Abu Bakr Solomons
THE COMMITMENT THAT SHIELDS US
As you read about the lives of great poets, you realise how many of them were inspired and encouraged by teachers who recognised and nurtured their talents.
As South Africans prepare to celebrate Teachers’ Day on 5 October, the AVBOB Poetry Project pays tribute to the work of Abu Bakr Solomons, a poet who worked for 40 years as a teacher and school principal at several schools on the Cape Flats. His second poetry collection, Inhabiting Love, was published by Botsotso in 2020.
Solomons describes how his work as a teacher influenced his development as a poet.
“I was always an ardent reader, and my reading habits influenced my desire to write poetry. When I was teaching/working as a principal, I did not have that much time to write myself. I wrote poems for my students about the contexts in which we worked and exchanged ideas. I also encouraged them to write and tried to air their work in school magazines. So, I was more of a poetry activist then. But my writing emerged from these engagements. It was only towards the end of my teaching career that I was able to work seriously on a collection.”
He was profoundly inspired himself by a gifted teacher, his piano tutor Shirley, when he was 10 years old. One of the finest poems in Inhabiting Love is dedicated to her. It ends:
“… your commitment shields me, Shirley,
when futility threatens aspirations.”
He explains, “Shirley was my inspiration. She helped me to believe that anything was possible. I could become a pianist even if my parents couldn’t afford to buy a piano. Many of my teachers were like that. They helped us to transcend poverty and apartheid. Gave us wings. She affirmed me and encouraged me. It was this idealism that she engendered that motivated me to create. Whatever the circumstances.”
It comes as no surprise, then, that this collection is very much open to the future. In ‘Conversation in Early January’, a serious discussion among older activists is interrupted by “boisterous, loud youngsters” who
“weave through us, grab empty chairs
in between our proffered formulations.”
It is a disruptive image but also a hopeful one. Solomons clearly has hope for the future, especially for the future of South African poetry. He has encouraging words for those who have just joined the conversation:
“Read as much as possible. Anything and everything. Study poets and poetry, but never lose your own voice in the process of discovering. It’s hard not to become influenced by many fine writers. Learn from them. Yet at some stage put them aside and cultivate your voice – regardless. Don’t compare yourself to other poets. Your voice and your vision are unique. Develop the courage to defend your craft and your truth. But learn what needs to be learnt.”
Ultimately, these poems are deeply committed to building bridges between past and future. In ‘Humansdorp’, he describes a friend discovering ancient artefacts:
“the past embedded not in words
but in signs of perseverance buried
for us to decipher round campfires.”
This slow deciphering is a fitting metaphor for the kind of shielding commitment Solomons wants us to forge – a place where we can learn, grow and teach others.
In the next few days, write a poem about a particular teacher who inspired or nurtured you at a time when you needed it most. It need not be a teacher you had at school or even a person.
Remember that the AVBOB Poetry Competition reopened on 1 August 2023. Visit our website regularly at https://www.avbobpoetry.co.za/ for editing tips and advice as well as updates about upcoming workshops.