SABC 2 looking for Poets
If you’re a poet and you know it make sure to get creative and send in your words – you can get them broadcast on TV as part of the Lentswe Poetry Project.
SABC 2 presents the Lentswe Poetry Project, a performing arts initiative that aims to promote poets and poetry to the people of South Africa. As a proud supporter of the arts, SABC 2 seeks to stimulate the nation using this fr…
esh, interactive development. Creative Africans with a penchant for dabbling in words are encouraged to submit their poems, which will be broadcast on the channel.
SABC 2 is proud to offer eleven poets (both aspiring and established) a platform for their voice to be heard. The channel believes that through the Lentswe Poetry Project, we can build a more inspired, motivated and culturally aware nation.”
There are eleven topics based on national celebratory days and categories for poetry entries are as follows:
Valentine Day (1 Feb)
Human Rights Day (8 Mar)
Family Day (15 Mar)
Freedom Day (5 Apr)
Workers Day (12 Apr)
Mothers Day (19 Apr)
Africa Day (3 May)
Youth Day (31 May)
Women’s Day (19 Jul)
Heritage Day (30 Aug)
Aids Day (22 Nov).
The poems can be in any of South Africa’s eleven official languages and sent through to the SABC via email or post.
The top ten poems from each topic will be selected from all the entries around the country. Short-listed participants will be invited to recite their poems at the Lentswe Poetry Cafý held at Bassline in Newtown Johannesburg. The poetry cafý will be based around each theme, with a total of eleven poetry readings in the year 2006. There will be one overall winner from each topic and this poem will be translated into an on air commercial to be broadcast on SABC 2.
South Africans are heirs of a vibrant and rich culture – now is the time to express this through SABC 2’s exciting poetry project. If you are a lover of poetry, make sure your poem gets the love it deserves!
Send your entries by post to: Private Bag X41 Auckland Park 2006
OR YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE
On the poetry pluck, please check out this poem sent to us by a very young and talented Poet Jocelyn who is only 12 years old – hope she enters the competition!
LIFE IN A SHACK
As the wind blows through the crack in the wall
There they are waiting for just that one phone call
The fire flickers
In the shack next door you can hear the bickers
Finally the fire blows out
The child lies in doubt
Another life is lost
Safely the others lie not knowing the cost
As another tear falls on the floor
The police are knocking on the next door
They’ve come to take the child away
Before the dawn of the next day
You can see the rape
As fresh as a freshly picked grape
There are rings under the eyes
Here are the ears believing all the lies
The poor scavenge for newspaper in bins
While the rich commit their sins
Today he ran his last race
The door opened and death looked him in the face
