Here
is a lovely set of poetry chapbooks, beautifully illustrated,
and thematically suited for this world, now more “global”
than ever. Travel, immigration, the Internet and media as
a whole have made it so. One of the editors of this project—for
it is indeed a project, an annual project—calls it a
“porous” world in his introduction. That indicates
that though these chapbooks are by poets with African roots
all, they are all part of Editor Kwame Dawes’ permeable
world. Therefore, these are voices and viewpoints that should
be read and appreciated across all borders including nationalities,
religions, and races.
Further,
these poets speak from the heart, mostly in poetic language
that could easily be mistaken for everyday prose. Well, maybe
not “everyday.” Maybe that should be qualified
as prose of the highest order. Easily understood. Intrinsically
felt.
Individual
chapbooks by Michelle Angwenyi, Afua Ansong, Adedayo Agarau,
Fatima Camara, Sadia Hassan, Safia Jama, Henneh Kyereh Skaku,
Nadra Mabrouk, Nkateko Masinga, Jamila Osman, and Tryphena
Yeboah.
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