Brooding Clouds

by Mpe, Phaswane

• ISBN13: 9781869141011
• ISBN10: 1869141016
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-01
• Publisher: University Of KwaZulu-Natal Press

Summary

Brooding Clouds is a posthumous collection of short stories and poems that were written as a prequel to Phaswane Mpe's acclaimed bestseller, Welcome to Our Hillbrow. In these thematically linked stories, we meet the organic roots of the emblematic characters and concerns of the later novel. Written with an expressive simplicity that evokes the rural soul of tiny Tiragalong and its neighboring village of Nobody, Mpe's stories speak out strongly on issues close to his heart. The poems form a tandem narrative that is gritty, topical, observant, and which articulates the dilemmas of inner city living, along with the broader conundrums of Tiragalong, Hillbrow, and South Africa. The Brooding Clouds collection is a gem of creative achievement that stands as a poignant tribute to the tremendous talent of a writer cut down much too soon. [Phaswane Mpe lectured in African Literature at the University of the Witwatersrand. Welcome to Our Hillbrow (2001), his only published novel, was shortlisted for the Sanlam Literary Award (2001) and the Sunday Times Literary Award for Fiction (2002). He received a Posthumous South African Literary Award (2007).]

Table of Contents

Brooding Clouds
The Open Air	p. 2
Brooding Clouds	p. 3
A Family Story	p. 10
Interlude: Bone Of My Heart	p. 17
Lerato's Ordeal	p. 18
Refentse's Ordeal	p. 24
My Pa Se Kind	p. 31
Occasion For Brooding	p. 32
When I Am Awake	p. 47
Fountains Of Brooding	p. 49
Visions Of A Flying Man	p. 59
Memories Of Silence	p. 62
The Menacing Lights	p. 72
Interlude: Oasis	p. 80
Shades Of Sanctuary	p. 83
Revived Memories	p. 94
Interlude: Memories Of Brooding	p. 104
Love, Songs & Blues
Sereto Sa Phaswane Magana	p. 107
Praise Poem Of Phaswane Mogano	p. 108
St Bede's High (Sepedi)	p. 110
St Bede's High (English translation)	p. 111
Moyana Wa Matsikinyane	p. 112
Imagined Walk	p. 113
Marapo A Pelo	p. 114
Little Bee Buzzing	p. 115
Wa Papa	p. 116
Here We Meet Child Of Home	p. 117
In The Depths Of Sleep	p. 119
Mateng-Teng A Boroko	p. 122
X-Mas Love Songs	p. 125
The Picture	p. 127
The Love Beyond	p. 128
Mosong Wola	p. 129
Matsogo	p. 130
Visions Of Joy	p. 132
Dipono Tsa Lethabo	p. 134
Singing The Blues	p. 137
In The Heat Of The Day	p. 138
Time To Rest	p. 140
Nako Ya Maikhutso	p. 142
Our Braamfontein Hobos	p. 144
HIV Nights	p. 146
Elegy For The Trio	p. 147
loveLife	p. 149
Jude The Obscure	p. 150
The Going	p. 153
Mosepelo	p. 155
Freedom, Love & Songs	p. 157
Dikosa Tsa Tokologo Tsa Lerato	p. 159
Women, Love & Songs, 1956	p. 161
Youth, Love & Songs	p. 163
Half-A-Crown Memory Lane	p. 166
An Ode To Bafana Bafana	p. 168
From Our Hillbrow Tower	p. 172
God Doesn't Smoke Dagga
God Doesn't Smoke Dagga	p. 179
Healing With Words: Phaswane Mpe Interviewed	p. 189
Biographical Note	p. 202
Glossary	p. 204
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