Poetry Series: Men of their words

During my youthful days of attending poetry events, there was an assumption that heartbreak produced the best ones. Male poets, for instance, wrote beautifully about their vulnerabilities — but tucked under mesmeric metaphors. 

In between the chorus of finger snaps, how deeply do we actually understand men’s lived experiences and the wounds they carry, on and off the stage?

Continuing from its sold-out event last year, the Word N Sound Live Literature Movement is back this year with its Ah Men X Inside Out poetry series. 

This six-part series invites audiences on an introspective journey as South Africa’s finest young poets unpack the triumphs, struggles and vulnerabilities of the male experience.

Based on his 2017 short collection of poems The Broken Men Chapbook, Word N Sound co-founder and poet Thabiso Mohare aimed to start important conversations with men around manhood through poetry. 

“The big aim around Ah Men is the ongoing conversation around manhood, especially with black men. 

“Who are we and what are we trying to achieve? What are our challenges? How do we build a new idea of manhood in South Africa and what does that look like?” 

“It’s an ongoing conversation and the aim is not to be prescriptive, but to open up spaces for dialogue as men,” he says.

Popularly known as Afurakan, Mohare is the curator and host of the poetry series, presented in partnership with The Inside Out Centre for the Arts, with the prolific Modise Sekgothe the first to be featured. 

Mohare tells me when they were approached by the centre, they saw it as another opportunity to extend that conversation. 

He says the current exhibition at the centre, End of the Game by Roger Ballen, links well as it creates a dynamic dialogue between poetry, art and cultural commentary.

“The exhibition looks at the history of animal hunting in South Africa, which is quite masculine, heavy and violent,” Mohare explains. “So, we thought it would be a good way to bring in another angle to the conversation as well.” 

The art show served as the background for the first Ah Men event which took place last week. Sekgothe gave a heartfelt performance — days after the sudden death of his mother. 

Mohare tells me that Sekgothe’s performance, to a sold-out venue, was heart-hitting and a masterclass in storytelling.

“He showed a lot of vulnerability on stage. The event became a chance for Sekgothe to deal with the pain of his mother’s loss, while tapping into the concept of exploring manhood.” 

Mohare beams about Sekgothe’s magnificent command of words, combined with the use of a loop station to create a soundscape during his performance.

“He also has an amazing singing voice, which he used to switch between poetry and song. 

“Adding religious scripture into the singing, mixing prayer and internal conversation throughout the set also created an unforgettable experience. We witnessed a man dealing with himself, outpouring as much as he could into the audience.”

Throughout the 20th century poetry was used by the likes of Lefifi Tladi, Don Mattera and James Matthews as a protest tool to challenge social and political norms. 

I wondered if poetry still carried the same weight in the South African context in challenging and highlighting contemporary issues, such as mental health and masculinity.

Mohare argues that poetry is still relevant and an important tool to spark conversations, to dissect, introspect and to rebuild. 

“I believe that, for challenging various social issues, poetry is still a critical tool. I wish it would be taken into schools as well, so that it is available to young people from an early age, so they can learn how to write and how to use it to introspect, to deal with some of life’s challenges.”

Mohare argues that spoken-word events and poetry slams have been gaining momentum around the world with young people finding a voice and a way to express themselves through poetry. 

In his younger days, he sought refuge and expression in poetry to navigate life’s bumpy ride as a man. 

“Growing up and getting into writing helped me to isolate myself from a lot of bad things that, as young men, we go through. 

“Poetry gave me a voice.”

Now a father and husband, Mohare says poetry has been a constant companion as he has grown older, struggling to find his place in the world and tackling issues like parenting and manhood. 

“Poetry has always been there for me and I think I will be writing until my last day on this earth. 

“I mean, I’m 42 years old this year and poetry has carried me this far from the age of 20. 

“Professionally, it has enabled me to also build a life and a family.”

Poetry has also taken Mohare into spaces such as advertising, publishing and corporate projects, beyond the stage. 

“For me, it has been a fulfilment of that curiosity to see how I can build my life using writing and what kind of spaces it could take me into.” 

Mohare illustrates the potential for South African poets to not only pour their hearts out on stage but to make a living through words.

Apart from throwing more resources into poetry and making it available in schools and other spaces, Mohare says the value of literature and poetry in South Africa, socially and economically, must be weighed. 

He emphasises the need for more support. Thus, the collaboration between Word N Sound and the Inside Out Centre for the Arts for the Ah Men series is much welcomed.  

With the Ah Men events mainly taking place in Johannesburg, there are also calls for the events to be widely accessible throughout the country — and even outside of it. 

Reflecting on last week’s event, Mohare said the feedback from audience members — both young and older — was incredible. 

“People really enjoyed the show and the vulnerability Sekgothe brought on stage. They saw him not just as a poet but as a human being. 

“Hopefully with more resources coming on board, we’ll be able to take the show to more audiences around the country and find some ways of also sharing it online.”

Through the raw and intimate art of spoken word, the Ah Men series challenges societal perceptions of manhood while celebrating its strength, fragility and humanity. 

What started as a poetry collection has evolved into a vehicle to open space for men to honestly express their challenges and, hopefully, find healing. 

Given the high suicide rates among men, and the other mental health issues affecting men and boys, such platforms are essential. 

The Ah Men series promises to deliver more heart-hitting events with the five performances in the year ahead.