AVBOB's Mini-Competition Celebrates Diversity

Diversity in all its forms – animal, vegetable and mineral – inspired 60 poets to enter the first in a series of AVBOB Poetry mini-competitions, launched on 5 March 2025. This series aims to fan the creative embers while poets await the opening of the AVBOB Poetry Competition on 1 August 2025.
 
“The Voices of This Land” invited intimate reflections on the sights and sounds of South Africa, and AVBOB Poetry is pleased to announce the winning poets. “How would you explain this land where you live and love? How do the voices you hear inspire and impact you? These timely questions invited deep reflection from all who entered the competition,” said Acting Judge Liesl Jobson, who stepped in after the tragic passing of Johann de Lange, The AVBOB Poetry Project’s Editor-in-Chief.
 
Jobson, who hosts The AVBOB Poetry Project’s free online workshops, is an experienced literary editor and judge, and the recipient of the Ernst van Heerden Creative Writing Award. “Having worked closely with Johann on the AVBOB Poetry Project since its inception, it’s a daunting privilege to continue his work,” she said.
 
Reflecting on the entries, she added, “Submissions arrived from a broad segment of society, reflecting the best efforts of novices and recognised poets alike. They tackled the theme creatively and wholeheartedly, with comparatively few showing signs of being AI-generated.” She encouraged prospective competitors to read widely in order to enrich and inform their unique artistic voices.
 

First-prize winner

Zikhanyile Mbebe is a Public Relations and Management student from East London. Her keen observation of conversations overheard during her train commute captures both the rhythm of the ride and a deep human yearning for connection.
 
“Poetry has taught me how to express myself. I'm never ‘just scribbling’ but pouring out my soul as though in therapy. When I'm sad, I write poetry. Even when I'm happy, I write poetry. Poetry is my therapy.”
 
Zikhanyile expressed gratitude to the AVBOB Poetry Project for motivating her to develop her skills, “It shows me that poetry is still relevant and plays a significant role in people's lives. This encourages me to write more and attend the free online workshops.”
 
The Train Journey
Zikhanyile Mbebe
 
Sometimes I wonder if it’s the conversations,
I hear on my way to work or the conversations
I hear on my way back from work that make my heart melt.
 
Often I wish I could slow down the train,
So I could keep on listening to those train boarders’ conversations
A little longer, those sweet yet melancholy conversations.
 
Where train boarders speak about the sadness,
That envelops them everyday
When they have to leave their kids and family for work.
 
Conversations where train boarders speak about their life lessons and experience.
Where train boarders speak about beauty,
About diversity and our different cultures,
And our different languages.
 
Conversations where train boarders speak
About their lost cows and rambunctious kids.
Where train boarders speak about how they can’t wait
To get home and sit by the fireplace with their families
It’s those phatic conversations that make me want to halt the train
And never get out.
 

Second-prize winner

Naeema Fredericks lives in the leafy suburbs of Cape Town, surrounded by mountain views. Her poem is firmly rooted in the particularity of the Mother City’s geography while touching a universal note. She braids human and animal calls, flowers, and landscapes into a lyrical meditation on spirituality and simple pleasures.
 
“I am a self-taught artist of Islamic and whimsical art in various mediums, pursuing different forms with passion,” she said. “Poetry is another form of self-reflection and self-expression. It challenges me to use the pen in lieu of the brush. Through the AVBOB Poetry Project, I’ve found the courage and a platform to share my creative journey.”
 
An ordinary day
Naeema Fredericks
The sky
always great,
the Fajr prayer uncovers its brilliance.
Melodious tweets,
I search for them atop the Vibracrete walls,
hailing from their white, round bellies
till I hear the hadedas scream.
Koeksisters and coffee
a Sunday obligation.
Vendors under their shades,
a stroll on the beach,
watching the surfers in another league.
Past the mosque, past the church, past the Princess Vlei,
a mini road trip through the local trees.
Under the bougainvillea,
the smell of toasty winds,
tea and koekies –
such an ordinary day
is enough for me.
 

Third-prize winner

Labelane Mokonyama, from Seshego near Polokwane, is a UNISA law graduate currently seeking employment. Her Sepedi poems are featured in the AVBOB Poetry Library. Her winning poem explores the layers of society, culture, architecture and nature that enrich the voices of South Africa.
 
“My freedom of will and expression are fulfilled when I put ink to paper and pen to poetry. I can heal myself and those around me through this language of my heart. As a tool, poetry helps me shape my identity. The AVBOB Poetry Library gives me the opportunity to share my poetic work on a broader scale.”
 
South Africa
Labelane Mokonyama
 
A multilingual society that embraces diversity and differences.
Where storytelling is an art that manifests in songs and Folklore.
 
Where playgrounds are “word-grounds’’
And children learn to play with words.
 
Where great wordsmiths are born and bred.
This land is a form of art all on its own.
 
“Every man for himself!” is a meaningless phrase here.
I have walked amongst philanthropists,
people who clothe themselves with Ubuntu:
“An injury to one Is an injury to all.”
 
Because of my wandering eyes, I have beheld wonder
And beauty in all angles. As I wine and dine on Table Mountain,
I recall the past, when I sought refuge on the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Mountain.
 
I remember during tribal wars,
I hid myself in the Baobab tree,
A shade and fruit-bearing tree.
 
I have seen wonder, peering out from God’s Window,
Where I glimpsed the majestic works of mother nature.
 
My nose is no foreigner to scented flowers,
But the scent of the Protea is unmatched,
It beautifies the entrance of our country and exudes a scent
Of welcome that ushers you onto our land.
 
In its season of demise, it dies but its rebirth is that of a phoenix
That rises from its ashes to bring renewal and hope.
 
Poetry is a powerful tool for connection and community. It challenges us to reimagine how we listen and respond – to people, creatures, and the land that sustains us.
 
“We hope poets will explore and use the various free resources to develop their skills,” said Jobson. “The AVBOB Poetry Library, blog articles, interviews, and free workshops are designed to inform, inspire and support poets at all stages of their journey.”
 
The second AVBOB Poetry mini-competition for 2025 will be announced in June. Explore free poetry workshops and resources on our website at www.avbobpoetry.co.za and follow our socials for the announcement of our next mini-competition.