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Gems just outside your comfort zone – Xabiso Vili How-to
Thu, 13 July 2023
Thu, 13 July 2023
It can be deeply rewarding to turn your private thoughts and dreams into poems. But how does one take them out of that private space and launch them into a world where they can find an audience?
If you’ve ever pondered this difficult question, you are not alone. Xabiso Vili, award-winni...
Nick Mulgrew | A Road Map For Launching Poems
Wed, 14 June 2023
Wed, 14 June 2023
If you ask most poets, they will probably tell you that their poems only come to life when they are launched into the world and shared with others. But how can you ever know whether a poem is ready to be shared? Is there a reliable road map that can guide you on such a journey?
Nick Mulgrew i...
Dream with Me: Young South African Women Share Their Dreams for the Future
Tue, 13 June 2023
Tue, 13 June 2023
As South Africa reflects on the importance of our youth on 16 June, three brave young women have won prizes for their moving poems on the dreams that keep them inspired.
The competition, which ran throughout May, invited young poets to use their imaginations and lean into a possible future th...
Sue Woodward: Wild places, ancient stories
Mon, 05 June 2023
Mon, 05 June 2023
On 21 June, inhabitants of the southern hemisphere will celebrate the annual Winter Solstice, marking the shortest day and the longest night of the year.
We might shrug this off as an unimportant detail on a calendar today, but centuries ago people across the world attached immense significan...
Stepping into conversation - Mangaliso Buzani
Tue, 16 May 2023
Tue, 16 May 2023
Do you ever wish that writing poetry was a less lonely undertaking? Have you felt that it would be easier to craft and edit your work if you were in a conversation?
Mangaliso Buzani is an award-winning poet who lives with these questions on a daily basis. He teaches poetry in English and isiXhosa i...
The language of a beating heart
Wed, 10 May 2023
Wed, 10 May 2023
On International Day of Families (15 May), the AVBOB Poetry Project offers a focus on the power of poetry to soothe families in pain. Poetry is a balm for migrant workers away from their children, for children with parents in institutions, and in other situations of loss when we can no lon...
World Poetry Day: South African poets reflect on why poetry still matters
Tue, 02 May 2023
Tue, 02 May 2023
On World Poetry Day this year, the AVBOB Poetry Project launched its second mini-competition for the year on the theme ‘Why poetry means the world to me’. The competition invited South African poets to share poems over how they have been shaped, challenged and consoled by...
Competition rules: Dream with Me
Tue, 25 April 2023
Tue, 25 April 2023
The rules below apply to all entries received for the 2023 ‘Dream with Me’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
The ‘Dream with Me’ poetry competition (“the Competition”) is organised by AVBOB Mutual Assurance...
Emergency toolkit on freedom day
Mon, 24 April 2023
Mon, 24 April 2023
As we prepare to celebrate Freedom Day on 27 April, we naturally think of the many sacrifices that made the dream of democracy a reality for all South Africans.
But how do we carry that dream of liberation into the uncertain future that we all face? What are the essential things we need to carry wi...
Living in a state of alertness – How-to Finuala Dowling
Mon, 24 April 2023
Mon, 24 April 2023
Do you ever find yourself wondering how poets manage to conjure poems that sound so perfectly finished out of thin air?
If you approach reading and writing poems in this way, you might come to believe that poems are only composed in the minds of a few very special individuals.
Finuala Dowling, an ...
Emergency Toolkit On Freedom Day
Tue, 11 April 2023
Tue, 11 April 2023
As we prepare to celebrate Freedom Day on 27 April, we naturally think of the many sacrifices that made the dream of democracy a reality for all South Africans.
But how do we carry that dream of liberation into the uncertain future that we all face? What are the essential things we need to carry wi...
Competition rules: Why poetry means the world to me
Mon, 20 March 2023
Mon, 20 March 2023
The rules below apply to all entries received for the 2023 ‘Why poetry means the world to me’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
The ‘Why poetry means the world to me’ poetry competition (“the Competition”) is organis...
Water is Life: South African poets reflect and take stock
Fri, 17 March 2023
Fri, 17 March 2023
In the run-up to World Water Day on 22 March 2023, The AVBOB Poetry Project invited poets to submit poems for the latest mini-competition on the theme ‘Water is life’. The competition, which ran in February 2023, invited South African poets to share their personal experiences a...
Open to the world - Wendy Woodward
Wed, 15 March 2023
Wed, 15 March 2023
Do you ever sit in front of a blank page or screen, wishing you had more inspiration? If so, we have good news. Wendy Woodward, a poet who taught creative writing in the English Department at the University of the Western Cape for 20 years, has developed some simple exercises designed to heighten yo...
Talk overflows there - Dimakatso Sedite
Mon, 06 March 2023
Mon, 06 March 2023
Have you ever felt that there are stories in your family that are never told? Do you have a story you would like to write down, but for which you haven’t found the right words?
As the world prepares to celebrate International Women’s Day, the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates th...
Shaping our stories into jewels – Jolyn Phillips
Tue, 21 February 2023
Tue, 21 February 2023
Do you ever struggle to organise jumbled thoughts on a page or screen while you write a poem? Have you wished that you could shape your ideas into something beautiful and lasting?
Fortunately, you are not the first person to struggle with this problem. For centuries, poets have turned to forms of v...
Mother language magic with Ayanda Billie
Mon, 13 February 2023
Mon, 13 February 2023
If you have started writing in your mother language but are unsure about whether your poems will find an audience, you are not alone. As we prepare to celebrate International Mother Language Day on 21 February, the AVBOB Poetry Project pays tribute to the work of Ayanda Billie – poet...
Competition rules: Water is life
Fri, 10 February 2023
Fri, 10 February 2023
The rules below apply to all entries received for the 2023 ‘Water is life’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
The ‘Water is life’ poetry competition (“the Competition”) is organised by AVBOB Mutual Assurance...
Necessary Questions and Vital Commandments as you learn to be your own best editor - Helen Moffett
Thu, 26 January 2023
Thu, 26 January 2023
Necessary Questions and Vital Commandments as you learn to be your own best editor
Have you started the new year determined to see your poetry published? Perhaps you dream of submitting an entire poetry manuscript for publication? Or maybe you’re wondering how to improve your poetry and...
