Kopano Maroga's debut poetry collection dives into Christian myths and secrets, exploring themes of self-exposure, self-discovery, and self-love. Through a vivid collage of religious imagery and sexuality, Maroga expands the lens on the realities of Black, queer, femme, and transgender individuals in South Africa, showcasing both pain and profound beauty.
In a provocative yet unexpectedly tender debut, Kopano Maroga immerses themself in Christian myth and mystery, emerging reborn. In a riotous, innovative and unapologetic display of self-exposure, self-examination and self-love, Maroga appropriates and creates a (sometimes literal) collage of religious imagery, sexual want, and embodiedness - eventually widening their gaze to encompass the realities faced by black, queer, femme and trans folk in South Africa and further afield. Indeed, these are poems of pain, loss, introspection, and regret; but they are also works of great and usual beauty, depth, desire, and ambition - in sum, the evidence of a powerful new voice in South African poetry.