Is an unpublished compilation of poetry that though borders on the personal, is simultaneously an exploration of the human experience, delving into matters of the heart; love, sex, relationships, faith and spirituality, joy, hope, pain, frustrations and pain with the hope of fortifying, uplifting and inspiring.
Each person confronts life’s unveiling of the human experience: growth, the pursuit of love, intimate relationship, employment, wealth, status, joy, success, and the devastation wrought by the unexpected or circumstances beyond one’s control, failures, frustrations, pains and disappointments differently. In addition, a person’s moulding and center of being – their morals, values, character, integrity, and mental constitution oft determine how they fare in the face of challenges, adversity, temptations, social pressure, and navigating life’s highs and lows.
Weaned on racial pride, integrity, honour, social consciousness, environmental awareness, self-defence, revolutionary philosophy, pan-Africanism, articulating and languaging voice, race and class issues, poetry saved my life on many occasions. Putting pen to paper allowed me to diffuse mountains of frustrations and anger from the continual psychological defacement, systemic and deliberate economic, educational, cultural and social inequities, injustice and discrimination wroth by racism, and refraining from the execution of dark deeds or seeking to blunt the pain by way of drugs or alcohol.
Writing allowed me to emerge with a little more strength, sanity, clarity, balance, patience, and rejuvenated to do battle. Furthermore, initiation and exposure to spiritual and religious philosophies profoundly affected the perspectives of my politics. I came to see revolutionary struggle as more than raging against the machine, but also striving for mastery over one’s mental and emotional self, as well as unifying or integrating the disparate elements of self. The infusion of spiritual awareness allowed both my politics and writings to breathe…
The poems fall into the following categories:
The Obeah Chronicles
Love & Pain
Love Should Never Lie Trilogy
Canadia
Reflections In Water
Crab & Callaloo
Dancing In The Light
Revolution
Carnival In Nine Movements
Copyright © 2011 by N Oji Mzilikazi, All Rights Reserved