Helenvale poets to wax lyrical in Paris

When children have only ever been exposed to an environment notorious for crime and unfavourable socioeconomic conditions, the possibility of an alternative life is likely to be unimaginable.

So says poet and Helenvale Poets founder Brian Walter, who mentors young poets in the northern areas.

However, this may soon change for five of Walter’s young charges, who will be jetting off to France for a writing retreat – provided they raise enough funds by January 2020.

The girls, all aged 14 and 15, are part of the Helenvale Poets group Walter founded eight years ago to teach and mentor aspiring poets in Helenvale and surroundings areas.

The group has been invited by social scientist and former University of Fort Hare staff member Dr Hilde Van Vlaenderen – now based in France – to visit the country and experience a different environment.

In accepting the invitation, the group decided it would turn the trip into a writing retreat for the young poets to reflect on the Helenvale environment and France’s very different culture and environment.

“The idea would be that they write about their home environment in Helenvale and then write about the trip and write about identity and language,” Walter said.

“Some of the kids haven’t been out of town and mostly have never been on an aeroplane, so it will be mind-opening for them.

“Most importantly, this trip is to give them a sense of opportunity, a sense of life outside the Helenvale context, because it’s very difficult to talk to children about what France is when they struggle to conceptualise it, so just being there and reflecting on it is something,” Walter said.

He said the young poets would document the trip and produce a book of poems about place, identity, self and other topics.

The five poets, Patronella Basson, Rahneisha Jackson, Nathersia Fillis, Latifah Hoffman and Charmilla Bosman, will travel with Walter and their mentor, Olwethu Mxoli.

Chapman High School’s Charmilla, who has been with Helenvale Poets for about five years, said the trip would help to broaden her perspective.

“I hope people can help us raise funds so we can go out there and see how different France is from Helenvale because we are just a group of children wanting to make a change in our community and make our community proud.”

Cillie High School’s Nathersia said: “I want to go to France so I can experience how it feels to be in another place and in less danger than we are in living in Gelvandale.

“I also want to show everyone what poetry really means to us because it has impacted my life positively and I hope this trip will help me be able to describe France in my poetry.”

Nathersia has been with Helenvale Poets for nearly two years. The group’s tour will include countryside trips, writing sessions and day trips to Paris.

Walters founded Helenvale Poets in 2011 with the Southern Africa Development Research and Training Institute, a nonprofit organisation that runs projects in the northern areas.

The group of young and older poets have since published seven poetry publications, held readings at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda and travelled to the McGregor Poetry Festival in the Western Cape over the past three years.

They also hold readings around Port Elizabeth.

“One of our struggles has been getting young boys to join us and, considering the crime gangs in the area, boys are the most vulnerable,” Walters said.

The group has formed an online crowdfunding campaign on www.backabuddy.co.za and will be doing a reading at the Alliance Francaise Festival of Poetry in Richmond Hill on September 26 to raise funds.