Loraine Masiya Mponela publishes her second poetry collection NOW I SING to mark her 50th birthday.
Coventry-based writer, performer and activist Loraine Masiya Mponela has published her second poetry collection NOW I SING to mark her 50th birthday. It follows the success of her first collection I WAS NOT BORN A SAD POET which has sold more than one thousand (1, 000) copies, and is still counting.
Loraine says “It’s a chance for me to share my personal journey as well as celebrate all our collective journeys and showcase my gratitude to the world at large.”Continue reading “Now I Sing”
“I wrote this poem after reading your book, it inspired me. Please don’t give up what you are doing. I too was not born a sad poet gave me hope”
Fatim (*not their real name)
You are invited to the launch of I was not born a sad poet, by Loraine Masiya Mponela. The book is a reflection of Loraine’s experiences going through the UK Asylum and Immigration system.
The event which will take place on Saturday 26th November 2022 at The Herbert Arts Gallery and Museum, CV1 5QP is from 12:30PM-15:30PM.
Don’t miss your chance to get a signed copy of Loraine Masiya Mponela’s poetry collection! Reading, storytelling and performance will all be part of the event. If there’s anything you’re wondering about poetry writing or Loraine’s publishing process, there will definitely be time for questions, so don’t hesitate to join the discussion.
This much awaited debut poetry book carries pain, triumph, spears of an ongoing war against all -isms.
They are the embodiment of one person’s look at life, its struggles and pitfalls and the relentless mental exhaustion that one goes through when they are in the hopelessness and unpredictability that exist in the asylum system.
“There’s something about Loraine’s writing that makes me laugh at pain, as if she’s told the wildest joke I’ve ever heard. Her poems give us, readers, a glimpse of frozen moments in Loraine’s life.” Laura Nyahuye, CEO of Maokwo Arts
“Loraine’s poems are a powerful reminder that hope is not a belief that everything will be fine. It is essential to fuel survival and resistance.” Dr Zrinka Bralo, CEO of Migrants Organise
“Loraine Mponela’s poetry does justice to the spirit of love and resistance that have inspired so many people. She expresses what is hard to say, beautifully. And her words are necessary for us all to hear.” Tom Green, Counterpoints Arts
There is plenty room for those wanting to do the right thing
refugees are human
we are all human
like all humans we laugh,
we cry, we get anxious
sometimes we get angry too
we are human
In life, we want absolutely nothing
outside the ordinary
we need space and a place
where we can be seen as human beings
our drives, hopes and fears are no different from anybody else
we want just the barest minimum that makes us all human.
on a daily basis we are hurt
by words uttered by the powerful and the press
words like “failed” asylum seeker
is this an examination in which some pass and some fail?
the correct word should be “refused” asylum seeker
refused asylum seekers failed by a hostile system-
towards our humanity and dignity
we are people denied the right
to be human by a system
because in the eyes of the system
we are not human
we are actually a “swarm of refugees”
as we were graciously described
by the then Prime Minister David Cameron
we are the “filthy other and pathetic subspecies”
in the eyes of Nigel Farage
and his ardent followers
as for the Daily Mail
I won’t even describe how new terms are coined
weekly to describe us
nobody stops
to think
why we have refugees
in the first place
we run away from wars,
rape, stigma and death
here we meet humiliation
name calling and utter disrespect
given a choice
none of us would choose
this kind of life
no rational human being chooses suffering
life is filled with uncertainty
things could change
many of us would turn into Refugees
if Mr Putin was to point his guns at the U.K.
instead of Ukraine
It’s easy to dehumanise others
if one has power and authority
However, proper leadership calls for an empathetic heart
that feels the pain of the stateless, the poor and the vulnerable
as for our friends
you can do something about this disruption
there is plenty room for those wanting to do the right thing
stand up for humanity
be an active ally
work together and support each other
respond to the hateful comments
be it on Facebook or twitter
challenge the bigoted ignorant brains
educate them and show them love
reach out to refugee groups to show your support
protest with us like our MP Zarah Sultana does
bring other people in
there is plenty room for those wanting to do the right thing
speak up when you see these things
ask always
as for you my brothers and sisters
may be we are the real “wretched of the earth”
as mentioned by Frantz Fanon?
although our lives and futures have been shaped
by wars, violent conflict, and other strife
in this environment let us learn to be self reliant
most of us are skilled
nurses, engineers and artists, poets and all
let us not sit on those God given talents
but exercise them even if for no money
just to keep sane in an insane environment
let’s not allow depression
and hopelessness we have carried
for a long time to take us to the grave
on account of not being accepted
or being labelled.
may we all remember
refugees are people
be kind to refugees
most of whom you see
are the only living members of their bloodline
some have not seen any relatives
or loved ones for years
we are just people
and never call us illegal ever again
we are human
caught up in a bad situation at home
and a hostile environment in the UK
there is plenty room
for those wanting to do the right thing.
From left to right: Loraine and Lilian, photo taken on 20th March 2021 at War Memorial Park, Coventry during a Black Lives Matter protest.
I arrived in Coventry not knowing where I was. I felt lost. I had been in asylum for 3 months. I was already broken. But God already had a plan for me. I met my housemates.
My tears were wiped when I heard them say “Me Too, I have been asylum seeker since…. (mentions a year)”
When I heard their stories, it made me stronger. My face lit up. Such is the power of ‘Me Too’. Each time I start complaining about my situation I remind myself of that moment.
One of the ladies I met, Lilian, held my hand and took me to the food bank, then to asylum seekers action group (CARAG) and then to other local services. More echoes of ‘me too’. There, I find my healing. Continue reading “The power of ‘Me too’”
In order to solve the current crisis in the care industry, the UK government is planning to allow asylum seekers who have waited for home office decisions on their cases for over 1 year to work in care homes. This would be reviewed after 1 year.
It is a welcome move and presents some level of hope to asylum seekers who generally live below the poverty line.
I personally have worked in care for over 7 years in the past and I specialized in palliative care when I had the right to work. I will always value the experience and privilege of having been to support people before leaving the world. So I know how important this work is. It transformed my life to say the least.
I claimed asylum beginning of November 2015
I was moved from Leeds to Birmingham beginning of January 2016
and briefly lived at paragon hotel Continue reading “Seeking refuge in library”
I am excited to announce that my first book of poems is now available.