A map of the other world … An invitation to discovery with Nondwe Mpuma
Tue, 10 January 2023
Tue, 10 January 2023
Each time we gather ourselves for the challenges of a new year, we instinctively try to see the world with new eyes and reimagine what is possible for us. As we contemplate the turning of the clock, the AVBOB Poetry Project turns to a young poet whose poems are full of what has been called...
Poetry growth in South Africa as annual competition closes
Fri, 16 December 2022
Fri, 16 December 2022
From ages 10 to 97, South African poets are having their say! “This is a healthy sign, and the AVBOB Poetry Project is proud to have created a platform like no other,” said AVBOB CEO, Carl van der Riet. “Promoting mental health and building community are key aspects of the AVBOB Po...
Sharpen your poetry publication chances with Colleen Higgs’ expert advice
Tue, 06 December 2022
Tue, 06 December 2022
Have you ever held a book of poetry in your hands and imagined seeing your name on the cover? Do you wonder how to organise your poems into a manuscript that goes out into the world? If so, you’re not alone…
Many new poets have their first experience of publication online via the ...
Containing the darkness – Poet Michèle Betty holds out a light
Wed, 30 November 2022
Wed, 30 November 2022
While many people relax with family and friends during the festive season, others cannot celebrate the end of the year with any joy. This is the season when society pressures us to happily be together. Yet loneliness, or complicated family dynamics, can lead to heightened depression and anxiet...
Be playful – Phillippa Yaa de Villiers on writing poetry
Mon, 14 November 2022
Mon, 14 November 2022
In the last days of November, the closing date of this year’s AVBOB Poetry Competition draws near. If you haven’t yet entered up to 10 poems in any of South Africa’s official languages, the window is still open!
For those needing a steer, we offer this playful advice fro...
Burst open the doors of possibility: World Children’s Day with Lebohang Masango
Thu, 10 November 2022
Thu, 10 November 2022
“Equality and inclusion for every child” is this year’s theme for World Children’s Day (20 November). What better way of marking this event than celebrating the poetry and stories that offer children access to their own heritage and experience? This year, the A...
Disability transmuted through poetry with Kobus Moolman
Fri, 28 October 2022
Fri, 28 October 2022
In Disability Awareness Month, the AVBOB Poetry Project acknowledges the 5.1% of South Africans over the age of five who live with some form of disability. Most lack access to adequate health care and basic education and are at risk of economic isolation without prospects of secure employm...
Editing your own poetry: Q&A with Robert Berold
Thu, 13 October 2022
Thu, 13 October 2022
As the AVBOB Poetry Project deadline looms, the last workshop in a series of six well-attended online workshops focused on how to edit poems. On 15 October 2022, veteran poet and editor Robert Berold joined series host and poetry teacher, Liesl Jobson, sharing generously on how a...
The world of rural women, as seen in the poetry of Phelelani Makhanya
Thu, 13 October 2022
Thu, 13 October 2022
The invaluable contribution of millions of women living in remote, rural areas under immensely challenging conditions is seldom seen in the media or acknowledged by city dwellers. This month, on International Day of Rural Women (October 15), the AVBOB Poetry Project honours ...
Waiting and exhilaration: Kelwyn Sole on birding and poems
Thu, 06 October 2022
Thu, 06 October 2022
This month, as the world celebrates World Migratory Bird Day (Saturday, 8 October), the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates a brilliant, challenging new collection by Kelwyn Sole, an award-winning poet and keen bird watcher, with a particular love of pelagic birding. Emeritus Pr...
Many languages, one shared culture | Douglas Reid Skinner on International Translation Day
Tue, 20 September 2022
Tue, 20 September 2022
Making poetry accessible to a wider audience is a central aim of the AVBOB Poetry Competition, which awards R10 000 to each of the winning poets in all 11 official language categories. On International Translation Day (30 September) Douglas Reid Skinner shared his reflections on ...
Find your voice in silence, with creativity mentor Silke Heiss
Tue, 20 September 2022
Tue, 20 September 2022
Have you ever tried to finish a poem to a deadline – possibly to enter the AVBOB Poetry Competition – and found that your mind is empty? Have you sat at your desk, wondering how to tap into inspiration?
Creativity mentor and online writing teacher, Silke Heiss, may have th...
2022 AVBOB Poetry Competition: Investing in South Africa’s Heritage
Tue, 20 September 2022
Tue, 20 September 2022
Eleven talented poets – one for each official language of South Africa – were announced as the overall winners of the 2022 AVBOB Poetry Competition at a gala prize-giving at the Pretoria Country Club on Wednesday evening, 21 September 2022. The sparkling event was a celebration...
Glimpses into deep time with palaeobiologist Iyra Maharaj on World Environmental Health Day
Mon, 05 September 2022
Mon, 05 September 2022
On World Environmental Health Day (26 September) the AVBOB Poetry Project turns to poetry for a way to think more deeply about the world and for consolation as we face our ecology in crisis. As floods, heatwaves, rising sea levels and drought wreak havoc and destruction on human lives and ...
Three prompts from youth poetry mentor, Brian Walter
Mon, 22 August 2022
Mon, 22 August 2022
Each year the AVBOB Poetry Competition opens its doors to poets writing in all of South Africa’s 11 official languages. From the very beginning, the work of the youngest poets has often been particularly moving and astonished readers. This year, we anticipate a similar influx of yout...
A lifeline of creation in Women’s Month – with Melissa Sussens
Thu, 11 August 2022
Thu, 11 August 2022
In Women’s Month, the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates a vibrant new voice whose dynamic and tender work addresses the themes of women in love, mercy at work, and the ever-present threat of gender-based violence. Melissa Sussens’ exciting debut collection is due out from Karavan...
Ways into healing with poet vangile gantsho in Women’s Month
Fri, 05 August 2022
Fri, 05 August 2022
In August, South Africa remembers the 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 to protest the pass laws that subjugated women. The AVBOB Poetry Project marks this day by recognising how women’s struggles have changed and by celebrating the vital and life-affirming work...
