Virga

by Togara Muzanenhamo

A Poetry Book Society Autumn 2021 Recommendation. Virga is the third book of poems by Zimbabwean poet Togara Muzanenhamo, following on from his acclaimed collections Spirit Brides (2006) and Gumiguru (2014). Set in the twentieth century, Virga features historical events woven together by the weather. From the spiritual silence of a sundog during the 1911 Japanese Antarctic Expedition, to the 1921 World Championship chess matches in the Cuban heat, to the final hours of a young Bavarian mountaineer in the Bernese Alps in 1936, and strange white clouds decimating whole villages in northern Cameroon in 1986—the poems capture stories of a rapidly evolving century beneath an ancient, fragile sky. The title relates to the meteorological phenomenon in which a column, shaft, or band of rain or snow is seen falling from a cloud but never reaching the earth— evaporating before touchdown. Like Gumiguru , which has so much to do with weather, Virga continues with it, its impact on our daily lives. But, here, his geography broadens out to include wider worlds and different histories artfully strung together by the poet's fascination with the elements.

Genres: Poetry

99 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2021

About the author

Togara Muzanenhamo was born to Zimbabwean parents in Lusaka, Zambia in 1975. He was brought up in Zimbabwe, and then went on to study in The Hague and Paris. He became a journalist in Harare and worked for a film script production company. His work has appeared in magazines in Europe, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and was included in Carcanet's anthology New Poetries in 2002.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Day 26 of The Sealey Challenge

Very cool concept from Zimbabwean poet Muzanenhamo - focusing on historic weather patterns and natural phenomena. Imagined first-person narratives of various expeditions and explorations, like the 1911 Japanese Antarctic Expedition, and the 1986 Lake Nyos disaster in Cameroon, among many others.

This one begs for a re-read. I really liked his style and erudition; however it lost steam for me towards the end. Maybe a second reading would reveal more?

[Charlotte Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

*1.5