Sophie Nuwagira Bamwoyeraki teams up with Jane Okot p’Bitek Langoya in A Poetic Duet to tell today’s story using different techniques.
Being dedicated Rotarians and parents, the two first share their experiences of serving above self using verse.
In Ensimirembe Village, Bamwoyeraki calls on her colleagues to rush to the rescue of the village inhabitants whose healthcare, education and livelihoods are piteous.
Okot’s A Drop in the Ocean, tells of how one gains a sense of achievement through a single act of kindness that impacts humanity.
Reading A Poetic Duet feels like attending a motivational or counselling session as the imagery employed by the poets makes the reader an attentive listener.
The two successful mothers base their wise counsel on the themes of religion, women empowerment, relationships, corruption, environment and patriotism.
In most of her poems, Bamwoyeraki uses the conversational story telling technique similar to that in Maya Angelous’ Still I Rise.
On the other hand, to bring out her strong message, Langoya emulates her father’s (legendary poet Okot p’Bitek) style by using shorter sentences and verses.
As one gets lost in the 82-page world, they get to side with Prof Timothy Wangusa’s description of A Poetic Duet as “an amazingness of words.”
To him, Bamwoyeraki and Langoya managed to succeed in sailing on waters where only William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor once did.
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