Write a poem in an hour with Liesl Jobson
Tue, 19 July 2022
Tue, 19 July 2022
Does writing poetry depend on a muse channelling inspiration from beyond? Many people think this mysterious process is what delivers glittering lines of verse, all polished and ready to win prizes! As the sixth annual AVBOB Poetry Competition season begins, writing teacher, Liesl Jobson, d...
On Mandela Day: Athambile Masola is retrieving history’s lost voices through poetry
Wed, 13 July 2022
Wed, 13 July 2022
On Mandela Day (18 July) South Africans celebrate the remarkable legacy of our first democratically elected president. During Mandela Month, the AVBOB Poetry Project remembers its inaugural launch on Madiba’s birthday in 2017, and recognises the work of Athambile Masola, a poet, lect...
Reshaping the World, One Story at a Time
Thu, 23 June 2022
Thu, 23 June 2022
This month the AVBOB Poetry Project recognises the wisdom of Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa’s integrated approach to poetry and narrative. Philippa is a poet, storyteller, teacher and facilitator. Her memoir, Flame and Song (Modjaji, 2016), combines poetry with storytelling...
Making a Home with Poetry – Youth Poet Busisiwe Mahlangu
Mon, 13 June 2022
Mon, 13 June 2022
In Youth Month, the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates how young poets find their voices in an increasingly stressful world. Poets like Busisiwe Mahlangu must often navigate mental health challenges and the inherent difficulty in speaking about them. Creating a platform for such brave voices ...
AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates “family first”
Tue, 24 May 2022
Tue, 24 May 2022
The AVBOB Poetry Project is committed to promoting South Africa's cultural heritage and to building a community of poets who support and encourage each other. With the importance of family at the heart of AVBOB’s brand, AVBOB launched a poetry mini-competition on F...
Towards a fully-fledged life – Dr Dawn Garisch on the healing benefits of poetry
Wed, 18 May 2022
Wed, 18 May 2022
Where do I start to write about my life? And why? Dr Dawn Garisch is a doctor who writes, a poet who walks, and a researcher who dances. She investigates the science and poetry of the body in order to determine “what we can trust”. Dawn is a founding member of the Life Rig...
The familial narrative: Linda Ann Strang writes against forgetting
Thu, 12 May 2022
Thu, 12 May 2022
For South Africans, family comes first, no matter what. On International Day of Families (15 May) AVBOBPoetry marks the event with Eastern Cape poet, Linda Ann Strang.
Linda Ann Strang is an internationally recognised poet with two poetry collections to her name. Her finely cra...
In praise of what remains: Ecopoets reconcile with the natural world
Thu, 21 April 2022
Thu, 21 April 2022
The AVBOB Poetry Project’s recent mini-competition invited South Africans to reflect on the impact of the environment on our daily lives – and to share their personal experiences through the art of poetry. On International Mother Earth Day we announce the winners and ...
The Heart is a Fist: Makhosazana Xaba and Poetry of Resistance
Wed, 13 April 2022
Wed, 13 April 2022
This Freedom Month, the AVBOB Poetry Project shares the poetry of a formidable woman and former freedom fighter. Professor Makhosazana Xaba is a poet, award-winning writer, activist and academic. Her life has been dedicated to political and personal freedom. She was recently awarded a...
Competition rules: celebrating families
Wed, 13 April 2022
Wed, 13 April 2022
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2022 ‘Celebrating families’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘Celebrating families’ (“the Competition”) is organised by AVBOB Mutual Assurance Society (&l...
Emerging possibilities: Making poetry with Sally Ann Murray (Part 2)
Thu, 17 March 2022
Thu, 17 March 2022
In January, we published part one of a valuable and playful article by poetry teacher, Prof Sally Ann Murray, aimed specifically at students in tertiary education and those wanting a deep dive to develop their poetry skills. The second part follows... Enjoy!
Prompt yourself to try a diffe...
Competition rules: ecopoetry on the state of the earth
Wed, 16 March 2022
Wed, 16 March 2022
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2022 ‘Ecopoetry on the state of the earth’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘Ecopoetry on the state of the earth’ (“the Competition”) is organised by AVBOB Mutual A...
Poetry as healing in Human Rights Month with Malika Ndlovu
Thu, 10 March 2022
Thu, 10 March 2022
In March, the AVBOB Poetry Competition recognises those who work to promote human rights. Historically, we remember Sharpeville (21 March 1960), but the protection of human rights and recovery from human rights abuses are ongoing work. Malika Ndlovu is part of the Spieel Arts Therapie...
The Language of Dreams: A look at indigenous poetry with Goodenough Mashego
Wed, 16 February 2022
Wed, 16 February 2022
“When dogs bark and birds sing, they are using their mother tongue… So too, people need to speak their mother language!” says Goodenough Gakwi Mashego on International Mother Language Day (21 February). As Sepedi editor of The AVBOB Poetry Competition, he shares his insi...
Healing flow on World Wetlands Day with Tania Haberland and ecopoetry
Fri, 28 January 2022
Fri, 28 January 2022
Since its inception, the AVBOB Poetry Project has supported grieving people by offering the resources of reading and writing poetry. Words that speak to our experience of being adrift in the waters of mourning help to create a tiny raft of meaning that enables us to survive bereavement ins...
Emerging possibilities: making poetry with Sally Ann Murray (Part 1)
Fri, 28 January 2022
Fri, 28 January 2022
It’s a new year and many poets have already started writing new poems. If you are reading writerly advice and researching how poetry works, hoping to grow your own artistic and aesthetic sensibilities, look no further than the AVBOB Poetry Competition blog! There you will find inform...
Dancing on the bridge – Melina Smit empowers educators with poetry | 2022
Mon, 10 January 2022
Mon, 10 January 2022
Most South African learners will have returned to class by 24 January, the day the world recognises as International Day of Education. In a bid to assist educators go back-to-school with a measure of excitement, the AVBOB Poetry Project features innovative educator, Melina Smit. ...
Excellent poems and top-level poets as the fifth AVBOB Poetry Competition closes
Mon, 13 December 2021
Mon, 13 December 2021
Tight times, powerful poems, mother-tongue magic and 3 000 new poems in the AVBOB Poetry Library is the summarised version of what happened this year in the fifth AVBOB Poetry Competition, which closed on 30 November 2021.
The competition created a space for poets to write...
