Zaza Muchemwa from Zimbabwe-courtesy photo
The win will give me more time to devote to my poetry and develop it because then I will not have to worry about certain expenses. With part of the win I will organise a poetry workshop facilitated by an established Poet culminating in a poetry anthology. And that will change perceptions of writing and poetry in my community.
Born in Chirumhanzu, Zimbabwe on the 14th of February 1986, Elizabeth Muchemwa is a Poet, Writer and Director for Theatre. Her full names Elizabeth Ruramai Sharon came as a concession between her parents who, at her birth, had each a different name to give her; so in the end she got a name from each parent. Elizabeth has been performing Poetry since 2006 in Zimbabwe; she has performed at Festivals like HIFA, Intwasa Arts Festival and Protest Arts International Festival, participated in monthly poetry events like House of Hunger Poetry Slam and Sistaz Open Micand performed at private functions some of which have included Book Café at 16 years and the launch of the Zimbabwe Market Fair. She has directed plays for the stage; one of them Wedding Day was performed at the Drama for life Festival in 2010 and Intwasa Festival 2010. Elizabeth’s short story Positive Death was published in the Zimbabwe Women Writers Magazine in 2006 and in 2011 her short story Radio Culture is Dead was shortlisted in the Intwasa Short Story competition. Early this year her poem Eve was shortlisted in the Poetry International Zimbabwe competition and will be published on the Poetry International website this September. In June this year with Katswe Sistahood she attended the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London where they performed a short theatrical presentation called Hands Over. Elizabeth’s influences are derived from writers of books, directors of films, playwrights, poets, musicians, painters and the everyday woman and man. And she believes that whatever art form you use you are all doing one thing; which is telling a story, so she sees herself as teller of story before anything else. Elizabeth is currently living what she calls her second life.
Twitter: @ZaMuchemwa Badilisha Poetry Exchange: www.badilishapoetry.com/artists-profile/258/
Read her poem hereBlood and Water by Elizabeth Muchemwa (Zimbabwe)
He washes his hands in streams she has made
Rivers flowing beneath her eyes have
salted the land with the acrid taste of her hate
wells have risen to pool within her
catching the cries that would speak her hurt
He washes his hands in streams she has made
She dreams sonic dreams with high decibels to end tyranny
with a speak to raise armies and wage wars
He washes his hands in streams she has made
ignoring the pleas of a maiden body slain
in her shame exposed against her will
half drawn clothes
untidy bundles of blood
laid to waste for a rush
She has made rivers and lakes bitter with the salt of her tears
beneath her breast a molten hold burnishes the light she once had
into a golden strong finish
for those that have laid her to waste
This is for the mother
who has stitched another morsel
into one dish of edible corn for our daily bread
Her who has copied the hands of the creator
and pasted onto the drawing board a new piece to the picture
so that girls everywhere can smile
She is the surgeon who has carried a knife to battles
to cut open wounds and piece them to their proper places back,
them skins and flesh scurrying to obey her command
she has done so
she has carried life so
She has melded pen and paper to tell a story
not worrying
whether the caves within her bring forth life or death
life or death life or death
the ringing bells toll and call all humankind to rest
but she does not stop taking life from death
life from death life from death
building bricks upon bricks
stitching together another life in a war zone.
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