Things Left Unsaid
About this book
In South Africa issues of identity remain a pressing concern and preoccupation. For some, the experience of feeling that one does not belong in South Africa, especially among Africans and African descendants, appears to be intensifying. In this first collection of poems, Rosabelle Boswell speaks of the many places in which ordinary Africans born outside of South Africa try to achieve belonging. They do so in the family context, the backyard, language, the meeting, familiar landscapes and dreams. The poems also foreground the tumult of emotions that rise from the experience of exclusion and the results of pressure when one must conform. There is panic and dislocation, desperation, fear and sense of marginality when ones work and achievements are reduced to whether one is born in South Africa or not. According to the poet, in such a context, one can only achieve true freedom from the tyranny of belonging by psychologically walking away from the expectations of those in power and putting oneself in a clearing where flexibility, openness and newness reside. The forest of expectations remains, but we can achieve temporary respite from it by walking away now and again. The collection spans two years of writing identity in a different form, poetry.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title page
- Copyright page
- About the Poet
- Contents
- Introduction
- Ode to Rain
- Holding my Mother’s hand
- Grounding
- Zanzibar
- The blessing of the sea
- Marchand ambulan (The fast food guy)
- Ti la Soif (Thirst)
- Manz la Caz (Eating Home)
- The Airy and Light Champagne
- By my Side
- Colour
- Sunshine
- Rain-Writer
- My Dear Phone
- The Twatterly Twit
- Blackish Woman (an Other poem)
- Borders
- The Outsider’s Gift
- Dust shall Rise
- Ropes
- Be Yourself little Kite
- Little Kite and the Butterfly
- If
- Sinking
- The Dream
- I have a dream
- True (a tribute to Nene)
- Refugee Woman
- Club Horror
- Big Bertha (The factory)
- Cesaria
- With Him
- Seeds of laughter
- Zombie
- Dance with Me
- The Journey
- Expectations
- Back cover
