Friday, August 2, 2013

The African Face--By Ndongolera C. Mwangupili--Malawi

The African Face

My face, surreal and vacant,
Rich in melanin;
Ah, an uncanny metaphor
Of gem blackness.

The beard on my chin
Is a testament of absurdity;
Ah, shabby, shaggy and bushy
Like a deserted land
And lank like an unweeded land.

The eyes, like a hemp addict,
Fire-red with fury
Yet the blackness of the pupils
Stands unconsumed.

Ah, my face is unique!

Ndongolera C. Mwangupili works as a Senior Inspector of Schools in Malawi. He has vast experience as a teacher of English and Bible Knowledge. Many of his short stories, poems and essays have been published in the Malawi News and Weekend Nation. His stories are anthologized in Modern Stories from Malawi and The Bachelor of Chikanda and Other Stories. His poem “The Genesis” was anthologized in The Time Traveller of Maravi: New Poetry from Malawi. His other poem “Letters to a Comrade” is published online in India on www.openroadreview.in. He believes that there is a thin line between fiction and reality. All that people write is a re-creation of what is already known to the writer and exists not only in the mind of the writer but also outside the writer, therefore, fiction is actually facts written as if they are not facts. He is married to Angella, and they have a daughter Mary Magdalena.

5 comments:

  1. Ndongolera, how beautifully you describe the uniqueness of a face. This picture of your face is unique - just as all faces have their own unique qualities. Well done! Best wishes, Carolyn Devonshire

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  2. Thank you, Jack Horne, for the following comment--

    wonderful self-portrait in words

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  3. I can picture your face, Ndongolrea, thanks to your expressive poem.
    How unique all of our faces are....

    Jan x

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  4. this is the first self portrait in poetical form i have read. a unique experience as well as a unique face. beautifully crafted. i look forward to more if your work. best wishes ralph.

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  5. This poem is unique, Ndongolera. So is your face. God is a wonderful creator.

    l like the humorous analogy you draw between your face and the deserted land. To me, this is like a mirror held up to your face.

    The beard on my chin
    Is a testament of absurdity;
    Ah, shabby, shaggy and bushy
    Like a deserted land
    And lank like an unweeded land.

    l am imagining a bushy but deserted land. Wonderful imagery. Keep it up!

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