Thuthukani inspiring others one word at a time
My poetry has helped my overcome challenges, such as depression and lack of self-esteem. Poetry has always been my therapist and a distraction from all the negative things in society today.
Words can be an escape to a world of comfort and that is what poetry has been to Mr Thuthukani Myeza.
“My poetry has helped me overcome challenges, such as depression and lack of self-esteem. Poetry has always been my therapist and a distraction from all the negative things in society today.
“It has served as a medium for me to express my emotions so not to bottle them up inside. In a nutshell poetry has kept me sane in an insane world” said Thuthukani.
Thuthukani, like most artists and performers, has a stage name: “I go by the name of Sole of Pages. I’m a writer by trade, a musician by passion and a poet by chance.”
A student of media practices at Boston Media House, Thuthukani told the EXPRESS he was not always a poet.
“I started writing poetry at the early age of 13. At the time I didn’t know what it was. It was love that got me into poetry, corny but true. I fell in love with a certain girl and all of a sudden these strange words flooded my head,” said Thuthukani.
He said that by writing poetry he started discovering himself and the passion he had for writing.
“I showed my English teacher the words that lived in my head and he told me that the words were poetry. He also said that as I write more the better I’ll become.
“I took that advice and never looked back and I have been writing and discovering ever since,” he said.
Thuthukani said he writes poetry not only to escape but also to inspire and share love because poetry can be about the experiences of everyday life, good or bad.
“My poems are about everything under the sun. I write about love, life and all that lies between heaven and earth,” said Thuthukani.
He added that people also inspire his poetry.
“The inspiration for my poetry comes from anything in and around my life but mainly from a select group of people I call muses (inspiration in literature). With their energy I can write about virtually anything,” said Thuthukani.
Apart from life inspiring the words behind Thuthukani’s poetry he also finds inspiration in the works of poets such as Saul Williams, Bhengu Zwande, NoLife, Noluthando Buthelezi, Xabiso Vili and Cornelius Jones.
Thuthukani said that every performance for him is special because he has the opportunity to inspire or make someone smile, and that is humbling.
In addition he has also performed in a number of competitions.
“I performed in Pillow Stages: Cuddle Session and I won. That was my first competition. I also won at Nowadays Poets Session in Durban alongside one of my idols Noluthando Buthelezi and have had the opportunity to perform for the First Lady of South Africa,” said Thuthukani.
He added that he has come a long way as a poet by leaving his comfort zone to perform in front of crowds.
“A boy from a little town called Welvenkop, on the outskirts of Gauteng, is making a difference through his trade. Words are powerful and can be built to inspire and change things. Always do what makes you happy as I’m doing poetry and it makes me happy” said Thuthukani.
