The Nation by Sihle Ntuli

Grateful acknowledgment is made to the editors of the following publications, in which these poems originally appeared, sometimes in earlier forms:

Bayou Review (UHD), Hotazel Review, Isele Magazine, Iskanchi Magazine & Press, Olongo Africa, Olney Magazine, Olumo Review, Peppercoast Lit, Red Ogre Review, Salamander Mag, The Shore, Tampered Press, and Trampset.

“Sihle Ntuli’s The Nation is a portal into the “deep fissures of human nature.” It is a musing on what it means to truly feel, to “let the sunshine in,” to wrestle with our past, present, and fears. Ntuli’s work examines the illusions within some of our supposed truths. It contemplates our capacity for and openness to the miraculous. He writes, “I have become many people all at  once / I am only one,” offering the reader a journey that navigates the complexities of our being and asks us to see past the surface into the multitude echoing beneath. The Nation is a striking collection that speaks directly to the soul and stirs and stirs.”

—Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie, Author of Born in a Second Language

“In The Nation Sihle Ntuli has written a hypnotic chapbook that delves into the intricacies of human existence. Through eloquent and evocative language, Ntuli takes us on a profound journey of introspection and contemplation, reflecting on the state of the world and the profound impact of historical events. He skillfully weaves together diverse narratives that illuminate the resilience and vulnerability of humanity. With poems that touch on existentialism, faith, and the ephemeral passage of time, The Nation invites readers to ponder their own place in the world and the complexities of the human experience. This is a book worth everyone’s time and attention.”

—Saddiq Dzukogi, Author of Your Crib, My Qibla

“These poems sit with, historicize, and probe what the ill-informed might overlook as mundane, offering a timely reflection on lived realities and histories crucial to today’s world. In doing so, Sihle shares a unique viewpoint that shifts from the personal to the collective with masterful precision. Written with deft sharpness and urgency, these poems leave an enduring impression. ”

—Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle

“‘like all the other times before this,’ Sihle Ntuli writes, ‘here is another moment ready to disturb your peace,’ and this chapbook doesn’t attempt to innovate disturbance, but collages the subtle and abrasive experiences that may even disturb us unknowingly. In the title poem, ‘The Nation,’ Ntuli weaves myth and history, landscape and occupation. You’ll find poems reflecting on ‘musical perfume[s],’ giving us a sense of how myth, spirituality, and religion echoes into the ‘lust of British soldiers planting seeds.’ The speaker is ‘teleporting across the border to Malawi’ to hear ‘a round of applause/ coming from a Parisian art gallery.’ All of this keeps in mind the global pandemic that informs the narratives of the people that the speaker observes in their range of outrage, tenderness, erasure or inclusion. This chapbook highlights how Sihle Ntuli’s observations ripple across many nations.”

—Nkosi Nkululeko