Howling Winds and Blue Tears: Book Review

Writes Chirikure Chirikure

“Howling Winds and Blue Tears” a protest against oppressive social-political order, with characteristic tinges of satirical humour, is a self-published anthology by the Zimbawean poet, Forward Hammurabi Makwavarara.

When Forward sent me this collection of his poetry, he had this to: “I started writing poetry for fun when I was at Makumbi Secondary School (Chinamhora) and continued so into my adult life. The few family members and friends who have read my works insist on publication.” This immediately struck me as words from a writer who wrote his poetry not only for fun, but for putting his feelings, perceptions, and observations on paper for his own personal reasons. His objective had never been to publish his works for sharing with the outside world. And it only took a lot of persuasion for him to finally consent to publishing, in his fifties.

Reading through this collection, one feels a characteristic tone and emotion running through all the pages. The poet pours out his inner feelings in such a way that one cannot doubt that he is closed in his own world, diving deep down with no concern of the opinions of the outside world. While this can partly explain the reluctance to publish his works, this also gives the poetry some crucial, positive element: sincerity.

While sincerity runs through the poems, the collection offers a broad range of themes. That range is the hallmark of an observant eye, an eye that sees the beautiful and the ugly in all the aspects of life. The poet even handles some issues which may be uncomfortable to some people. As he says:

Many hate their truth bared

So many settle for truth barred (Poem: “Mirror the Faithful.”)

That’s precisely what good, genuine poetry should be like. As the old saying goes, “Art is a mirror of society/of life.” While the truth can be painful, it is always to the disadvantage of society when many settle for their truth to be barred. And yet the poet, the mirror of society, should not and must not abandon his duty. Hence, Forward pleads with the mirror in the closing lines of the above-cited poem:

Would you blush your penchant for truth?

Dear Mirror?

But one has to bear in mind that there always are howling winds out there, winds that blow both the good and the bad. The poet says:

Have you ever stood in the wind

Howling winds hit your face

Till your tears are blue

The critic has greater licence

The poet shredded in silence

This collection is testimony that a poet who has strong and deep roots will not be “shredded in silence”, no matter how hard the howling winds hit.

The anthology does not shy away from the daily political scenery of many an African country. With the protestant’s voice disillusionment the poet decries the betrayal of the people by political leaders, the repression that is commonplace and denial of freedom of speech:

It stinks in the tank, sir

I choke in the anguish of scribes (Poem “Scribbled in a tank”)

The butcher is my daily offense

Today for gory meats his victuals

Cut out my tongue with glee

I would have zipped quiet

But now I mourn my tongue

Voiceless you shall yet hear (Poem “De-tongued”)

Lighter moments are also infused in the anthology. The humour in “King’s Humbling”, the ephemeral “Blood and heart” and the subtle satire of “Lies” make for varied and happy reading.

The use of metaphor is palatably pervasive throughout the anthology which often disregards established rules of writing poetry and verse. The poet makes no excuse here and simply argues that his inner feelings are not fashioned by writing norms and rituals. There is no art in feelings, why should there be art rules in expression? Good point! While the language is not so straightforward, it allows personalised interpretation for the thoughtful reader and is a boon for the critic.

Here is a poet who rebukes excesses without sparing himself, and celebrates the family while simultaneously obtests God for their keep. This anthology invokes deep reflection and should be on every literary critic’s bookshelf.

Many words of gratitude are due to those who cajoled Forward to take another step forward with his writing. It would have been a massive miscarriage if these poems had remained in the poet’s closet. This hidden talent, now unveiled, is another milestone in the Zimbabwean poetry landscape.