Reconciling descendants and ancestors with Xabiso Vili
Fri, 10 December 2021
Fri, 10 December 2021
In the final focus of 2021, the AVBOB Poetry Project honours the Day of Reconciliation (16 December) by featuring award-winning social activist and international poetry performer, Xabiso Vili. This series of profiles featuring South African poets of distinction aims to provide role models ...
Poetry is not a luxury, and other tips for beginner poets from Mandi Vundla
Fri, 03 December 2021
Fri, 03 December 2021
As 2021 draws to a close the AVBOB Poetry Project aims to encourage the large number of youth poets who first sounded out their voices during the fifth AVBOB Poetry Competition. The work of poetry is never done while we have breath in our lungs! Youth poet and poetry activist, Ma...
The art of enquiry – improve your poetry with Quaz Roodt
Wed, 24 November 2021
Wed, 24 November 2021
In the final week of the AVBOB Poetry Competition, many novice poets are coming to poetry for the first time, learning how to write and aspiring to become a winning poet. We hope that participants will still take the time to think deeply about how they read poetry, including their own. Her...
Writing your own way during 16 Days of Activism – Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese
Wed, 24 November 2021
Wed, 24 November 2021
Every year on 25 November, South Africans commence 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women and children. As the call to “be an activist” is sounded, we turn to poetry as a uniquely powerful tool for transformation. The AVBOB Poetry Project aligns with this i...
Mak Manaka on disability – from surviving to thriving
Wed, 10 November 2021
Wed, 10 November 2021
In Disability Awareness Month (November), the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates Johannesburg poet, painter and performer, Mak Manaka who survived a spinal cord injury as a pre-teen. He shares his insights into the writer’s life, the meaning of his disability, mentors along the way, and the role ...
Top tips for poets – a checklist before clicking send!
Mon, 25 October 2021
Mon, 25 October 2021
Entering the final month of the fifth AVBOB Poetry Competition, poetry teacher and “wordshop” host, Dorian Haarhoff shares a perspective on grief and poetry that gives a valuable understanding of how words can heal the human psyche.
Dorian points us to&nb...
What the poet sees – insights from Jacques Coetzee on World Sight Day
Wed, 13 October 2021
Wed, 13 October 2021
World Sight Day (14 October) [1] offers poetry lovers the chance to become familiar with the remarkable poet Jacques Coetzee, who won the Afrikaans category of the 2020 AVBOB Poetry Competition and published his poetry debut ‘An Illuminated Darkness’ with uHlanga Press. The collecti...
Megan Ross’ poetry sets a compass for Mental Health Awareness Month
Wed, 13 October 2021
Wed, 13 October 2021
In Mental Health Awareness Month, the AVBOB Poetry Project features the award-winning writer and journalist, Megan Ross. Her debut poetry collection, Milk Fever (uHlanga Press, 2018), is a profound and magnificent exploration of childbirth and its aftermath which, for many women, descends into ...
Youth poetry on the rise at AVBOB Poetry Competition’s halfway mark
Thu, 07 October 2021
Thu, 07 October 2021
Fascinating statistics show that youth poets are again entering the AVBOB Poetry Competition in droves. At the halfway mark of the competition, the greatest number of entries are in English and isiZulu, and poets in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo have delivered many of the best poems so far (of those sel...
Poetry as a Dance Reimagined – SASL is on the school curriculum now!
Tue, 21 September 2021
Tue, 21 September 2021
On International Day of Sign Language (23 September) the AVBOB Poetry Project participates in a global initiative to raise awareness of this fascinating but little understood language. We introduce the powerful poetry created by users of South African Sign Language (SASL) and focus on the ...
An unsettled time – an invitation to reimagine heritage with Simon van Schalkwyk
Tue, 21 September 2021
Tue, 21 September 2021
How do we celebrate Heritage Day (24 September) in an unsettled time? In the face of a pandemic, ideas of identity seem as superfluous and dangerous as flames on “Braai Day”. The AVBOB Poetry Project exists to put poetry in reach of those who grieve. It also serves to educate a...
Women Publishers in Women’s Month
Mon, 23 August 2021
Mon, 23 August 2021
Who publishes poetry in South Africa? That’s the question on the lips of many aspirant poets. With more than 14 400 poems now published and paid for in The AVBOB Poetry library, those who have acquired a taste for publication want more! Four women publishers speak about the business of cr...
Tools for a difficult hour - the timely poetry of Fiona Zerbst
Mon, 23 August 2021
Mon, 23 August 2021
In Women’s Month, The AVBOB Poetry Competition focuses on Fiona Zerbst, a leading South African poet. Poets seeking inspiration and learning will do well to familiarise themselves with her work.
In difficult hours humanity has always taken comfort from the poets whose words speak to our...
Die AVBOB Poësiekompetisie en Poësiegala 2021
Fri, 13 August 2021
Fri, 13 August 2021
Die AVBOB Poësieprojek het die wenners van die vierde AVBOB Poësiekompetisie op Dinsdagaand 17 Augustus tydens ’n stylvolle geleentheid aangekondig en gevier. Die wenners in al 11 taalkategorieë het elk ’n kontantprys van R10 000 en ’n R2 500-boekgeskenkbew...
The AVBOB Poetry Competition And Poetry Gala 2021
Thu, 05 August 2021
Thu, 05 August 2021
The AVBOB Poetry Project announced the winners of the fourth AVBOB Poetry Competition on Tuesday evening, 17 August, celebrating in fine style. The winners in all 11 language categories were each awarded a cash prize of R10 000 and a R2 500 book voucher. The three final...
An eye on the prize – Maneo Mohale on awards, prizing self-worth, and representing trauma
Fri, 23 July 2021
Fri, 23 July 2021
The AVBOB Poetry Project features international prize-winning poet, Maneo Mohale, in this, the latest in a series of profiles featuring South African poets who are changing the poetry landscape. This series aims to provide role models and information to emerging poets planning to enter the fifth ann...
The fifth AVBOB Poetry Competition offers you a chance to shine!
Thu, 22 July 2021
Thu, 22 July 2021
As the AVBOB Poetry Competition enters its fifth season on 1 August 2021, the doors of poetry are again thrown open, inviting all to give voice to hope and love. South African poets – both fledgling and established – are invited to enter their poems offering inspiration in any of South A...
