12 Must-Read South African Poems

South African poetry is a poignant testament to the country’s history of apartheid, struggle for freedom, and journey towards healing and reconciliation.

Poets like Dennis Brutus and Mongane Wally Serote used their verses as weapons against apartheid, portraying the harsh realities of racial segregation and the resilience of the human spirit.

In the post-apartheid era, poets like Antjie Krog and Gabeba Baderoon explore themes of identity, gender, and the complexities of a society in transition. Their work reflects the diversity of South Africa’s eleven official languages and its rich cultural mosaic.

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To My Father, Who Died

by Dawn Garisch

Dawn Garisch’s poem ‘To My Father, Who Died’ is about the relationship of the poet’s father with the sea. It depicts the cycle of life and death through the metaphor of the sea.

Dawn Garisch is a South African writer and poet. Born in South Africa, her work is often influenced by the country’s natural landscapes and her personal experiences. In this poem, the connection to nature, particularly the sea, could reflect her connection to her homeland, where the coastal environment is a significant part of life for many. This sense of place and nature shapes her work.

On shimmering beaches you come to

me and sit in the caves of my sockets,

taking a long look out along the wash

to where the sea breathes white and ash

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Childhood in Heidelberg

by Andries Walter Oliphant

‘Childhood in Heidelberg’ by Andries Walter Oliphant is a thoughtful a complicated poem in which the speaker, a child, discusses their life growing up in Heidelberg, South Africa.

I was born in a house where ancestors

were suspended from the walls.

On hot afternoons they would descend and walk silently

through the cool passages

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From Not Him

by Wopko Jensma

‘From Not Him’ by Wopko Jensma tells a story of a father who is rigid in his daily activities regarding the upbringing of his children.

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Hadedah

by Adam Schwartzman

‘Hadedah’ by Adam Schwartzman is an original poem in which the speaker uses animal imagery, specifically that of an ibis, to talk about complex subjects like the South African political climate.

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Ingrid Jonker

by Sally Bryer

‘Ingrid Jonker’ by Sally Bryer is a sentiment of praise for Ingrid Jonker herself, a woman who used her words to push for change in South Africa.

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My Father Would Not Show Us

by Ingrid de Kok

‘My Father Would Not Show Us’ navigates grief, revealing a daughter’s struggle with her father’s silent departure from life.

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Nothing’s Changed

by Tatamkhulu Afrika

The poem, ‘Nothing’s Changed’ by Tatmkhulu Afrika, talks about the rampant apartheid system in District Six near Cape Town in South Africa, and explores racism.

Small round hard stones click

under my heels,

seeding grasses thrust

bearded seeds

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Stolen Rivers

by Phillippa Yaa de Villiers

‘Stolen Rivers’ by De Villiers honors Chiwoniso Maraire, exploring art’s role in confronting racism and uniting Africa.

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The Birth of Shaka

by Oswald Mtshali

‘The Birth of Shaka’ by Oswald Mtshali is a free verse poem about a South African warrior and ruler by the name of Shaka.

#10

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The Child Who Was Shot Dead by Soldiers in Nyanga

by Ingrid Jonker

‘The Child Who Was Shot Dead by Soldiers in Nyanga’ by Ingrid Jonker describes an indominatble spirit of freedom and justice embodied within a symbolic child.

The child is not dead

the child raises his fists against his mother

who screams Africa screams the smell

of freedom and heather

#11

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The Shebeen Queen

by Mafika Gwala

‘The Shebeen Queen’ by Mafika Gwala depicts the life of a woman running a “shebeen” and the consumerist name of her society.

She stood at the factory gate as she watched her last debtor approach, vooping his oversized overalls.

#12

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Weather Eye

by Isobel Dixon

‘Weather Eye’ by Isobel Dixon is a beautiful poem about childhood. It describes the routines that controlled a speaker’s life during their youth and how they miss the order and family time.

In summer when the Christmas beetles

filled each day with thin brass shrilling,

heat would wake you, lapping at the sheet,

and drive you up and out into the glare

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12 Must-Read South African Poems

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12 Must-Read South African Poems

by Dawn Garisch

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