{"id":214948,"date":"2019-08-21T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/214948\/karabo-shares-his-lifes-journey-through-poetry\/"},"modified":"2019-08-21T15:06:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-21T13:06:00","slug":"karabo-shares-his-lifes-journey-through-poetry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2019\/08\/21\/karabo-shares-his-lifes-journey-through-poetry\/","title":{"rendered":"Karabo shares his life\u2019s journey through poetry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Primrose resident Karabo Phaswana (34) has changed, evolved and matured in the 19 years since he began writing poetry in his home town of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n<p>The soft-spoken well-mannered Karabo visited the GCN last Wednesday to share his journey from a 15-year-old boy writing poems about love, to a self-published author.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>Karabo moved to Limpopo in 2015 to study a Bachelor&#8217;s Degree in Psychology before moving to Germiston just over a year and a half ago.<\/p>\n<p>Currently working as a health and safety officer, Karabo recently released a book of poetry entitled Time\u2019s Momentum.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<h4>ALSO READ:\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/213665\/broadening-a-childs-mind-through-reading\/\" target=\"_blank\">Broadening a child\u2019s mind through reading<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>The inspiration for the book comes from Karabo\u2019s everyday life and his experiences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI began writing and collecting poetry for the book 19 years ago,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom a young man who wore his heart on his sleeve and fell easily in and out of love to a more spiritual and wiser man.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel expressing myself through poetry is the best thing I could have ever done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Local poet Karabo Phaswana captures a moment in time\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V88xxKDKr-8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Taking his poems from a rough manuscript to a published book took Karabo about a year.<\/p>\n<p>He made the decision to self-publish, and though he says this was a difficult process, he found it very rewarding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou learn a lot through self-publishing,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found every step of the process exciting, from manuscript to editing, selecting a font and cover and printing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, I think it is important to have a clear image in your mind of what you want the end product to be when you start your journey.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When asked how he felt when he held the first printed copy of his book in his hand, Karabo described it in one word &#8211; surreal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt felt surreal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople around me were excited, but I still couldn\u2019t believe it was real and I had done it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has now sunk in.<\/p>\n<h4>ALSO READ:\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/213135\/prioritise-reading-for-this-years-book-week-and-fair\/\" target=\"_blank\">Prioritise reading for this year\u2019s Book Week and Fair<\/a><\/h4>\n<div id=\"gallery-2143008\" class=\"gallery carousel slide\">\u00a0Karabo said he owes his dedication to make his dream a reality to his father, Koketso.<\/div>\n<p>\u201cMy late father wrote a book, but was never able to have it published,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>This also spurred on his future plans, which include opening a company with his friend Abram Kgare, which will help inspiring writers get their work published.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cApproaching a publishing house, even when you are self-publishing, is daunting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a scary process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe want to make writing and publishing more accessible to the man on the street.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition, Karabo is excited to be ghostwriting a book entitled When the Morning Comes for the Suppressed and helping to put together a book of poems from female poets, entitled My Sister\u2019s Diary.<\/p>\n<p>When asked if he feels children and young adults should be encouraged to read and write from a young age, he said, \u201cYes, it is vitally important.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe things they learn early can help influence and inspire them as they go forward in life and unlock the potential of future authors and poets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to get a copy of Karabo\u2019s book, you can visit Books Alive in Edenvale or Xarra Books in Midrand. Alternatively, you can send an email to Karabo at karabophaswana2@gmail.com or call 060 310 4564.<\/p>\n<p>Karabo can also be found on Facebook (TimesMomentumboo), Twitter and Intagram (@TimesMomentum).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-215421 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/we-read-logo-520x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/we-read-logo-520x400.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/we-read-logo-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Be sure to attend the South African Book Fair:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Reading is not a chore but a pleasure and we should remember that this National Book Week, which is from September 2 to 8.<\/p>\n<p>The South African Book Fair (#SABF2019) will be held during this week from September 6 to 8, at the Women\u2019s Jail on Constitution Hill at 11 Kotze Street in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n<p>Follow #CaxtonCares #WeRead #ReadBecause<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_214301\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-214301\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-214301\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/CaxtonCares_Ribbon_70709-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/CaxtonCares_Ribbon_70709-520x390.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/CaxtonCares_Ribbon_70709-270x203.jpg 270w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/CaxtonCares_Ribbon_70709-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/08\/CaxtonCares_Ribbon_70709.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-214301\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local author Carlyle Labuschagne speaks to attendees at Chapter.Con in London recently.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>Hear more from the interview:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"7019087056 - Leigh Germiston Author Karabo Phaswana by Germiston City News\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F668461778&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=750&#038;maxwidth=500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Hav<\/strong><strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-admin\/germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\">germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:leighh@caxton.co.za\">leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Also follow us on:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210323\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Facebook.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GCNnews?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210324\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Twitter.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/germistoncitynews\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210325\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Instagram.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCblgxW6BRXTLGLQvpcumLqA\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210326\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/youtube.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/newsletter-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-210327 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Newsletter.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"62\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='94c5407f31bfeb00862309cdbd9eefe5'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Take a trip with Karabo Phaswana through Time\u2019s Momentum.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1848,"featured_media":214949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Leigh Hodgson","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[8297,1012,1003,1106,979,969,2730,2362],"class_list":["post-214948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news-headlines","tag-community-2","tag-east-rand","tag-ekurhuleni","tag-gcn","tag-germiston","tag-germiston-city-news","tag-leigh-hodgson","tag-south-africa"],"amp_enabled":true,"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Local news"},"tag_labels":["community","East Rand","Ekurhuleni","GCN","germiston","germiston city news","Leigh Hodgson","South 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