Clouded by the scent of the warm summer haze,
Moments so sublime set my soul ablaze.
As the sunshine tickles the grains of the brown land,
I imprison these sensations in the palm of my hand.
Grand happiness sweeps me over with tiny bristles,
No sorrow shall grow in me as with joy my heart whistles.
Motherland, overflowing with rich fountains of affection,
No room for creeping thistle, as flowers bloom in adoration.
She grasps my heart close to her warm bosom,
Endless comfort as her mountains shield me with heroism.
My soul had wandered, but with no signs of lividity,
Her trees of love have forgiven my iniquity.
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Tell us a bit about yourself
I'm turning 20 today! I live in Luton, a small town in the South East of England. Currently, I’m a student doing a BSc in Human Biology and also a part time administrator.
Right: Tari Mazenenga.
How long have you lived in the UK and do you feel that you have adapted well to being there?
I've lived in the UK for eight years. The first few years of coming here I thought it was bliss! But as you get older, I guess you start thinking about where you came from and how it is there. I feel like I have really adapted to the place, though sometimes people say they can still hear my Zimbabwean accent when I speak which, to be fair, makes me happy as I feel like I still have a little "Zim" in me, lol.
When was the last time you were in Zimbabwe?
I have not been back to Zimbabwe since I left.
What do you feel about Zimbabwe? Would you like to visit or return?
I just finished reading "Child of Zimbabwe" by Debra Mina Chidakwa. Amazing and really uplifting, I recommend that everyone reads it. It really opened my eyes a lot and left me wondering a lot about the status of things in Zimbabwe and how everyone there is coping now. I would so love to go back soon but for now, I have to focus on my degree.
When did you start writing poetry?
I started writing poetry in 2010 when I fell in love and I couldn't express myself. Very corny yes, but it really helped.
Does poetry help you to define yourself?
I love words and metaphors! I always say poetry was there when no one was. I see poetry as my therapy sessions when I feel I can't express myself about different situations. Most of my poems are love poems, but recently I have been experimenting with writing about different situations in life.
What is your big dream for your life, and also for your poetry?
My biggest dream is to be a scientist and work in Africa for WHO or UNICEF. I also dream to be a writer one day. When I was three years old, my mum's friend predicted I would be a writer because I had a very wild imagination; hopefully that might happen.
