This poem was created by poet, playwright, mbira musician, educator and facilitator; Tawona Sitholé, in response to a series of listening conversations and gatherings with past event organisers of the Festival. Our 2025 Festival theme, MILESTONES, emerged from these conversations. 

Many voices have fed into this poem, and it contains echoes from and direct wordings expressed in the listening conversations.

Here is Tawona’s poetry: 

walk a milestone in my shoes

walk a milestone in my shoes

in relation people tell stories

the question is about listening

made and pronounced in many languages

is the world in nature and experience

the circles and cycles that invoke

family in us and family around us

joyful abundance never running out

people are in motion

people are in emotion

people are in tune

in song

in time

people are in step with the land

in this busyness with a ‘y’

people are busy in the day-to-day

ordinary adventures of waking

and walking

ordinary adventures of childcaring

and healthcaring

shared dreams shined by reflecting

distant souls touched by connecting

in concern for things to be just normal

people want to repair and unwind

people want to revive and remind

ourselves whose work is this loving

this cooking

this gathering

this organising

this gardening

this work rest and playing

if a good fight the heart is beating

if sound echoes the heart is repeating

people are incredible

inquisitive

ingenious

people are invincible

intriguing

inspiring

people are invaluable

More about the poet: Tawona Sitholé

better known as ganyamatope dzapasi, my ancestral family name inspires me to connect with other people through creativity and the anticipation to learn. a poet, mbira player, storyteller and playwright, i am co-founder of Seeds of Thought, non-profit arts group; Research Associate for MIDEQ Global Migration Hub and UNESCO artist-in-residence at the University of Glasgow. as i continue to write, teach and perform, mostly i appreciate my work for the many inspiring people it allows me to meet.