Prime
An enchanting odyssey in verse
A poet expresses herself during the meet. PHOTO BY EDGAR R. BATTE
When Lantern Meet was unveiled in 2007, it marked something of a come back for poets who in the late 1990’s had turned their backs from the publicity industry and began posting new poems on websites, having private recitals in their university rooms through which they appreciated each other. It was hard at least for those of us who have grown in book culture not to see
Lantern Meet of the Poets in their show An Odyssey in Verse was the celebration of a new generation of poets, some of the most gifted the country has seen.
Those gifts manifested themselves on the March 16 and 17 at the National Theater. An impressive gaggle of about 15 poets read-many performing poems on issues as far away as Mbarara to Paris, written by the different members of the group.
Artistically they explored social issues like cross generational sex, street beggars and romance, divulged into the African traditional society where folklores by the fireplace made for both entertainment and learning. Tales of brave warriors, jungles, courtyard, granaries and dances in poems like The Great Jambula written by Edgar “Wobusoboozi Amooti” Kangere, performed by Rahel Kunihira and The story teller written by Ojakol Omerio, performed by Judith Murungi.
With over 100 in attendance a trio dubbed The Sage (Edgar Kangere), The lady (Yvonne Koreta) and The Troubadour (Solomon Manzi) initiated the crowd to a trip through time that gave an incisive presentation of their own history that bubbled lyrical candles. Jason Sabiiti Ntaro put up quite a show in poems like I did it for me written by Zindzi Kampororo and She Cries which he wrote.
Poems exploring feminism like Our Women written by Colin Asiimwe, performed by Pascal Olupot and Identity written by Pearl Mugala, performed by Gloria Lamwaka and political themes like Showtime written by Emmanuel Ndagire, performed by Peter Kagayi and A Song for Liberty written by Kangere, performed by Melissa Kiguwa brought power to the stage and challenged as well as amused the audience.
The poets’ sophistication and mastery of verse technique was evident in all the pieces which traversed personal expression, the poets’ interpretation of their environment and how it affected them. The general drift of the formalist poets who debuted, those who didn’t abandon meter and rhyme altogether was towards greater simplicity as they spoke heart to heart, mind to mind tearing to shreds each separate parts and weaving together a beautiful work of art.
There is another extravagant side of the Lantern Meet and since 2009 at least it’s this style fireworks firing, amp-turned -up-to-eleven that has come to predominate. “The school project” dubbed “The Future” which is a partnership with Nabisunsa Girls School Rhymers club gave platform to young poets.
I Give Up was most striking a piece by innate talent from school. The performance left us wanting to reward the lanterns for their magnificent portrayal at least with a stiff slug of brandy. They have earned it with excellence and deserve the widest audience as possible as they bath reveler’s souls and minds with humour.
