New poetry: ‘Shlomo’s Return’ by Geoffrey Philp
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a previously unpublished poem by Geoffrey Philp. ~~~ Shlomo’s Return (For Jeffrey and Dina…
Category: Poetry
Three new poems by Maya Surya Pillay
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Maya Surya Pillay. ~~~ mouth Your mother did not abort…
[The JRB Daily] 2018 South African Literary Awards shortlists revealed—and new Poet Laureate to be announced
The 2018 South African Literary Awards shortlists have been announced, with nominees including Malebo Sephodi, Nick Mulgrew, Kelwyn Sole and…
A glorious mixture of low and high culture—Loftus Marais reviews Robin Robertson’s Man Booker Prize-longlisted book, The Long Take
The Long Take by Robin Robertson is longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize. Here is poet Loftus Marais’s short…
New poetry by Kelwyn Sole: ‘The empty space we call Mandela’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Kelwyn Sole. The empty space we call Mandela On…
Read an excerpt from Megan Ross’s debut poetry collection, Milk Fever
The JRB is proud to present a poem from Megan Ross’s new collection Milk Fever, published by Uhlanga Press. ~~~…
‘Kasala for Myself’—New jazz-suffused poetry from Fiston Mwanza Mujila featured in Asymptote, in English and French
In their Summer issue, Asymptote Journal features new poetry from Congolese author Fiston Mwanza Mujila. Eschewing the more chaotic and…
[The JRB Daily] Masande Ntshanga, Omar Robert Hamilton, Anietie Isong and Kayo Chingonyi among the winners at the 2018 Society of Authors Authors’ Awards
Five African authors are among the winners of the 2018 Society of Authors Authors’ Awards. The awards distribute the United…
Three new poems by Bethuel Muthee
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Bethuel Muthee. ~~~ Movement Home It’s a bold step into…
[Photo Editor] Original portraits of Imraan Coovadia and TJ Dema by Victor Dlamini
Victor Dlamini is The JRB’s Photo Editor. We feature his work on our Instagram channel. Don’t miss the ten-year retrospective…
[The JRB Daily] Masande Ntshanga, Omar Robert Hamilton, Anietie Isong and Kayo Chingonyi shortlisted for Society of Authors 2018 Authors’ Awards
Four African authors have been shortlisted for the Society of Authors 2018 Authors’ Awards. South African novelist Masande Ntshanga and…
New poetry by Gabeba Baderoon: ‘Promised land’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents a new poem by Gabeba Baderoon, from her forthcoming collection The History of Intimacy, out…
[The JRB Daily] 2018 Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award longlist announced
The longlist for the eighth annual Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award has been announced by the Jacana Literary Foundation. Sixty-three…
Read an excerpt from Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese’s poetry collection Loud and Yellow Laughter, winner of the 2018 Ingrid Jonker Prize
The JRB is proud to present four poems from Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese’s collection Loud and Yellow Laughter (Botsotso, 2016), winner of…
Two new poems by Karen Jennings
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Karen Jennings. ~~~ Nella We were both teaching then and more than…
[The JRB Daily] Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese wins 2018 Ingrid Jonker Prize for her debut collection Loud and Yellow Laughter
Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese has been announced as the winner of the 2018 Ingrid Jonker Prize for English Poetry, for her 2016 collection Loud…
Two new poems by Sarah Johnson
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Sarah Johnson. Sixth sense Over a decade, your nerves…
[Photo Editor] Two original portraits of Natalia Molebatsi by Victor Dlamini
Victor Dlamini is The JRB’s Photo Editor. We feature his work on our Instagram channel. He made these portraits of…
Two new poems by Mikael Johani
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Mikael Johani. chapel hill stuck a pin in…
‘How does one take part in a national dialogue when your voice carries this baggage?’ Antjie Krog interviews award-winning poet Karin Schimke
‘I cannot un-white my voice, nor can I stop writing.’ Poet, academic and author Antjie Krog interviews Karin Schimke about…
‘Spending time with Bra Willie is the closest thing to being in touch with the soul of this country’: Read Mandla Langa’s Introduction to Keorapetse Kgositsile’s Homesoil in My Blood
