A Bulawayo-based author Perfect Moyo has penned a 94-page Afrocentric poetry anthology titled "Into the Dark".
The book delves into the darker aspects of Africans' daily lives, topics rarely discussed openly.
Moyo observed a gap: vanishing aspects of African life that are not being spoken of. He felt compelled to explore these themes through his poetry.
In an interview with Standard Style, Moyo shed light on societal ills fading away, eroding African pride.
"There are some issues that lie in the dark and are less spoken of," Moyo explained. "I tried to venture into them, hence the title of the book. These issues include inferiority complex, war, poverty, climate change, political injustice, crime, marginalisation, and more."
He said the poem inspiring the book's title speaks of a woman vanishing into the dark, representing all the things disappearing in Africa: peace, love, values, cultural standards, good climate conditions, and African pride.
Moyo emphasised that his book is a call to action, a beacon of light in the darkness, and a testament to the resilience and strength of the African spirit.
In his anthology, Moyo challenges Africans to reclaim their originality and reject the pressure to mimic Western approaches.
"Nowadays, people would actually laugh at you for failing to speak English," Moyo observed.
"However, no one judges you for not speaking Shona. Many people try so hard to appear Western that they go to the extreme of changing their complexion with creams, injections, and pills.
"Almost everything negative is labelled with 'black': black magic, black market, black book, black sheep, blackmail. This seems to be the norm."
This is Moyo's second published work. His 2020 publication, "Tribute to a Storm," offered hope to readers after heartbreak, reminding them that they can pick themselves up, live, and love again.
