintsunguze
Imibongo engamashumi amathathu ekule ncwadi iza kulilisa, incumise iphinde ifundise komdala nomncinane. Oyifundayo uza kuzibona ephila kwilizwe lombhali ngethuba ebebhala le mibongo ngalo. Yanga ngokuyifunda kwakho ungathunakala, ngaxeshanye ube unyangeka izilonda zomphefumlo. Nasi ke isibane kwintsunguzi okuyo. Khanyisa sona uzinyange, kutsho kudede ubumnyama kuvele ukukhanya!
“USimmy yimbongi, uSimmy yimboni kuba ngumfo ovuthelwe ngaphakathi okwendlazi; umf’ oqulungen’ okwerhamba. Whena! Wabulaw’ apho. Ude wayophula nkabi, kwakukudala kakade ndisithi ‘buya ekamereni kwa-Avbob Poetry uze kumakhwenkwe amakhulu’. Phantse yonke le mibongo iyimvula-mehlo, sisikhalo, kukophela ngaphakathi kwembongi ze kuphile omameleyo xa imbongi iziphalaza. Injalo ke inkokeli, kufa mnye kuphile baninzi. Mandingawafinci kuba kakade isigananda sifincwa ngamagqala. Nqikani nizivele, selani nibhukuxe, yeyenu le mvaba” (ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi). -
Ithunga Lengqiqo
“Imibongo elapha isukela ngexesha iimbongi namachule ethu ebon’ ilanga. Ungacingi ukuba kuphelele apho unani na kakade? Mfondini kutyhutyhwatyhutyhwa amaqhina neenduli ngobomi isakhono sisonke nantsika. Xa ndikuhlebela wena mlesi ndingathi lungisa intliziyo uyenze yomelele kunjalonje ngokuba kaloku iza kuxhumaxhuma uxakane nayo hayi nje kancinci. Ababhali basixeko saseGqeberha bekhatshwa ngomnye osuka eQhagqiwa babhoke isicuku bafun’ intw’ ibilapha. Ndizama ukuthi akufihlwa makhuba kulinywa kule incwadi. Inyaniso ikhutshwa ngobunjalo bayo. Ukuba isilonda sakho siyathunakala xa ulesa ikhona imibongo engumathunga kwalapha. Babhali baseBhayi ndinothulel’ umnqwazi inene. Chophani nithi nqwadalala niyonwabele. Ndiqinisekile ukuba nakumathala eencwadi le incwadi iya kubanencasa yevatala. Le ncwadi inene ikwelinye inqanaba.” (Ilizwi likaMadoda Ndlakuse – umhleli nombhali waseBhayi)
“Iimbongi ezineliso nomqaphela kwimiba edla umzi kaXhosa. Inene ababongi bayagqabhuza, whena! Wabulaw’ apho!” (Ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela – umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi) -
Ndisindiswe Sisihobe
Ndimncinci ndimngaka, endidlule kuzo zibubukhulu bungaphaya kweZulu. Ndingabalula ni na, ukuntlontwa, intakatho, umona, ukubangaphantsi kwimo yentlalo kunye nokuxhatshazwa. Kuzo zonke ezo mpi ndiphume ndiliqhawekazi ngokuncedwa sisihobe, ukuthetha nokuphikisana nobumnyama, uburhalarhume obuvame ukubasisiqhelo kwabamiqolo igoso. Kazi nisikhomba phi na xa nisithi masibuyel’ eMbo? Zingcamlele nawe ngokwakho kulo mbele womXhosakaz’ ongagxunyiswa nditsho nazizixhiliphoth’ eziqamele ngamaxhwele.
“Yonke imibongo yale mbongi inamandla kwaye iya kuchukumisa izazela iphilise nezizwe.”
(ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi) -
The Other Side of 80!
This is the third book of illustrated poems by 85-year-old artist and poet, Wendy Barker, who hails from Bushman’s River Mouth, near Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape.
This time, she is looking at some of the situations of old age in a humorous way.
Most of the ideas expressed are personal experiences, and some are observed situations and some are imagined.
