Yesterday's dream
Mxolisi Majola
Publisher: Paper chefs
ISBN: 9780620486859
Together with the Kayamandi Readers and Writers Society, Mxolisi James Majola is on a mission to motivate and to build a culture of reading amongst the disadvantaged youth and children of Africa. He tells Naomi Meyer about his mission and his writing.
James, tell me about your names – all of them. What are their meanings?
Mxolisi means “Peacemaker”.
James is the name from the Bible.
You are a writer, am I right? Please tell me about your work.
My poetry book Yesterday's dream contains poems that are based on realities of life:
Love
Friendship
Pain
Nature
Trials and tribulations
Where are you from? And where do you live now? How does your background inspire your writing?
I was born in Kwa Nobuhle, Uitenhage, on 24 October 1971. I live in Klapmuts, which is under the Stellenbosch municipality. I was inspired by reading a book written by Ernest Hemingway, titled The old man and the sea. My mother was given a copy of this book by her employer when I was 10 years old. I started to read that book, and from there my love for reading books has never stopped. Even today, I read a lot. Right now, I'm reading a book titled The girl on the train.
What do you write and what have you written? Any published work?
I write poetry, and I have self-published a poetry book titled Yesterday's dream, published by Paper Chefs in Franschhoek (also see this article).
Do you think that black writers get enough exposure for their writing?
Yes, black writers do get enough exposure.
Any writers you think our readers should know about?
Zakes Mda. He is a well known black African writer who has published many books under his name.
Would you please share one of your poems with us?
Given time
Time ticks on through life day by day
Leaving behind the days already done
Only striving for tomorrow
And taking for granted the present one
People often wish they could press rewind
Or maybe even the fast forward button
But time knows no pause or reverse
It just chews up the present like a glutton
Yesterday cannot be planned
It’s today you should concentrate on
Before it too becomes second hand
By tomorrow, today will be lost forever
So think before you wish it away
And never waste a minute of it
Because the good Lord gave you today
- Anyone who would like to donate funding or books for the campaign of the Kayamandi Readers and Writers Society can email rwsociety2011@gmail.com.
The post Yesterday's dream: an interview with Mxolisi James Majola appeared first on LitNet.