2011 Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award Finalists

The Jacana Literary Foundation is pleased to announce the shortlist and finalists for the Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award 2011. The jury comprised distinguished South African poets Vonani Bila, Charl-Pierre Naudé, Robert Berold and Liesl Jobson. The jury deliberated on the entries and sent a shortlist to the country’s Poet Laureate, Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile, who will decide upon the winner.
 
Four finalists have been chosen and will be invited to attend the Poetry Africa festival in Durban in October 2011, and the winners will be announced by a European Union representative. A cash prize will be awarded. In the spirit of Sol Plaatje, an anthology of the best poems will be launched at Poetry Africa on 20 October, 2011.
 
The Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award is supported by the European Union.

Finalists (in alphabetical order, by title):
 
Ba lebetse batlhoki ​– Kea’ Modimoeng (Setswana)
Has your Dad got a bird yet? — ​​Beverly Holm Rycroft (English)
Miracle — ​Dawn Garisch (English)
Verlore Beeltenis — ​Martha Pretoors (Afrikaans)

Shortlist:
 
AFRIKAANS
Soekers​ — Martha Pretoors
Verlore Beeltenis​ — Martha Pretoors

ENGLISH
After Battiss​​ — Gillian Rennie
Anatomy — ​Gail Dendy
Eight Critical Questions​ — Kobus Moolman
Far Away​​ — Tania van Schalkwyk
Has your Dad got a bird yet? –​​ Beverly Holm Rycroft
His Explanations — ​Kobus Moolman
In the Balance –​​ Dorian Haarhoff
List of Sound Effects — ​​Kobus Moolman
Miracle — ​Dawn Garisch
My Ma se Blues​ — Saddiq Khan
She Imagines — ​​Luisa Soares
With her Feet on the Ground — ​​Gail Dendy
 
ISIXHOSA
Lovuka Lelosiko –​ Bhekani Thabede
 
SEPEDI
Ga gešo mekgotheng — Puleng Nkomo
 
SETSWANA
Ba lebetse batlhoki — ​Kea’ Modimoeng