Ugandan Poet Nick Makoha Is Set To Publish His Second Poetry Collection in 2025
-
Loading... - Charles Biira
- 08 Oct 2024
- 45 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Ugandan poet Nick Makoha is set to release his second poetry collection, The New Carthaginians, in spring 2025 with Penguin Press. The upcoming book explores a world where time is disjointed, offering a fascinating blend of historical events and imaginative narratives. Each poem within the collection reimagines moments in history, with characters and sequences altered in innovative ways.
One notable poem places Makoha himself in the midst of the 1976 hijacking of a plane at Entebbe International Airport, an event that led to Uganda under Idi Amin becoming a pariah state, and ultimately, to Makoha's own flight from the country as a child. Other poems delve into similarly striking narratives, including a poetic portrayal of New York City in the late 1970s, where a mysterious writer signs slogans as SAMO©, referencing artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The Poet, a Black Icarus, and a resurrected Basquiat journey through a parallel universe, blending discussions on art and literature with fantastical elements.
Makoha expressed excitement about contributing to Uganda's growing literary scene, remarking, “When the Ugandan poet Okot p’Bitek was published in The Penguin Book of Modern African Poetry in 1963, I wasn’t even born. But it opened the door for me to the African canon. When Penguin accepted my second manuscript with electric enthusiasm, that too felt like a door opening.”
Makoha is an award-winning poet, having won the 2015 Brunel International African Poetry Prize, and his first collection, Kingdom of Gravity, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection in 2017. His work has appeared in esteemed publications like The New York Times, Poetry London, and Boston Review, further solidifying his place as a major voice in African and global poetry.
