New Poetry by Kelwyn Sole: ‘The Honourable Skin’
The JRB presents previously unpublished poetry by Kelwyn Sole. ~~~ The Honourable Skin Hello, dumela, it’s been a while, how’s…
Tag: Poems
‘Grief is fertile soil’—Read an excerpt from Malika Lueen Ndlovu’s UJ Prize-winning Griefseed
The JRB presents an excerpt from Griefseed, Malika Lueen Ndlovu’s collection of poems, essays and reflections on grief, which won…
Poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk, from Zero Summer
The JRB presents an excerpt from Zero Summer, the new poetry collection by Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk. Zero SummerSimon…
Poetry by Lesego Rampolokeng, from When the Fires Go Down
The JRB presents an excerpt from When the Fires Go Down by Lesego Rampolokeng. When the Fires Go DownLesego RampolokengBlack…
New Poetry by Diane Awerbuck, from her collection Fishwife
The JRB presents an excerpt from Fishwife, the new poetry collection by Diane Awerbuck. FishwifeDiane AwerbuckModjaji Books, 2026Order here ~~~…
Poetry by Aryan Kaganof, from We Who Are Not Dead Yet
The JRB presents an excerpt from We Who Are Not Dead Yet by Aryan Kaganof. We Who Are Not Dead…
Poetry (and sound) by Thando Fuze, from Fluent in the Language of Burial
The JRB presents an excerpt from Fluent in the Language of Burial, the debut poetry collection by Thando Fuze. Fluent…
New poetry by Sandile Ngidi
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Sandile Ngidi. ~~~ Let someone hold saliva, go slow on broken souls Three…
Poetry by Dawn Garisch, from The Consulting Room
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Consulting Room by Dawn Garisch. The Consulting Room Dawn GarischKaravan Press, 2025 ~~~…
Poetry by Deborah Seddon, from Magnitude
The JRB presents an excerpt from Magnitude by Deborah Seddon. MagnitudeDeborah SeddonDryad Press, 2025 ~~~ Visitations Sliding for cover right…
New poetry by Rustum Kozain
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Rustum Kozain. ~~~ The greatest love I believe the children are our future,…
New poetry by Sarah Uheida, from Not This Tender
The JRB presents an excerpt from Not This Tender, a new poetry collection by Sarah Uheida. Sarah UheidaNot This TenderDryad…
‘I realised a long time ago that not everyone appreciates expressive or creative honesty’—Sihle Ntuli interviews Seitlhamo Thabo Motsapi
Sihle Ntuli talks to Seitlhamo Thabo Motsapi about subverting language, the beauty of Black creativity, and his seminal poetry collection,…
New poetry by Abigail George
The JRB presents previously unpublished poetry by Abigail George. ~~~ In a lonely city searching for Walt Whitman and Chris Abani (for…
New poetry by Seitlhamo Thabo Motsapi
The JRB presents previously unpublished poetry by Seitlhamo Thabo Motsapi. ~~~ ~~~ araifal we crossed the river this morning the camels had…
Poetry by Joan Metelerkamp, from Under dark under branches
The JRB presents an excerpt from Under dark under branches, the new poetry collection by Joan Metelerkamp. Under dark under…
On identity, poetry, diaspora and Afropessimism—Kweku Abimbola in conversation with Sreddy Yen
Gambia-born poet Kweku Abimbola, whose award-winning first collection of poetry Saltwater Demands a Psalm was published by Graywolf Press in…
New poetry by Daniel Moss
The JRB presents five poems by Daniel Moss. Who Wants. To Go On. A Drive? I Would. For a While. Wake…
[Conversation Issue] The world ends several times for Black people—A conversation with Uhuru Portia Phalafala and critical reading of her book Mine Mine Mine
Kim M Reynolds considers the historical and the personal in Uhuru Portia Phalafala’s new book Mine Mine Mine, in discussion…
New poetry by Kelwyn Sole
The JRB presents previously unpublished poetry by Kelwyn Sole. The leader’s speeches 1 The leader’s speeches slide into our ears like…
Poetry by iyra e m maharaj, from earth-circuit