Homesoil in My Blood: A Trilogy Keorapetse Kgositsile Xarra Books, 2018 Exclusive to The JRB, we present author Mandla Langa’s…
‘Writing allowed me to honour the connections between life and death’—Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa talks to Tiah Beautement about her memoir, Flame and Song
Tiah Beautement chats to Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa about her poetry and prose memoir, Flame and Song, which traverses Uganda, Addis…
Three poems by Shailja Patel
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents three poems by Shailja Patel. Syllabus Note O leftist men who heart critiques of Hillary and…
Sea-shaken love from ‘The Cargo Hold of Stars’ by Mauritian poet Khal Torabully
« Et ta bouche est une syllabe mûre que seule l’empreinte des mots d’amour » Whether you have a valentine…
Two poems by Angifi Dladla
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents two poems by Angifi Dladla. PHRRR You flew away, never bothered; I dove and…
[Conversation Issue] Found poems by Makhosazana Xaba, from Mohale Mashigo’s novel The Yearning
As part of our January Conversation Issue, we present new found poetry by The JRB Patron Makhosazana Xaba, a creative…
[In Memoriam] [Photo Editor] A selection of Victor Dlamini’s portraits of Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile
The JRB presents Victor Dlamini’s literary portraits of Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile. South Africa’s National Poet Laureate, Keorapetse Kgositsile, passed…
[In Memoriam] Elinor Sisulu remembers Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile (including tributes from Njabulo Ndebele, Fred Khumalo and Sandile Memela)
Elinor Sisulu shared this tribute to South Africa’s Poet Laureate Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile, who died on the third of…
[In Memoriam] [Photo Editor] Listen to Victor Dlamini’s 2008 interview with Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile
The JRB Photo Editor Victor Dlamini interviewed South African Poet Laureate Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile back in 2008. Listen to the…
[In Memoriam] Watch a video of Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile on the importance of platforms for African literature
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents footage in memoriam of South Africa’s National Poet Laureate, Keorapetse Kgositsile, who passed away…
Details of memorial services for Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile (1938—2018): 11, 12 and 16 January
South Africa’s National Poet Laureate, Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile, passed away in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 3 January. He was seventy-nine….
Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile, South Africa’s National Poet Laureate, RIP
South Africa’s National Poet Laureate, Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile, has died in Johannesburg. Kgositsile passed away at Milpark Hospital in…
Two new poems by Fiona Zerbst
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Fiona Zerbst. Homestead She imagines her future in this…
New poetry by Jim Pascual Agustin: ‘Fire, the King Who is Called’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Jim Pascual Agustin. Fire, the King Who is Called…
New poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk: ‘Hay-on-Wye’
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents previously unpublished poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk. Hay-on-Wye I. We drive there on…
Two new poems by Mbali Vilakazi
The Johannesburg Review of Books is proud to present previously unpublished poetry by Mbali Vilakazi. The Broken Dreams Then they…
Read an excerpt from the first full-length biography of Christopher Okigbo, a cult hero for a new wave of young African writers
Exclusive to The JRB, an excerpt from the newly published first-ever biography of the Nigerian poet Christopher Okigbo: Christopher Okigbo 1930—67, Thirsting…
New poetry by Ingrid de Kok: ‘Closed for Reasons of Joy’
The Johannesburg Review of Books is proud to present previously unpublished poetry by Ingrid de Kok. Closed for Reasons of…
Two new poems by Nii Ayikwei Parkes
bottle i think of the room, the way it separated into definite things…
Mak Manaka: One horny m’fcker – Bongani Madondo reviews Flowers of a Broken Smile
Take me to the memory of my grandmother’s hands I want to bathe in her voice and remember how…