Mini-competition | Youth poets show survival spirit and mental health awareness
Tue, 20 July 2021
Tue, 20 July 2021
Viva the Villanelle! Youth poets show survival spirit and mental health awareness
During Youth Month the AVBOB Poetry Project announced a mini-competition on social media, inviting South Africans poets, aged 18 and younger, to reflect on their experience of surviving the pandemic. Here we announce ...
Competition rules: youth poetry on the COVID-19 pandemic
Tue, 01 June 2021
Tue, 01 June 2021
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2021 ‘Youth poetry on the COVID-19 pandemic’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘Youth poetry on the COVID-19 pandemic’ (“the Competition”) is organised by AVBOB Mut...
Africa Month – building the Africa we want
Mon, 24 May 2021
Mon, 24 May 2021
On this Africa Day (25 May), AVBOB Poetry celebrates the life of a son of the soil. Poet and musician, teacher and activist, Chris Mann joined the ancestors in March this year. A posthumous publication of his poems based on classic Greek and Roman myths set in an African context is coming from Dryad...
Poetry and inner work – a look beneath the surface
Fri, 21 May 2021
Fri, 21 May 2021
During Mental Health Awareness Month, we offer expert advice to writers who are growing their poetry skills while working at improving their mental health. Cape Town Clinical Psychologist, Musawenkosi Khanyile is an award-winning poet, who is particularly well qualified to talk about the i...
A song for survivors: Poems of comfort marking a year of lockdown
Tue, 11 May 2021
Tue, 11 May 2021
In March, the AVBOB Poetry Project invited South African poets to reflect on one year of life under lockdown, through a competition on social media. Here we announce the winning poets and profile their thought-provoking poetry.
First-prize winner:
Phelelani Makha...
Teen winners find their voice, share their passion, and invest in education!
Wed, 28 April 2021
Wed, 28 April 2021
Two Mpumalanga teens are creating a unique identity for themselves as poets in their communities. Both were 16 years old when they made history as the youngest ever winners of their respective language categories in the third AVBOB Poetry Competition last year.
For ordinary fo...
World Book Day, 23 April 2021
Thu, 15 April 2021
Thu, 15 April 2021
So you have a book inside you?
Books are miracles of design. They are small, seemingly inert objects, that contain magical microcosms hidden between their covers, constellations that captivate our imaginations, connect us to our history and inspire future possibilities we could not otherwise ...
Freedom day, 27 April 2021
Thu, 15 April 2021
Thu, 15 April 2021
Hold it up to the air – the freedom to write, to grieve, and to emerge through tough times
A profile brought to you by the AVBOB Poetry Project, featuring South African poets from all walks of life.
The topic of freedom is never more relevant than on Freedom Day (2...
A poem of reflection on one year in lockdown
Wed, 24 March 2021
Wed, 24 March 2021
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2021 ‘A poem of reflection on one year in lockdown’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘A poem of reflection on one year in lockdown’ (“the Competition”) is organised by&n...
The right to write in your mother tongue - Reflections of a wordsmith
Thu, 11 March 2021
Thu, 11 March 2021
On Human Rights Day (21 March), the AVBOB Poetry Project focuses on the powerful link between poetry and human rights with Vonani Bila, a leading poetry light in South Africa. Bila’s personal north star has been the sacred constitutional right of all South Africans to speak in their ...
WORLD CANCER DAY
Thu, 21 January 2021
Thu, 21 January 2021
Despite World Cancer Day being recognised annually on 4 February, the COVID-19 pandemic won’t step aside to let another medical crisis dominate the news. People living with this particular comorbidity for the last year have experienced additional pressures in receiving treatment from...
Shakespeare, rap and rural KZN: The power of the pen is liberating youth poets on the International Day of Education
Thu, 21 January 2021
Thu, 21 January 2021
“Poetry education is absolutely relevant!” says Xolani Shezzi, a young poet from Mandeni in KwaZulu-Natal, ahead of the International Day of Education (24 January). Learning to wield the power of the pen during lockdown transformed his life. “Poetry is healing; it’s...
Aantal jeuginskrywings in die AVBOB Poësiekompetisie skiet die hoogte in
Fri, 11 December 2020
Fri, 11 December 2020
’n Rekordgetal inskrywings is ontvang in die vierde jaarlikse AVBOB Poësiekompetisie wat van 1 Augustus tot 30 November 2020 aangebied is. Dit vertel ’n gerusstellende verhaal oor die siel van Suid-Afrika.
In haar lof vir die kompetisie, noem die bekroonde Afrikaans...
Youth entries soar in fourth annual AVBOB Poetry Competition
Thu, 10 December 2020
Thu, 10 December 2020
A record number of entries have been received for the fourth annual AVBOB Poetry Competition, during the entry period from 1 August to 30 November 2020, which tells a reassuring story about the soul of South Africa.
Celebrated Afrikaans poet, Antjie Krog, praised the competiti...
Poetry of reconciliation invites reconstruction and retelling with love
Thu, 10 December 2020
Thu, 10 December 2020
One function of the Day of Reconciliation (16 December) holiday is to remind South Africans of the need to heal the wounds of Apartheid. A powerful young poet, Kopano Maroga, says the struggle lives on in our traumatised collective body and invites us to reflect on how the work of healing continues....
“Ek wou nog sê...” Seisoen 4 | Ode aan 'n lewende monument vir meertalige poësie
Wed, 25 November 2020
Wed, 25 November 2020
So oud soos die berge en so kosbaar soos asem, het poësie die mag om die aarde op sy kop te draai en om woorde te laat dans. Poësie troos die diepste seer, bou brûe en skep geleenthede, want die digkuns “maak vi’ ons lig moet hierie woorde soes moet kerse”[1] s...
Promises for the poets of the future
Mon, 16 November 2020
Mon, 16 November 2020
How do children come to poetry? And why do children love poems? World Children’s Day (20 November) is a time to consider how poetry impacts South Africa’s children. Early childhood is a time when learning is mostly embodied, so sound and rhythm are key to many activities, ...
