An insight into Seychelles poetry |23 March 2017

Bling Bling Poetry Association organised a talk about poetry in Seychelles yesterday as part of activities of the first Poetry Festival Seychelles is hosting this week.

The talk, which took place at the Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education (Site), attracted some fifty people including poets, teachers and students from Site and University of Seychelles (UniSey). Also present at the event were poets from Madagascar, Comoros, Swaziland and Reunion Island.

“Today we have a platform with the various actors to talk about poetry. This is indeed a big step for us. Poets and other concerned people will be able to discuss about: Annou koz lo lapoezi – ki nou’n fer, ki nou pe fer e ki nou merit fer? We as poets still do not know who actually the other poets on the islands are. We need to do an exercise about that. Nowadays people are more interested in poetry in its various forms and put them in songs and slams. But the contemporary poems still is a challenge. It is still difficult for poets to get their books printed and sold. As we are celebrating poetry this week, we want to let people know that there is a group who want to work with all the poets and we will try our best to give poetry its due value,” noted Reuben Lespoir, a member of the Bling Bling Poetry Association.

The floor was open for discussion on the development of Seychelles poetry and many teachers talked about getting proper training on how to teach poetry in schools.

Penda Choppy, one of the attendees, mentioned that “we are still in our infancy with regard to poetry in Seychelles. Some people like what we write while others no. In schools itself we need to teach the children how to appreciate poetry as it is a medium to learn and master a language”.

Three poets – Harry Barbe, Collin Woodcock and Reuben Lespoir  ̶  received a certificate of appreciation from Geneviève Andre, from the language department at Site.

Raspyek, the founder member of the association, said: “I am sure that all those present today will help promote poetry in whatever way is possible and let us take it seriously and move forward.”

Kevin Perine works in the human resource department at UCPS but is a poet at heart. “I started writing poetry at a very young age but it is only last year that I came out with my poems. Whenever I am angry, sad or happy, I write something. It is a way for me to relax,” he said.

The following is a poem written by Kevin.

Ou pa’n war li plere

Dan brousay bann zarbis

Kot moustik in zwe armonika dan son zorey

In kanmoufle son sikatris lo brans dibwa

Son agoni in kasyet deryer fey prin de frans

Ou pa’n war li plere

Akoz in maske deryer verdir

Anba lonbraz pye takamaka lo lans

In pler lo disab blan

Batman laroul ki kares son lipye

In anport tou son tras larm dan kannal

Ou pa’n war li plere

Akoz lanmer in kasyet son zekli

Kan lizour i anfen evapore

Lo leskalye lannwit

Deryer kat kwen blok

In naze dan en lavalas

Ou pa’n war li plere

Akoz son zorye in ebib tou

Kan gro lapli i kraze dan kolin montanny

Larivyer later rouz i devide partou

I travers larout anba son parasol

I senpleman profit sa moman

Ou pa’n war li plere

Akoz in pler dan lapli pour kasyet son larm.

Ou pa’n war li plere.

© Kevin Perine, Poet

Caption:

Mr Lespoir addressing the audience