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Penyai pens Godly, evil anthology

Life & Style
Penyai said in the latest book, he unveiled that part of language people want to preserve as family secrets.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

NDAU poet and author Ishmael Penyai said his latest Ndau anthology titled is a collection of Godly and evil poetry where he urges Christians not to dwell on anger and in unforgiveness.

The book, published by Dzekanyi Publications in Chimanimani, comes after his other Ndau anthology titled Yarira Yekanyi which carries different themes such as religion and witchcraft, among others.

Penyai told NewsDay Life & Style that Dzangu Dzekwa Muthakhati is an exciting collection with controversy of its own.

“Dzangu Dzekwa Muthakhati is a collection of Godly and evil poetry. The Godly part, talks about God and endeavours to teach people about righteousness especially those who want to go to heaven,” he said.

“If you want to go to heaven, you must refrain from witchcraft and all sorts of evil. I am optimistic that those who are going to church, want to see God when they leave mother earth. I too would love to rejoice in His kingdom.”

Penyai said in the latest book, he unveiled that part of language people want to preserve as family secrets.

“I believe each and every writer is controversial in his or her own capacity and I have tried to display this in my writing. Unlike in my last anthology Yarira Yekanyi, in this anthology I have dwelled on hard-talk,” he said.

Penyai said writing did not revolve around fiction, but around the lives people live.

“Our first cry and smile…I am glad that when I was born, I never cried, but smiled and right up to now I still carry my smile from birth. God is great and those that decide to venture in Christianity must do it in spirit and truth, such that they will not be involved in issues of goblins,” he said.

“Anger and unforgiveness must not dwell among Christians and one must endeavour to  be guided by the principles of love. Nothing can beat love in this world and even those who concentrate on manufacturing evil, they also want to be loved and associated with love.”

He said the evil that man does motivated him to write the anthology which expressed it better in his native Ndau which he claims has been ignored for decades.

“The other part of this book talks about evil. Money is evil, I discuss it, corruption is another evil, I discuss it as source of evil mind,” he said.

“I have selected a few poems that constitute the gist of the book and these includes Dai Kudenga Kune N’anga, ZvaPenyai Zvinopenya, Cyclone Idai Muthakhati Uyu and Zvikasashamisa Akuna Mwari.”

He said the anthology is for Ndau speaking and those who love to learn new languages.

“Ndau which is my language, and I am trying to catch up before I bid farewell to mother earth. The book has to find its way to primary and secondary schools, libraries and beyond our border in Mozambique and generate foreign currency for our country,” he said.

  • Follow Sharon on Twitter @SibindiSharon

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