Poetry offers us a place for powerful reckonings with the body
Mon, 02 November 2020
Mon, 02 November 2020
Annually, from 3 November, disability activists invite South Africans to reimagine the world for a month, culminating on 3 December in the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This is an opportunity to remove our blinkers and to listen to the experience of those with bodies unlike mo...
Against the odds - choosing self-examination every month
Wed, 21 October 2020
Wed, 21 October 2020
Your health is your wealth goes the old truism. Many risk-avoidant folks do all the right things to ensure good health, including paying for health insurance and saying their prayers. Yet, despite forgoing animal fats, quitting smoking, exercising and flossing, there’s an element of luck ...
Cradock Spring - Remaking the world with words
Wed, 14 October 2020
Wed, 14 October 2020
The health of creative arts teaching in the Eastern Cape is reason for great optimism for educators in the beleaguered province during Teacher Appreciation Month. The area, which was hard hit by the pandemic, is bearing witness to a remarkable education revolution spurred on by people of vision...
A poem a day on World Mental Health Day
Wed, 30 September 2020
Wed, 30 September 2020
“Every poem is a momentary stay against the confusion of the world.” - Robert Frost
“If you’re feeling blue or anxious on World Mental Health Day [10 October 2020], that might be a perfectly normal response considering the circumstances,” says Dr Dawn Garisch, a Cape T...
When we all gather round one fire
Thu, 17 September 2020
Thu, 17 September 2020
Braai Day. Heritage Day. Shaka Day… whatever we call this annual public holiday that commemorates our nation’s history and celebrates our diversity, the day offers a chance to reflect on our uniquely South African spirit.
As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “We're going to...
AVBOB Poësiegala 2020
Tue, 04 August 2020
Tue, 04 August 2020
AGTERGROND: DIE AVBOB POËSIEKOMPETISIE
Die AVBOB Poësieprojek het ontstaan en gegroei uit ʼn plek van verlies en verlange – die dubbele tragedie wat ons op ons lewenspad volg waar ons ook al gaan. Dit is ʼn reis wat gelei het tot hoop, vertroosting en genesing...
AVBOB Poetry Gala 2020
Thu, 30 July 2020
Thu, 30 July 2020
BACKGROUND: THE AVBOB POETRY COMPETITION
The AVBOB Poetry Project emerged from a place of loss and longing – twin tragedies that stubbornly track our passage through this life – but it has given rise to hope and wholeness.
AVBOB the undertaker understoo...
Out of the mouths of babes – new ways of seeing and being from our young poets
Tue, 14 July 2020
Tue, 14 July 2020
First-prize winner: Second-prize winner: Third-prize winner:
Letshepo Morelo (14) Juliet Mo...
Smells like teen spirit, sounds like poetry – poetry and the youth generation
Thu, 11 June 2020
Thu, 11 June 2020
Young people have often been the first to sow the seeds of social change – and you’ll find them right in the frontlines of protest and demonstration. Many of the great social movements of the past – and today – began in school corridors or on university campuses. I...
Words for the workers: Poems of comfort for SA’s frontline workforce
Wed, 10 June 2020
Wed, 10 June 2020
First-prize winner: Second-prize winner: Third-prize winner:
Jim Pascual Agustin ...
“To learn how to speak with the voices of the land” – I Wish I’d Said television series explores the inner lives of local poets in all 11 languages.
Mon, 01 June 2020
Mon, 01 June 2020
Poetry, we know, always had its roots in performance, in presence, in people. The poet always had a powerful role in society – a prophet and a praise singer, a troubadour and a truth-teller, an astounding amalgam of vision and verse. Poets still have the power to hold a mirror up to socie...
A poem of comfort for kids in the time of COVID-19
Mon, 25 May 2020
Mon, 25 May 2020
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2020 ‘A poem of comfort for kids in the time of COVID-19’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘A poem of comfort for kids in the time of COVID-19’ (“the Competition”) is org...
Poetry is our refuge, by Dr Rethabile Possa-Mogoera
Fri, 15 May 2020
Fri, 15 May 2020
Poetry has always been my refuge. Whenever I felt down, I would take a pen and paper and sit outside under a tree, to write my heart out. When done writing I would read it aloud and enjoy the piece that I had written. Po...
Poems of comfort in the time of COVID-19
Mon, 11 May 2020
Mon, 11 May 2020
First-prize winner: Second-prize winner: Third-prize winner:
Ann Scarborough Moore Linza De Jager Arcolat...
Power to the workers!
Fri, 24 April 2020
Fri, 24 April 2020
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘Power to the workers!’ (“the Competition”) is organised by AVBOB Mutual Assurance Society (“AVBOB”), headquartered at 368 Madiba Street, Pretoria Central, Pretoria, 0002.
Opening and closing times
...
The verse of the universe – the power of poetry and science to explain the inexplicable
Mon, 20 April 2020
Mon, 20 April 2020
Poetry, it may be argued, allows us to see the unseen – just as the Hubble telescope allows us to see deep space or the Large Hadron Collider allows us to ‘see’ sub-atomic particles. The connection between poetry and science is not a far-fetched, fanciful one. Both, to some extent,...
A poem of comfort in the time of COVID-19
Fri, 27 March 2020
Fri, 27 March 2020
COMPETITION RULES
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2020 ‘A poem of comfort in the time of COVID-19’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organisers
‘A poem of comfort in the time of COVID-19’ (“the Competition”) is org...
On World Poetry Day, we celebrate poetry as the fastest-growing form of global expression
Wed, 18 March 2020
Wed, 18 March 2020
Poetry is the language of Instagram and international protest. It’s the language of the streets and the self-styled upper strata. From high-end haute couture empowerment campaigns to high risk political activism, poetry has become the lingua franca of our age...
A quiet milestone moment amidst the many voices of AVBOB Poetry
Wed, 05 February 2020
Wed, 05 February 2020
AVBOB Poetry has never been a numbers game – it’s about providing a transformative space for as many South Africans as possible, and helping them find a way forward in their time of grief. It’s about the quality of poems, in all 11 of our languages, and the comfort t...
Robots and Poetry: Can AI really replace EQ?
Tue, 04 February 2020
Tue, 04 February 2020
“Even as robots and AI intrigue us and make us anxious about the future, our fascination with robots has always been about more than the potential of the technology – it’s also about what robots tell us about being human.” – David Ewing Duncan
While billions...
