REVIEW

Ezrom shares his inner voice

Traces of My Thoughts is an anthology of verse that will do more than provide a distraction from the rush of life, it will open your eyes to the world around you.
Nelspruit poet, Ezrom Maromo wa Sekgobela chooses his words with the delight of a child let loose in a sweet shop, and leads one into a fresh appreciation of how blessed we are to be living in God's own province. He also pulls no punches when it comes to the things our province is doing wrong.
"My father was as teacher where I grew up in Lydenburg, and he insisted we learned five news words a day. I never became a teacher as he had hoped, but it was his passion that has allowed me to make a living as a writer"

Ezrom began writing poetry as therapy after a difficult time in his life. "Lowvelder was first to give me a platform to speak to a wider audience. I was hooked"
He's a natural brand ambassador for Mpumalanga and, appropriately, works as communications manager for national tourism at the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA)
'Diversions' is a powerful poem lamenting the divide that has crept into his and all of our busy lives, separating us from the real world around us, in the scramble to keep up with a society out of control.
Combined with with pieces celebrating the beauty of Mpumalanga, one comes away feeling like the banished Adam and Eve, determined to make amends with God and to regain a sense of wonder at the Paradise we inhabit.
Ezrom studied journalism in Johannesburg, and became a news correspondent in his home town. "You can imagine how my life changed forever, when people in Lydenburg saw my name in big national newspapers - my dad's dedication has paid off."
Having gained some experience, he started his own community newspaper with the backing of a publisher. It would not be the last publication he would launch.
In 2004 his brainchild, Sunrise Magazine, was launched by the MTPA t promote the province. "I wanted to create a platform for the province's stories to be told. There's a wealth of amazing people, places, trees, rocks, art - you name it. But the majority of these stories are going untold"
Traces of My Thoughts will be available later this month at Exclusive Books.

This review first appeared in Mpumalanga Post on 13 February 2008 and is wholly written by Sheldon Vos. Kasiekulture will post TAKE TWO of the same review soon.