What inspires you to write poetry?

The urge to unleash that which I could not proclaim publicly but through poem writing that includes:

Sharing the experiences I have encountered and those I continue to experience as I walk through my life journey.

Sharing some heart-wrenching narratives from different people I have interacted with.

The desire to bring awareness to those going through complex challenges that they are not alone.

Maybe someone will look back and say “Gertrude's poem resonates with what I went through and has empowered me to be a better person and mostly the power to be me and take control of myself.”

How does it make you feel to be part of a published anthology?

I feel excited and happy to be honoured, acknowledged, appreciated, and motivated to write more. I had a dream, but having my work published in my first entry is beyond one's wildest dreams.

Do you face any challenges as a Zimbabwean woman poet?

None at the moment, as I am relatively new in the creative industry.

Briefly describe your writing journey, from how you started.

My introduction to poetry started in 1978 whilst doing my "O" levels. The poems I appreciated were in my deep rich vernacular, Shona language, by poets who could vividly describe events so that I could visualise what was happening.

My first poem was translated from Shona to English and was featured in the school magazine. I had written several poems but would not submit them and translate them because I felt my work was not good enough and I was afraid I would be judged negatively. So, for years, I bottled up the idea but deep down in my heart, it kept clawing for action.

The COVID-19 shutdown presented itself as a new normal that was abnormal in tapping into what I had put aside - poem writing. This period brought challenges that were never experienced. A lot of people lost their lives, their loved ones and many lost their jobs unexpectedly. This motivated me to write the poem entitled “Joblessness”. In addition to this, it gave me time to reflect on different personal relationships that I have had in my life and pen the poems - “Absent In Your Presence” and “Lost Love”.

For me, COVID-19 came as a catalyst that invoked the hidden, unfully tapped passion in me. Poetry writing brought sanity to an environment that was filled with sadness and misery.

How do you want your work to be remembered?

My wish is that my work would be remembered as an opportunity for everyone to pursue their dream or passion at any stage of their lives. Doing it does not necessarily mean one is doing it for the other person BUT for themselves. However, in the same breath, I hope someone will learn something that would have a positive effect on their lives. 

Would you like to share anything about yourself to help your readers connect with you?

I was born 63 years ago in the rural areas of Nyanga. I started my Substandard A, which is equivalent to today's grade one, in 1967. At that time, our schools did not have desks and chairs and the teacher was the only one with the textbooks. The blackboard where he /she had to write our work for the day was very small and writing books were issued after having practiced letter and figure writing on the sand. Consequently, we had to sit on the floor and had to write whilst kneeling. 

Working on subjects such as Maths or English in our books, required us to quickly grasp concepts and memorise what was written in the sand because the work had to be rubbed off after each activity in preparation for the next subject or topic.

Reading was an entirely difficult pursuit for us as young students to do. The Look and Say method was implemented; prompting us to memorise words and whole sentences. This is so different from the Phonics that are being applied now, which makes reading easier as it involves letter sounding.

After graduating at Mutare Teachers College, I trained as an elementary/primary school teacher and taught for 23 years. During that period, I obtained a Bachelor's degree in Education through distance learning. Nineteen years later, I acquired a degree in Master of Science in Development Studies. In the period between these two achievements, I earned a certificate in System Counselling and I am a Co-Founder and Registered Counsellor of Jekeso/Enlightenment Counselling Services.

Who is your favourite poet and why?

My favourite poet is the late Arron Hodza, whose poems depicted life in the rural areas where I lived. The presentation of his work was profound and touching and exposed the experiences people endured but never openly talked about it. It brought attention to some hidden secrets. 

What are your future writing aspirations?

My future aspirations are to learn more about poetry and write more poems. The aim is to tap from those who have been in the industry longer and learn more.

What is your biggest dream?

To be a participant in empowering women to become more aware of the power they have within themselves to live the lives they dream of through being humble and respectful but putting the message of their expectations across. 

In addition, I hope to use my counselling skills in providing therapy to women in a non-judgmental and un-intimidating manner in the poems I write.