The pen sketches are comical and are intended to, hopefully, bring amusement and light into situations that are not always comfortable for those experiencing life over 80 – and those around them!
Wendy brings a razor-sharp appreciation of life on “The Other Side of 80”, touching on situations and events most of us might prefer to ignore! -
Umbulalazwe
Le mibongo ikukutya kwabalambileyo, ingumthuthuzeli kwabakhathazekileyo, ingumthombo kwabanxaniweyo, kwaye imixholo yayo yonke igxile kumbulalazwe iCOVID-19. Yimibongo le enika ithemba kwabo baye bagaxeleka kulo bhubhane, ikwathuthuzela nabo baye bashiywa zizihlobo zabo ngenxa yawo.
“Siyavuya Mnu. Qeqe mbhem ngokuba usiphakulele kuvimba wakho weengontsi othe waziphawula ngalo mnyakandini wembubhiso wekhorona, u2020. Zimbalwa kakhulu iincwadi esezibhaliwe ezigwadla lo mcimbi ungumbulalazwe. Kwanga ke ngale mbalo uluntu lungaziqoqosha luzibhence luzeke mzekweni ngokuheshela kude lee ikhorona imke tu kumzi kaNtu.”
(ilizwi likaMzoli Mavimbela, umhleli nombhali weencwadi zesiXhosa waseSajonisi.) -
Umkhumezelo – Umqulu 3
Nanko ke mfundi wesihobe umqulu wokugqibela kule ncwadi ithi, “Umkhumezelo.” Apha ufunde imibongo eyahlukahlukeneyo. Kweminye ndiyaqiniseka uzakhele umfanekiso-ngqondweni wezinto ezininzi. Lo mqulu ke ungene nzulu kwiimeko zokuphila ekuhlaleni ngokubanzi. Eminye imiba kungenzeka ukuba iyakrwempa kodwa ke into emasiyivuyele kukuba ivelele iinkalo eziliqela esizaziyo ukuba zidinga ingqalelo emandla. Ndiyayazi ke mfundi ukuba mna ndodwa andinakufikelela zonke iinkalo obunga unganqwenela ukuba ndizifikelele.
Baninzi ababhali endikhuthaza ukuba ufunde iincwadi zabo zesihobe ingakumbi abalemihla abo sele belupapashile uNcwadi lwabo. Injongo yethu inye kuNcwadi lwethu asikhuphisani kodwa sisebenza kunye ukuze kuzuze wena. Akwaba ungasixhasa singaba babhali sisebenza nzima ukufundisa wena silondoloza ulwimi lwethu.
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Umkhumezelo Umqulu 2
Bathandi boncwadi ndithi kuni yonwabelani lo mqulu, endiqinisekayo ukuba uza neenguqu kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Izimvo endizivakalise apha nezinto endizibhale apha maziphikiswe ngulowo ukwaziyo, aze lowo uvumelana nazo avumelane nazo. Uza kukhumbula ukuba kaloku namphi na umntwana uye anxibe izihlangu ezingalinganiyo okanye azigqwethe naye elinganisa ngamanye amaxesha. Umbone unkabi elinganisa utata wakhe xa ehamba naxa ethetha ufike umfo omkhulu ezikhotha nemifinya le yembala, okanye ufike umfo ehamba ezibhenca efake nezandla ezipokothweni ukuba unconyiwe ukuba unxibe kakuhle. Nalapha ke kule ncwadi usengafumana izinto ekumnandi ukuzamkela nezikuchaphazelayo, kodwa ke ngamanye amaxesha ndingaqondanga ndisenokukudanisa njengomfundi.
Yonwabela ke ukufunda izishwankathelo, iinkcaza ezinabileyo, imibuzo nophando, kanti neeprojekthi zomfundi. Ukuba ngaba ootitshala banqwenela inkcazelo engakumbi kunale inikiweyo kulo mqulu, bangabhalela kwi-email echazwe kwiphepha lale ncwadi. Kwanga ungawonwabela lo mqulu wesibini mlesi kwemithathu yosiba lwam.
