21 Apr 2022

United Kingdom based Motswana poet Tjawangwa Tj Dema will launch her book titled an/other pastoral on Earth Day in Bristol today.

In an interview with BOPA, the honorary senior research associate at the University of Bristol said the book was a powerful expression of a diasporic African Eco poetics, poetry with a strong ecological emphasis or message.

Another good aspect about her new release, she said, was that it shared an interest in human nature with her other previous poems.

Tj, as affectionately known, said while focused on launching an/other pastoral she was also working on her next book.

“The illustrations of an/other pastoral was done by another Motswana, Tebogo Cranwell,” She said.

The poet said the book was available for purchase from nobindings.com and Sebilo Books. She expressed gratitude to all who had ordered a copy.

“With an intense vision and unique voice,’ Craig Santos Perez goes on to say that I ‘poignantly address themes of racial, environmental, food, animal, and climate justice,” citing what other international poets think about the book.

 Chris Abani, who did the foreword of an/other pastoral said it was a vast reclamation of the world and a powerful anthem to self, adding that he was really drawn to the reading and how all the blurbs speak to the poems’ inventiveness, intimate lyricism and curiosity.

On her journey as a poet, Dema who also teaches Poetry internationally, has bagged awards for her previous books.

Her second poetry book, The Careless Seamstress, won the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets.

Her first book Mandible was also selected for the New-Generation African Poets set box.

She advised young Batswana poets who aspired to follow the award winning poet’s steps to cultivate a reading culture and to take workshops.

“Practice reading your work out loud to yourself and to audiences where possible.

Study formally and informally.

And write until you find your voice or the one you are comfortable discussing with an editor,” she advised.

And keep reading, you cannot write well if you don’t expose yourself to the writings of others, which is something that is constantly changing.

 The author of an/other pastoral is the recipient of fellowships from the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program, the Danish International Visiting Artist programme, and an artist residency with Northwestern University’s Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities.

Her work has appeared in New Daughters of Africa, Wild Imperfections and Botswana Women Write.

Dema sits on a number of literary boards including the Bristol Poetry Institute Partnership and the Lyra festival.

Her New book translations are forthcoming in German and Portuguese. ENDs