RISING poet, Max Magaba says he wants to make a positive impact in society through poetry which touches and changes lives with themes centred on giving advice to the young generation on drug abuse and abuse of children’s rights.
Magaba published his first poetry book Nguva Dzafamba in 2022 which he wrote targeting young people, especially those born since 2 000, using the street language popular among young people.
In Nguva Dzafamba, Magaba was encouraging young people not to abandon their culture, although times have changed.
He also published Pachedu Sahwira last year with poems touching all age groups. Written formally in Shona, the book consisted of poems like Ndipeiwo Mukana, which sends a message to parents to give their children equal opportunities regardless of their gender.
The 29-year-old Harare-bred budding poet told NewsDay life & Style that he is worried that young people are abandoning their culture.
“I am more worried about their day to day choice of living, ranging from drug and substance abuse, lack of respect for elders and prostitution, among many other things. These things inspired me to at least write something down giving them advice on which ways they should go which might be able to help two or three individuals,” Magaba said.
Magaba, however, noted that although he may be writing some of the poems targeting the young generation, his audience seem not to have time to read the poems themselves, although their parents are doing so on their behalf.
“If the poems reach parents by chance they show them to their children. They even hate me for writing about their lives. Someone reached out anonymously to attack me on my social media,” Magaba said.
- Rising poet yearns to make a positive impact
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Magaba added that his poems are based on research by mingling with young people to understand their day to day activities. This has made it easier for him to write real life experiences, not fictional stories.
Magaba was part of collaborative poetry anthology Nzviru Parurimi, Gango Remutakunanzva, Maungira eDzimbahwe, Advice and United We Stand.
