Mzi Mahola ranks as one of South Africa's most seasoned and profound poetic voices currently at work. His poetry, though deeply rooted in the literal and cultural earth of his traditional upbringing, has a global and contemporary reach. His is a praise singer's voice, perfectly attuned to the political and social complexities of the moment, intensely patriotic, but also boldly outspoken in its criticisms of leaders and the populace alike. Mahola laments for the loss of the cultural values of respect and humanity and yearns for reconnection with the rhythms of nature and rurality. He expresses...