Prison Poems (Signed)

Prison Poems by Dikobe wa Mogale is a powerful and deeply personal collection of South African protest poetry, published in 1992 by Jonathan Ball Publishers in association with the respected Ad. Donker imprint. Written against the backdrop of apartheid-era repression and political imprisonment, Prison Poems captures the emotional, psychological and spiritual realities of incarceration with striking clarity and lyrical force. The collection emerged from Mogale’s own experiences after his arrest in 1983 on charges linked to anti-apartheid activism and Umkhonto we Sizwe operations, making these poems both literary works and historical testimony.

Across its compact yet resonant pages, Prison Poems explores themes of isolation, resistance, memory, injustice and endurance. Mogale’s writing moves fluidly between intimate reflection and broader political commentary, producing poetry that is emotionally direct while remaining rich in metaphor and imagery. His voice carries the urgency of lived experience, offering readers insight into the emotional toll of prison life during one of South Africa’s most turbulent decades. The collection also stands within the broader tradition of South African resistance literature associated with writers such as Jeremy Cronin, Mongane Wally Serote and Breyten Breytenbach.

Beautifully representative of politically engaged South African poetry of the late apartheid period, Prison Poems remains an important work for collectors of African literature, liberation struggle material and protest writing. The book’s historical significance, combined with Mogale’s distinctive poetic voice, gives it enduring relevance for readers interested in South African history, prison literature and revolutionary art. Scarce in the trade and increasingly sought after, this 1992 edition is a noteworthy addition to collections focused on anti-apartheid literature and contemporary African poetry.

Condition: Very good – Yellowing of pages. Minor use.