ABSTRACT:
This study is an analysis of the relevance of Chirikure’s poetry in depicting the political realities obtaining in Zimbabwe stretching from the colonial period up to today. It proceeds from the realisation that literature cannot be separated from the politics of the society in which it is produced. The research reveals that Chirikure’s poetry is potent, liberative and life-affirming. He starts down memory lane exposing the ills of the diabolic colonial system before making a paradigm shift in the depiction of the liberation war by giving a more realistic version unlike the earlier Shona poets. Chirikure then makes a fearless and relentless attack on the post-independence Zimbabwean political leaders for betraying the people as they are failing to live contenting lives mainly because of the misguided rule of the leaders. He calls for change in political leadership as the solution to the problems making his poetry typical ‘”pedagogy of the oppressed.’’
