‘NO ONE IS SAFE’, a poem by Allan Kolski Horwitz
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Allan Kolski Horwitz. ~~~ NO ONE IS SAFE …
Category: Poetry
[The JRB Daily] 2020 Ingrid Jonker Prize for English Poetry shortlist announced
The four books shortlisted for the Ingrid Jonker Prize for English Poetry have been announced. The prize, one of South…
[Sampler issue] Read an excerpt from the first South African edition of the previously banned book Malibongwe: Poems from the Struggle by ANC Women, including poetry by Baleka Mbete
The JRB presents an excerpt from Malibongwe: Poems from the Struggle by ANC Women—a new edition of a lost piece…
‘Greed—the Poem as Deadly Sin’, a new poem by Andries Bezuidenhout
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Andries Bezuidenhout. ~~~ Greed—the Poem as Deadly Sin If it…
[The JRB Daily] South African poet Mangaliso Buzani wins Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry
South African poet Mangaliso Buzani has been announced as the winner of the African Poetry Book Fund’s 2019 Glenna Luschei…
Writing Athlone—Gabeba Baderoon’s latest poetry collection The History of Intimacy maps the small hurts of apartheid, writes Toni Giselle Stuart
Toni Giselle Stuart reviews Gabeba Baderoon’s poetry collection The History of Intimacy, which won the 2019 University of Johannesburg Main…
‘Matsephe’s Dance’, a new poem by Isobel Dixon
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Isobel Dixon. ~~~ Matsephe’s Dance It’s the dancing and the laughter…
[The JRB Daily] 2020 Windham–Campbell Prizes winners announced, including Zambian writer Namwali Serpell
Header image: Top row, left to right: Anne Boyer (non-fiction), Julia Cho (drama), Aleshea Harris (drama), and Bhanu Kapil (poetry);…
Poetry of social obliteration and intimacy—Vonani Bila reviews KwaNobuhle Overcast, the new collection by award-winning poet Ayanda Billie
Vonani Bila considers KwaNobuhle Overcast, the latest book of poetry from Ayanda Billie, who won a South African Literary Award…
‘Nipple Hair’, a new poem by Genna Gardini
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Genna Gardini. ~~~ Nipple Hair I used to pluck a…
‘I do not manage my Africanness. I fight for it. I constantly have to defend it.’—Indo-Mauritian poet Moshumee T Dewoo talks to Ahmet Sait Akçay
Turkish author Ahmet Sait Akçay chats to Indo-Mauritian poet Moshumee T Dewoo about being denied Africanness, the hypocrisy of religion,…
‘I come from’, a new poem by Khadija Tracey Heeger
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Khadija Tracey Heeger. ~~~ I come from I come from…
Three new poems by Simon van Schalkwyk
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk. ~~~ A Question for the South Atlantic Ocean…
‘you step’, a poem by Gratiagusti Chananya Rompas, translated by Mikael Johani
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a poem by Gratiagusti Chananya Rompas, translated by Mikael Johani. you step on the…
[The JRB Daily] Gabeba Baderoon and Mphuthumi Ntabeni win the UJ Prizes for South African Writing
The winners have been announced for the University of Johannesburg Prizes for South African Writing in English. The 2019 edition of…
Sandile Dikeni, 1966–2019, RIP
Poet and activist Sandile Dikeni died in Cape Town on Saturday, it has been widely reported. Dikeni was the author…
A perfectly shaped raging fire of language and emotion—Lidudumalingani reviews Everything is a Deathly Flower, the debut poetry collection by Maneo Mohale
Lidudumalingani reviews Everything is a Deathly Flower by Maneo Mohale, finding it to be a succession of powerful moments. Everything…
New poetry by Brendan Joyce, from Character Limit
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Brendan Joyce, from his chapbook, Character Limit. ~~~ 21. To be…
[The JRB Daily] Listen to the new episode of Read This!—featuring Everything is a Deathly Flower, the highly anticipated debut poetry collection from Maneo Mohale
The new episode of Read This! is out now—find out what’s hot in the world of books! Today, we’re talking about…
New poetry by Koleka Putuma: ‘EVERY / THREE HOURS’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Koleka Putuma. ~~~ EVERY / THREE HOURS this country buries…
