Books and people in the news
Poetry anthology to mark anniversary of Ken Saro-Wiwa's execution
To mark the tenth anniversary of the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa by the Nigerian government of Sani Abacha, an anthology of 100 poems is to be published by Flipped Eye Publishing, a UK publishing house which specilises in poetry.
Co-editors of the anthology are Nii Ayikwei-Parkes of Flipped Eye and Kadija Sesay of Sable Magazine. A forward will be written by Saro-Wiwa's son, Ken Wiwa and Malawian poet Jack Mapanje is to act as editorial advisor.
Writers are being encouraged to submit poems for possible inclusion in the anthology. Themes for the anthology are: the legacy of Ken Saro-Wiwa; freedom of expression; resistance; imprisonment; non-violence; political oppression;leadership; social and ecological justice; minority rights; exile/displacement/refugees; war, peace, poverty, justice; the death penalty; pollution; climate change; the right to appropriate/sustainable development; power (and the abuse thereof); capitalism and corporations.
No payment will be made for those poems included in the anthology and all royalties from the sale of books will go to The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation.
The editors are requesting that poets contribute under these topics as widely as possible, by considering people, place and power with both current and historical issues. They also want poems that consider positive and challenging futures in the light of these issues.
The deadline for submissions is June 30 2005 and the book will be released on November 10 2005.
Submissions, in the body of an email, and no more than three poems can be sent to kensarowiwa@flippedeye.net
Further information on making submissions and on Ken Saro-Wiwa can be found at:
www.flippedeye.net
www.kensarowiwa.org.uk
www.sablelitmag.org