Poetry as farewell
Thu, 09 January 2020
Thu, 09 January 2020
‘An elegant and restrained farewell’: poetry as the perfect way to say goodbye
There are many ways of saying farewell, countless ways of leave-taking. For some, a videographic record becomes a precious keepsake after a beloved has departed. For others, a living will helps to map o...
Umncintiswano Wezinkondlo we AVBOB: indawo yokupholisa amanxeba nenqolobane yezilimi zendawo
Fri, 13 December 2019
Fri, 13 December 2019
Umncintiswano Wezinkondlo we AVBOB Wesithathu uphele ngomvuthwandaba – ngeqophelo eliphezulu lobuciko – lapho kwethulwe khona izinkondlo ezingaphezu kuka 7 000 ngesonto lokugcina, njengoba umncintiswano ubusuya emaphethelweni ngomhla ka 30 ku November 2019. Ngosuku lokugci...
Ukhuphiswano lwesithathu lwe AVBOB Poetry Competition: iziko elinika impilo nomthombo ophilayo welwimi zekhaya
Fri, 13 December 2019
Fri, 13 December 2019
Ukhuphiswano lwesithathu lwe AVBOB Poetry Competition luphele ngesingqi esiphezulu – ubuncwane bobugcisa bokubonga – apho kungeniswe ngaphezulu kwama 7 000 emibongo kwiveki yamagqibela ka nkqoyi, njengoko olukhuphiswano beseluqosheliswa ngomhla we 30 ku November 2019. Ngos...
Die derde AVBOB Poësiekompetisie: 'n Plek van genesing en 'n lewende bewaarplek vir plaaslike tale
Fri, 13 December 2019
Fri, 13 December 2019
Die derde AVBOB Poësiekompetisie het op ʼn positiewe en dramatiese noot geëindig. Gedurende die laaste week is meer as 7 000 gedigte ingeskryf waarvan 2 224 op die sluitingsdatum, 30 November 2019, ingedien is.
Dit is ʼn merkwaardige prestasie – en ʼn veelsegg...
The third AVBOB Poetry Competition: a place of healing and a living repository of local tongues
Wed, 11 December 2019
Wed, 11 December 2019
The third AVBOB Poetry Competition ended on a crescendo – a peak of poetic craft – where over 7 000 poems were entered in the final week, as the competition drew to a close on 30 November 2019. On the last day alone, some 2 224 poems were submitted.
It&rs...
AVBOB Poetry Awards 2018-2019
Tue, 10 December 2019
Tue, 10 December 2019
In only two years, 2018-2019, The AVBOB Poetry Project has been honoured to have received 17 awards in recognition of the widespread public participation in The AVBOB Poetry Competition, and the marketing campaigns behind it since its launch in 2017.
Our deepest thanks aga...
Performance poetry comes to Pretoria!
Wed, 27 November 2019
Wed, 27 November 2019
Poet laureate Robert Pinsky once famously quipped: ‘There were poets long before there were printing presses.’ In fact, poetry dates as far back as prehistorical times, when oral poetry was considered a socially binding act, a way to transmit tradition and remember culture, a way to...
Poetry is increasingly becoming a financially viable genre
Thu, 14 November 2019
Thu, 14 November 2019
Entries for The AVBOB Poetry Competition close on 30 November
The revival in the demand for poetry is inspiring news for aspiring and established poets. It not only gives them more scope for getting published, it also offers them the opportunity to earn an income from doing what they love.
&n...
Poësie word toenemend 'n finansieel lewensvatbare genre
Thu, 14 November 2019
Thu, 14 November 2019
Inskrywings vir die AVBOB Poësiekompetisie sluit op 30 November
Die herlewing in die vraag na poësie is inspirerende nuus vir aspirant- sowel as gevestigde digters. Dit verhoog nie net hul kans om hul werk te laat publiseer nie, dit gee hulle ook die geleentheid om ʼn inkom...
The healing power of writing poetry
Thu, 31 October 2019
Thu, 31 October 2019
The healing benefits of reading poetry are well known and documented and probably as old as humankind. According to the National Association for Poetry Therapy, the use of poetry for therapeutic purposes goes back to primitive rites in which shamans would chant poems for the welf...
CELEBRATING THE VOICE OF WOMEN THROUGH POETRY
Tue, 13 August 2019
Tue, 13 August 2019
AVBOB nationwide competition provides platform to thrive in all 11 official languages
Women’s Month is an opportunity to celebrate the work, and indeed the words, of those award-winning trailblazers who opened our minds to new ways of thinking and doing.
South Africa has a rich poetry ...
AVBOB Poetry Gala 2019
Thu, 25 July 2019
Thu, 25 July 2019
BACKGROUND: THE AVBOB POETRY COMPETITION
Each one of us, no matter our background, is bound by the common experiences of birth and death, of loss and love. And we all struggle to find words to articulate these transformative moments in our lives. As Africa’s largest Mutual Assurance Soc...
AVBOB Poësiegala 2019
Thu, 25 July 2019
Thu, 25 July 2019
AGTERGROND: DIE AVBOB POËSIEKOMPETISIE
Ons word aan mekaar verbind deur die gedeelde ervaring van geboorte en dood, van verlies en liefde. En ons almal sukkel om hierdie transformerende ervarings in ons lewens te verwoord. As Afrika se grootste Onderlinge Versekeringsgenootskap en ʼn...
Press Release | What if… this were only the beginning, South Africa?
Mon, 29 April 2019
Mon, 29 April 2019
What if hope and renewal lay beyond 8 May? What if, amid the doubt and uncertainty, South Africans approached the ballot box with hope? What if that day marked the end of all the challenges we face as a nation? What if we were given a second chance at a new beginning… what if we were just get...
PRESS RELEASE II - WHAT IF, SOUTH AFRICA?
Wed, 20 March 2019
Wed, 20 March 2019
Poems for positive nation-building… verse against the adverse.
It’s been a tough 2019, and most South Africans could do with a dose of positive affirmation. We need a way to see beyond the load-shedding and low employment figures, beyond rising prices and rising temperatur...
PRESS RELEASE - WHAT IF, SOUTH AFRICA?
