Friday, February 14, 2025

My Rainbow, a book of "textured and big hearted poetry": copies available

A limited number of my poetry book, My Rainbow, released in 2009, are available. This book conveys a unique 'take' on life during the transition.

Of this book, Bheki Pieterson wrote:

"An astounding anthology with a poetic vision that is incisive, textured and big-hearted in its treatment of the intimacies and intricacies that link the past and the present, the personal and the political. The writing is taut and brimming with evocative cadences that recall rites and rights of passage that range from street corners, the whispers of yearning lovers to the bruised but resolute mantras that will activists to insist on a compassionate and equitable world. The poems, in reading, achieve a collective coherence and visceral power because of Meintjies’ mature perspective and his sensuous and lyrical writing."

In 2010, in his blog, David Barbour said he he was struck by the poignancy and relevance of the titular poem. In a piece dated 5/11/2010, Rev. Barbour, a Methodist Minister based in KwaZulu-Natal, wrote:

"I read a poem by a South African poet Frank Meintjies yesterday that gave me a haunting sense of where many of those I taught on Wednesday were at. There were 13 folks listening intently as I shared the hope we have in Christ and how this transforms ones living. All of them HIV/AIDS clients at Masibumbane mission. They were all on my mind when I read this poem. I will just quote it in parts as I don't think it is legit to copy it all:

' on better days/my rainbow is your smile/more frequently, my rainbow bleeds..../my rainbow's sharp edges/cut/as i try to pick it up ... deep patterning/its marks/ on the palm of my heart/my rainbow is a purple bruise/ slowy/sluggishly regaining/the colour of living flesh'

They are such lovely, smiling people, but I know as I try to encourage them and lift them up, their hurts and past wounds will cut me and make my heart bleed. But, when they smile it is my rainbow of hope."
The book is available here: https://www.yaga.co.za/book-bytes.

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