What’s in a poem? The Philip Balkwill memorial lecture delivered at Charterhouse, Godalming, 28 April 2000

The author’s English translation of a Xhosa poem in praise of Nelson Mandela written by David Livingstone Phakamile Yali-Manisi in 1954 leads him to reflect on the act of translation and the spirit of poetry, in particular performed Xhosa poetry, and the work of Manisi, foremost exponent of the art of the Xhosa ‘imbongi’ (oral poet) and one of South Africa’s greatest living poets up to his death in 1999. Bibliogr., notes, ref.