Two launches for 'Textures' in Bulawayo

John Eppel and Togara Muzanenhamo's poetry anthology Textures is to be launched at two events in Bulawayo: at Christian Brothers College on 19 March, and at Indaba Book Cafe on 20 March. At each, both poets will read from their work in the book.
The book will be launched later this year in Harare.

"In Textures we have two poets who make magic, two ‘heart poets’ who share a mastery of words, but who use them very differently. Look closely and you will see the differences – the contrasting perspectives, focuses and styles that are the creative products of individual experience – but stand back and be moved by a collective that is the work of complementary genius. The format weaves you back and forth between one, and then the other, and the effect disturbs, delights, inspires and consoles...

"Their differences are obvious: one poet, grounded in Bulawayo, generally writes short, evocative, personal and structured poems to probe the subconscious and unearth, in heart-breaking beauty, penetrating truths; while the other, a citizen of the world, crafts longer narratives gathered from everywhere, and delivers them in spell-binding voice and imagery. Stepping back however, we see a pattern emerging, a collaboration that spurns the pettiness of competing poetry schools and prescribed content; we see a portrait of love which takes our breath away. Robert Graves stated that his poetic intention was ‘to mesmerise time with stored magic’. Textures achieves this."

Fred Simpson