In this kaleidoscopic miscellany of poems written in English and chichewa John wanda, man of many talents (and paid up member of Malawi's awkward squad), shows that his endlessly fertile mind is perhaps at its most creative when he distils his thought into verse. On the serious side, the poet vividly evokes life in Malawi as experienced by people on both sides of the power/wealth divide and gives an incisive critique of the system that creates it and those who exploit it. Even on the silly side, the author's humorous treatment of personally relatable experiences of disappointment, disillusionment, nostalgia, human frailty and of the foibles of himself and others says much about what it means to be human in a complex world. While the focus is very much on his beloved Malawi, the poet find space for observations about the international situation with swipes at Obama, Trump, Muhammad Ali, Mugabe and Cameron. This Rhino, for all his forcefulness has a surprisingly light touch and his ruminations will be enjoyed and appreciated by many. - David Bone, Al Maktoum College, Dundee, Scotland. John Lwanda weaves the immediacy of an extended 'haiku' into a hard-hitting and scathing commentary on Malawi's current affairs. The use of worldwide slang, from pidgin to ebonics receives more power from Malawi's local languages. Malawi's spoken-word poetry has entered a new sphere and John Lwanda would be a most welcome and revered member of this group of poets. - Professor Felix Mnthali, poet, novelist and academic.
After going through some poems in the anthology I discovered a hidden touch and exceptional creativity; as such it requires wisdom for someone to appreciate. As a seasoned poet who has perfomed at big events in Germany, my overall conclusion is that the anthology is outstanding, authentic and exceptional.
- Babangoni Kubvalandlibhiya Chisale, seasoned writer, social analyst and curator.