The JRB presents an excerpt from earth-circuit by iyra e m maharaj. earth-circuitiyra e m maharajDryad Press, 2023 Ouroborous dear…
‘I believe poetry is how my ancestors found me’—vangile gantsho in conversation with Makhosazana Xaba
This is the fourth in a series of long-form interviews by Patron Makhosazana Xaba to be hosted on The JRB,…
Poetry by Isobel Dixon, from A Whistling of Birds
The JRB presents an excerpt from A Whistling of Birds by Isobel Dixon. A Whistling of BirdsIsobel DixonHuman & Rousseau,…
Poetry by the late Harry Garuba, from Shadow and Dream
The JRB presents an excerpt from the new reissue of the late Harry Garuba’s poetry collection, Shadow and Dream. Shadow…
Poetry by Khadija Heeger, from Thicker Than Sorrow
The JRB presents an excerpt from Khadija Heeger’s poetry collection, Thicker Than Sorrow. Thicker Than SorrowKhadija HeegerModjaji Books, 2022 ~~~ Witness…
‘How does one truly listen, as a writer, in South Africa? How does one write?’ Kyle Allan reviews Kelwyn Sole’s latest collection of poetry Skin Rafts
Kyle Allan reviews Skin Rafts by Kelwyn Sole, a collection of poems that wrestle with a world that is connected…
Poetry by PR Anderson, from Night Transit
The JRB presents an excerpt from PR Anderson’s new collection of poetry, Night Transit. Read Simon van Schalkwyk’s interview with…
New poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk. State rapture It’s always weird to see an ATM wrenched…
Poetry by Sarah Lubala, from A History of Disappearance
The JRB presents poetry from Sarah Lubala’s collection A History of Disappearance. A History of DisappearanceSarah LubalaBotsotso Publishing, 2022 6…
‘Unapologetic, evocative and darkly humorous’—Dimakatso Sedite reviews Bury Me Naked, the debut collection of poetry from Teamhw SbonguJesu
Teamhw SbonguJesu’s debut collection of poetry, Bury Me Naked, delivers a conscientious, humorous, much-needed lesson in a poetics of voice…
Two poems by Tjawangwa Dema, from an/other pastoral
The JRB presents two poems from Tjawangwa Dema’s collection an/other pastoral. an/other pastoral Tjawangwa Dema, illustrated by Tebogo CranwellNo Bindings, 2022 Prologue: Hypothesis…
‘No meaningful change can come from those who seek only power’—Read ‘Various Histories’, an essay by Jim Pascual Agustin
The JRB presents an updated version of an essay first published in Jim Pascual Agustin’s book of poems Bloodred Dragonflies:…
Three poems by Dimakatso Sedite, from Yellow Shade
The JRB presents three poems from Dimakatso Sedite’s collection Yellow Shade, winner of a NIHSS Award and recently shortlisted for the Ingrid Jonker Prize. Yellow…
New poetry by Rustum Kozain
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Rustum Kozain. ~~~ Extract: Moedertang (for Gaalied) Die kruiwawiel se skreeugeluid kerm hy…
Four poems by Donald Parenzee
The JRB presents poetry by the late Donald Parenzee. ~~~ Lightweight poem Something of the heart’s left just here over my shoulder…
Four poems by Kelwyn Sole, from Skin Rafts
The JRB presents four poems from Kelwyn Sole’s eighth volume, Skin Rafts, which has just been published by Hands-On Books. Skin RaftsKelwyn…
New poetry by Jacques Coetzee
The JRB presents new poetry by Jacques Coetzee. ~~~ Pushing and Pulling Time Dearest, these are the days of maintenance,of keeping strict tempo….
‘A manifestation of what it means to show up for one another as Black women writers’—Read an excerpt from Makhosazana Xaba’s new collection The Art of Waiting for Tales: Found Poetry from Grace
The JRB presents an excerpt from The JRB Patron Makhosazana Xaba’s new collection of poetry, The Art of Waiting for…
Three poems by Athambile Masola, from Ilifa
The JRB presents an excerpt from Ilifa, Athambile Masola’s new isiXhosa collection of poetry. IlifaAthambile MasolauHlanga Press, 2021 Isifebe NgeCawa…
Two poems by Nick Mulgrew
The JRB presents new poetry by Nick Mulgrew. ~~~ Siam, in some other place Still the cane waves on the hills like an…