ART OF POETRY

ART OF POETRY

Poetry is the art which has recently been forgotten in Tanzania, I remember back in 90’s when the poetry was pretty much useful in school syllabus of Tanzania educational system, I remember when poetry was used in primary schools to secondary schools during  school events , and special days when we used to have local and governmental visitors , school teachers used to influence students to write poems and songs to sing during the event.

Things has recently been changed since the poetry has been seen as A weapon for massive destruction world wide, as we could see an art of poetry has rarely being able to gets its artist to get paid, it rarely being able to create sort of employment within its members. We could see large companies even government sponsors and does invest other kind of arts to create source of income within the members of certainly art, i refers artists like musicians, martial artists, singers, actors etc but hard to find any of them invest in art of poetry, I wonder why that,but i hardly gets answers regards that.

I remember in late 2012,when I had meeting with poet laureate ,and author of couple books which has been useful in Tanzania school syllabus, Mwalimu Richard Mabala, as I like call him Mabala the farmer, He clarified for me straight on my face that poetry doesn’t pay ,try something else..I almost choked for disbelief cause I was enthusiastic explain to him how do I wish to create sort of an employment within my fellow poets under the influence of Arusha Poetry Club , by organizing events which will have fees of entrance enable to create sustainability within the poets who will get a chance to participate in Arusha Poetry Club weekly events, Mwalimu Mabala he wasnt against with my fellow poet Prof. Seth Markle who told me the same thing “ POETRY DOESNT PAY “ he also advise me to try do something else, I know it doesnt pay cause ever since I start make poems ,i dont remember if i ever get paid through it, even for 20USD ,apart from donations box that we set whenever we have poetry events, I simply I never called to sign contract to recite my poems in any events and be paid, all events that I attended were freewell events, which voluntary participated without being paid.

IS IT TRUE POETRY DOESNT PAY ?

I honestly disagree poetry doesnt pay cause I can see there is a fine line between POETRY and RAP, I see rappers, and hip hop artists,musicians get paid through an art of poetry, lets take a look of whats called R.A.P , it channeled with poetry as it is rhythm and poetry, whereby what A rapper presents has been formed by poetry rhythmic with new technologically melody (instrumental ) I could see myself ,and my fellow poets tried something like that, technological rhythmic to traditional rhythmic through xylophone ,drums, shakers , but still cant see no changes economically.

So why cant Poetry be able to flood the market with Poets/ Poetess sign contracts for the gigs as we can see musicians and other artists, My childhood friend Shah Mjanja once told me that its not my fault neither poetry is fault to enable brothers and sisters whom are committed in the art of poetry, he said “ most of the artists are not businessmen, neither unaware of the business rather that being focus on their arts and talents which enable them to create piece of arts which inspires their fans but fails to create market of their arts to pave the way of achievement which will support themselves economically, but most of the businessmen are aware of the business which they benefits from the arts of the artists whom are unaware of what they doing could be in a form of business “

INFLUENCE OF POETRY IN LATE 90’s

I believe the foundation of any success has to be formed from within, I can tell the foundation of art of poetry inside of my country Tanzania, at that time Tanganyika was a weapon used to fight the colonial era, poetry was an art which was used within our society to highlight things which were not well pleased the inferiors whom were fighting for freedom of their country, I also believe it was an art which was very annoying the colonial government too. The same art which was used to sing A song for unsung heroes, got them to regain the power independently from the colonialism. How could it be possible for the colonialists supports the art which was A threat towards their full control of whats called Tanganyika ?

So does that means the art of poetry which now don’t seems to be very important by the government which used it to regain the power from colonial government, is it the same art which still fight colonialism ? That simply means same art of poetry which was fighting for colonialism as mode of production is still fighting with Neo Colonialism as current mode of production,which oppress and exploits people in a modern way slavery.

Does that means , nobody seems to care about this art of poetry cause it the strong weapon which will take off them from power? Poetry is work of mind and consciousness , but it doesnt seems to be empowered by the same government to its people which it used the same form of art to achieve its independence from colonial era. That is why you no longer see poetry real emphasize students in schools to become poets, poetess. Thats why you no longer see schools dont organize Poetry Clubs in schools , competitions which will enable create strong poets , and poetess in the nation like Shabani Roberts, Sudi Andanenga, Charles Mloka, Kandoro, Makwaia ,etc

WHY POETRY SEEMS AS A THREAT ?

Poetry is an art of mind and consciousness in a form of literature, aim of emphasize society to speak whats on their minds, poetry aiming on entertaining , educating , and warning certainly of the things within its society. Poetry is only an art of revolution which does televized. Gill Scott Heron once said A revolution will not be televized , through an art of poetry which does televized. Poetry transparently speaks whats on the society minds and does warning it when it needed , is that the reason the system dont seems to upgrade it as an art which can provide mult millions dollars Poets ,whom are artists who televized their revolution ? so should we take that as A threat of Poetry which cant be able to sustainability its Poets economically ? Well I dont know,but as A poet I truely wish to see my fellow poets get paid through the art of poetry as other artists does, and my wish is to see my government support art of Poetry and its poets/poetess in the country, the same art which freedom fighters did used it to speak out oppression of colonial government during the colonial era.

Thank You

Contact

Arusha Poetry Club - Founder Co-Director

 George Kyomushula

+2557174700007

kyomushula@gmail.com