Our Words, Our Worlds: The work of Black women poets as an act of poetic revolt, by Moshibudi Motimele
Moshibudi Motimele reflects on the publication of Our Words, Our Worlds: Writing on Black South African Women Poets, 2000–2018, a…
Three poems by Musawenkosi Khanyile
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents three poems by Musawenkosi Khanyile. Habeni You learn to tell the direction of the…
Read ‘Surely This [Mother Tongue] Should Count for Something’—A conversation with 5 women poets, from Makhosazana Xaba’s new book Our Words, Our Worlds
The JRB presents an excerpt from Our Words, Our Worlds: Writing on Black South African Women Poets, 2000–2018, edited by…
Read ‘A Stateless Poem’ by Danielle Legros Georges, from the new anthology New Daughters of Africa
In celebration of Women’s Month, The JRB presents a series of excerpts from New Daughters of Africa. Edited by Margaret…
New poetry by Rethabile Masilo—‘For Peter Horn (1934–2019)’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a previously unpublished poem by Rethabile Masilo. For Peter Horn (1934—2019) We howled into…
Moses Mtileni, 1983—2019, RIP
Writer and publisher Moses Nzama Khaizen Mtileni has died, at the age of thirty-six. Mtileni was shot and fatally wounded…
‘I always tell myself, this might be the last time that I am performing’—Kagayi Ngobi chats to James Murua about his protest poetry (Plus: Read two of his poems)
Ugandan writer Kagayi Ngobi was the featured artist at the June 2019 edition of the Artistic Encounters series at the…
[The JRB exclusive] ‘No Speaking Vernacular! (Woloolo)’, a poem by Kagayi Ngobi
The JRB presents ‘No Speaking Vernacular! (Woloolo)’ by Ugandan poet Kagayi Ngobi in its complete form. Read about Ngobi and…
New poetry by Robin Moger—Two versions of ‘Poem Six’ from The Interpreter of Desires by Ibn Arabi
The following two translations are responses to the sixth poem in The Interpreter of Desires, a cycle of sixty-one poems…
[The JRB Daily] Koleka Putuma’s Collective Amnesia announced as winner of the 2018 Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry
Koleka Putuma has won the African Poetry Book Fund’s 2018 Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry, for her collection Collective…
Two poems by Harry Owen
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents two poems by Harry Owen. ~~~ Children of Israel I stroll down Donkin Street with Billy…
Four new poems by Annwen Bates
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Annwen Bates. ~~~ Private and confidential Between 7 and 7.54…
[The JRB exclusive] Read an excerpt from Makhosazana Xaba’s new collection of poetry, The Alkalinity of Bottled Water
The JRB presents an excerpt from The Alkalinity of Bottled Water, the new collection of poetry by The JRB Patron…
Three new poems by Sandile Ngidi
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Sandile Ngidi. Don’t Tell Me Anything Now Brenda’s on stage,…
Read an excerpt from Athena Farrokhzad’s award-winning poetry collection White Blight
The JRB presents excerpts from White Blight by Swedish poet Athena Farrokhzad, translated by Jennifer Hayashida. White Blight is published…
Illuminating a mighty poet and a total artist—Rustum Kozain reviews Dread Poetry and Freedom: Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Unfinished Revolution
The JRB Poetry Editor Rustum Kozain reviews David Austin’s new book Dread Poetry and Freedom: Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Unfinished Revolution, finding…
Two new poems by Ngwatilo Mawiyoo
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Ngwatilo Mawiyoo. Edith And Umau I’ve returned from America because…
New poetry by Rustum Kozain: ‘Miró Miró’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Rustum Kozain. ~~~ Miró Miró In flight sudden a something…
‘I avoid filling up my belly to feel less guilty’—Read newly translated poetry by Fiston Mwanza Mujila
Asymptote Journal runs the Close Approximations Translation Contest yearly, and this year an excellent translation of Fiston Mwanza Mujila’s poetry…
‘I write in French to tell the French that I am not French’—Algerian Francophone poetry featured in Words Without Borders
In the January 2019 issue of Words Without Borders, translator and poet Marilyn Hacker discusses the fascinating resistance history of…