Thu, 28 February 2019
Thu, 28 February 2019
PRESS RELEASE
Hope in the time of the elections: AVBOB’s campaign to brighten the future.
With our national narratives snarled up in ‘bad news’ stories, South Africans are badly in need of positive, uplifting messages of hope and promise. For our collective sanity, w...
COMPETITION RULES: WHAT IF, SOUTH AFRICA?
Thu, 28 February 2019
Thu, 28 February 2019
COMPETITION RULES: WHAT IF, SOUTH AFRICA?
For information on the competition, first read our press release here.
The rules below apply to all entries received in the 2019 ‘What if, South Africa?’ poetry competition.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Organis...
Bou brûe deur die krag van poësie: Die AVBOB Poësiekompetisie Jaar 2
Mon, 10 December 2018
Mon, 10 December 2018
Met die sluiting van die 2018 AVBOB Poësiekompetisie op 30 November, het ons gedink dit is gepas om terug te kyk en na te dink oor wat die projek alles bereik het en hoe dit gegroei het sedert die bekendstelling daarvan in 2017.
Twee dinge blyk onmiddellik en besonder duidelik: In die ee...
Building bridges through the power of poetry: The AVBOB Poetry Competition Year 2
Mon, 10 December 2018
Mon, 10 December 2018
With the close of the 2018 AVBOB Poetry Competition on 30 November, we felt it fitting to reflect on what the project has achieved, and how it has grown since its launch in 2017.
Two things are immediately clear: firstly, the project connects and binds us to one another. As our national narra...
Last chance to write a poem to reach others in need… in all the voices of our land
Fri, 09 November 2018
Fri, 09 November 2018
As the 2018 AVBOB Poetry Competition enters its final month, there is a palpable sense of urgency – and agency! – amongst poets and editors alike. There’s nothing like a little pressure to unlock possibility and creativity, and so we encourage all those potential poets out there to...
Laaste kans om ‘n gedig te skryf wat uitreik na ander in nood… in al die stemme van ons land
Fri, 09 November 2018
Fri, 09 November 2018
Die 2018 AVBOB Poësiekompetisie staan einde se kant toe, en daar ‘n tasbare gevoel van dringendheid onder digters, sowel as redakteurs. Daar is ook natuurlik min dinge wat kan meeding met ‘n bietjie druk om potensiaal en kreatiwiteit te ontsluit, en juis daarom moedig ons alle aspir...
Rosa Keet - 'n private ding | a private thing
Fri, 21 September 2018
Fri, 21 September 2018
'n private ding
vir Ann
en as ek dan nóú moet doodgaan
begrawe my op 'n sandduin
tussen bossies met 'n uitsig oor die see
'n liter coke 'n karton sigarette
en 'n boek of twee
ek is nie baie windmakerig nie
maar 'n donskombers en 'n opblaasmatras
...
AVBOB Poësieprojek Jaar 2
Fri, 07 September 2018
Fri, 07 September 2018
Toe die AVBOB Poësieprojek op Mandeladag 2017 aangekondig is, was die hoop – weliswaar nederig en eksperimenteel – dat die aanlyn poësiekompetisie ‘n belangrike sosiale hulpbron vir alle Suid-Afrikaners sou word. Geïnspireer deur die dood van ‘n tweej...
AVBOB Poetry Project year 2
Fri, 07 September 2018
Fri, 07 September 2018
When the AVBOB Poetry Project was first announced on Mandela Day 2017, the hope – though modest and tentative – was that the online poetry competition that was launched two weeks later would provide a significant social resource for all South Africans. Inspired by the death of ...
Douglas Reid Skinner - The AVBOB Poetry Gala Event
Tue, 28 August 2018
Tue, 28 August 2018
In February 1964, the Russian poet, Joseph Brodsky, was up before a Soviet judge in the Dzerzhinsky District Court of the City of Leningrad for the crime of ‘parasitism’. I’d like to recount some of what went on in the courtroom, as recorded by Frida Vigdorova, a member o...
PRESS RELEASE: AVBOB Poetry Gala
Wed, 20 June 2018
Wed, 20 June 2018
THE AVBOB POETRY PRIZE:
IN PRAISE OF THE POETS – AND PEOPLE – OF SOUTH AFRICA.
On 1 August 2017, a remarkable and unorthodox event took place in the social media space: the launch of a poetry competition in all 11 official languages to serve South Africans as a source of comfort and cat...
The end of the AVBOB poetry competition 2017
Fri, 15 December 2017
Fri, 15 December 2017
Write something … reach someone: over 20 000 poems submitted with words of hope and healing in the AVBOB Poetry Competition.
The AVBOB Poetry Competition is finally closed for entry.
At the onset of the AVBOB Poetry Project, we could never have anticipated the astounding re...
Die einde van die AVBOB poësiekompetisie 2017
Fri, 15 December 2017
Fri, 15 December 2017
Skryf iets … raak iemand: Meer as 20 000 gedigte ingeskryf met woorde van hoop en genesing in die AVBOB Poësiekompetisie.
Die AVBOB Poësiekompetisie is finaal gesluit vir inskrywings.
Toe ons met die AVBOB Poësieprojek begin het, sou ons nooit die verstommend...
Letter to a Young Poet
Mon, 27 November 2017
Mon, 27 November 2017
Dear Writer
Thank you for writing to the poetry competition team. Firstly, on behalf of AVBOB and everyone involved with running the competition, let me say that we are very sorry for your loss. I can only imagine that at your age it has been a particularly difficult life experience to handle...
Hoe om (soos iemand anders) te skryf
Sat, 04 November 2017
Sat, 04 November 2017
Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training.
Anna Freud
Die skryf van dié tipe artikel is altyd ’n riskante onderneming: dit is onvermydelik voorskriftelik en as sodanig druis dit in teen alles wat ek in verband met poësie geleer het), dis b...
The poetry project’s inspiration
Fri, 04 August 2017
Fri, 04 August 2017
What inspired the poetry project? We share CEO of AVBOB, Mr Frik Rademan’s emotional letter to the press…
Dear Reader
I have to confess, finding the right words for this press release is so much more difficult than I ever imagined. At first, it may sound like a fairly simp...
