Vetplantfeetjies deur Fiona Moodie, Antjie Krog en Ingrid de Kok

Vir die wat vir my goed ken, sal julle weet ek is kompleet betjoinks oor vetplante. Ek versamel hulle al vir jare – aalwyne, kaktuse, euphorbias – allerande soorte. Toe ek sien dat die boekie Vetplantfeetjies uitgeryk is, moes ek toe 'n kopie kry. Dis nou rerig 'n oulike boekie díe, deur Fiona Moodie geillustreer en met die teks deur Antjie Krog en Ingrid de Kok. Wat meer kan 'n mens vra vir van so 'n samewerking?

Kyk, die ding met Afrikaanse gedigte is dat die woordespel net te pragtig is. Dit klink soms ook better as die Engelse vertalings – en die rympies in hierdie boek moet hardop gelees word vir hoe die woorde oor mekaar kabbel. En die konsep is wonderlik. Toe ek klein was, was ek dol oor die Flower Fairy boeke van Cicely Mary Barker, en Vetplant Feetjies is 'n eg Suid-Afrikaanse weergawe hiervan. Ek dink ook aan die DJ Opperman digte bundel waaruit my ma vir my voorgelees het – die rympies in Vetplant Feetjies het dieselfde gevoel.

Elke paar bladsye is toegewy aan 'n plant – meestal inheems, soos Euphorbia, Boophone disticha, Lithops, Crassula, en Kalanchoe, maar ook Echeveria. Die feetjies is so skattig, en die illustrasies onthul meer detail elke keer as ek hulle bestudeer. Dis 'n boekie wat ek in my permanente versameling gaan hou – vir inspirasie en net omdat dit so flippen mooi is. As jy kleingoed het of sommer net van mooi gedigte hou, en jy is lief vir vetplante, is dit nou 'n boek om in die hande te kry.

Stray anthology

A while back one of my favourite people, Diane Awerbuck, got hold of me and invited me to be part of an anthology she and another of my favourite people, Helen Moffett, were putting together. Stray (Hands-on Books) has now come into being, and I've been told that the royalties are being donated to one of my favourite animal charities, TEARS. This is a cause I can get behind. Not only that, but I've got a story in here too and am absolutely thrilled to be part of this magnificent selection.

Oh, and the cover illustration is by none other than the amazing Joey Hi-Fi.

So, keep a lookout for the release, and if you can make it to open book, do join us for the readings.

A deadbeat printer wakes up to discover a most unusual pet – a sphinx – in his home; a hijacked taxi full of sleeping baboons leads to a riot in a shopping mall; a python handler engages in a war of wits with Soweto police; a fire on Chapman’s Peak reveals an impossibly rare creature; a very feisty cat gets mixed up with a drug-smuggling ring; a trickster trains his dog to masquerade as a service animal – and more.

Suitable for animal-lovers of all ages, there’s something here for every reader – funny, quirky, fantastic, sad, reflective and exciting, these stories, extracts and poems will leave you purring.

Praise:
This book ripples and shines with scales and fur and feathers: a fascinating, gloriously various read – Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk

Description of the book:
A collection of stories and poems by mostly well-known South African writers. Some of the pieces have been previously published, and others are new. Each story and poem explores different ways in which animals and humans live together, co-exist and change each other.

List of writers includes:
Arthur Attwell, Diane Awerbuck, Gabeba Baderoon, Robert Berold, Sarah Lotz, Margaret Clough, Michael Cope, Colleen Crawford Cousins, Gail Dendy, Richard de Nooy, Finuala Dowling, Isobel Dixon, Nerine Dorman, Tom Eaton, Justin Fox, Damon Galgut, Robyn Goss, Michiel Heyns, Colleen Higgs, Jenny Hobbs, Liesl Jobson, Rustum Kozain, Jenna Mervis, Jacqui L’Ange, Sindiwe Magona, Siphiwo Mahala, Niq Mhlongo, Helen Moffett, Julia Martin, Joan Metelerkamp, Thando Mgqolozana, Mmatshilo Motsei, Paige Nick, Yewande Omotoso, S.A. Partridge, Henrietta Rose-Innes, Beverly Rycroft, Alex Smith, Fiona Snyckers, Ivan Vladislavic, Zukiswa Wanner, James Whyle, Makhosazana Xaba

The Sol Plaatje European Union Vol IV Poetry Anthology review

Title: The Sol Plaatje European Union Vol IV Poetry Anthology
Selected by: Ingrid de Kock, Johann de Lange and Goodenough Mashego
Publisher: Jacana Media, 2014

Once again, I’m going way out of my usual comfort zone because, well, I believe in deviating from the norm from time to time so that I can get a fresh perspective on writing. Part of my BA studies (at time of writing) entails looking at other genres, which obviously includes poetry. This slim volume is the result of the annual European Union Sol Plaatje Poetry Award that, in the spirit of remembering political and social activist Sol Plaatje, anthologises the strongest entries submitted for the award.

Huge disclaimer: I have only recently started reading poetry again. The reason is that for a good while I fancied myself allergic to poetry, which possibly had a lot to do with the fact that I’d seen so much awful poetry posted online or mailed to me by well-meaning folks who say “well, you’re an author, tell me what you think of my poem” that I made a point of avoiding all poetry.

Stupid. I know.

Writing a good poem is difficult. Within the space of a few verses you must encapsulate an essence and convey an idea, emotions, a thought, in deft brushstrokes. Whether you employ free verse or iambic pentameter and rhyming couplets, your words are measured, carefully considered.

But getting back to this anthology, I’m also going to touch on why poetry matters, and especially in this day and age. Poems are snapshots, moments frozen in time that capture the essence of the poet’s perception. Poems are an act of communication, yes, but they’re also an art form, and for those very reasons, this collection is important because it expresses a cross-section of perception of African writers who have made observations, not only about themselves but their milieu. And we need these memories so we can construct a deeper image of our continent and its people. Stories matter, no matter whether they are a scrap of words or an epic saga.

It’s impossible for me to give a blow-by-blow breakdown of every poem collected here, suffice to say that each is a gem. Some resonate more with me than others. Perhaps it’s because there isn’t enough shared cultural space, but most importantly, these writers have words that have been captured and lent a little permanence and evoke often visceral images. Mostly, this is the sort of collection that you can return to, dip into the words, turn them over like small stones that catch flashes of sunlight.