14 Jun 2017

Twenty-one year-old upcoming poet, Patience Kgofa is determined to earn a living in this industry despite the challenges associated with it such as low support from locals.

She explained in an interview that as upcoming poets, they do experience low support and that this cripples their efforts of displaying their talents, despite having the potential.

Kgofa said support was crucial for them to realise their ambitions and overcome life’s challenges of lack of job opportunities.

The ambitious and passionate poet is convinced that talent can earn one a living and help in diversifying the country’s economy.

She further said that people have the tendency of undermining local produce and rating international produce.

The Manyana-born poet explained that despite the challenges, her love and passion in her chosen field cannot be eroded.

She noted that her poetry passion was born when she was still at a tender age while at Kgosi Primary School in Tlokweng.

“During my early days, I used to play with some words rhythmically,” she vividly recalled, adding that her mother was also her greatest inspiration.

Her mother, she added, used to write short stories that aroused her interest in reading.

She added that Segomotso Samukuni from Kasane also paved her way in the industry.

“Mr Samukuni, who was our social mentor and adviser at Chobe Junior Secondary School in Kasane, got to realise my potential in poetry while performing in school events,” said Kgofa.

He then advised her to uphold the spirit, emphasising that it can take her to greater heights.

With such words of encouragement, the young poet did not look back but continued to have the love to write short stories and poems, which communicated about everything and anything happening at a given time.

Today, Kgofa writes and recites poems and has set her goals to become the best.

She has published a poetry book titled My Dearest Patience and it contains poems and short stories ranging from friendship, God, love and life in general.

She said she managed to publish the book under the Showcasing talent publishing company in Gaborone.

“When I published the book, I first started with only 13 copies, which were in high demand at the beginning of the year,” explained Kgofa.

She said for the second batch, she printed 24 copies priced at P130.

Highlighting on what she thinks are the makings of a great poet,  Kgofa explained that one needs to have love for poetry, should have rich vocabulary as well as understanding Setswana or English. ENDS