"Red cliffs": Mugisho Bashomba, a poetic voice against violence that resonates beyond borders

In a world shaken by violence and conflict, can poetry still serve as a weapon? This is the bold bet that Mugisho Bashomba makes with his first collection, "Falaises rouges", published by Colline Inspirée. Much more than just a collection of poems, this book is a cry of the heart, a resonance for justice and a call for resistance to adversity.

Mugisho Bashomba is not a stranger. Congolese journalist and poet, he has already been rewarded for his commitment, especially during the Europoésie 2022 competition devoted to child protection. With "Red Cliffs", he takes a new step, offering the public a powerful work deeply rooted in the reality of his country.

The title, "Red Cliffs", immediately evokes strong images: blood, violence, but also resistance and hope. For the author, these cliffs are those of the "contradictions" and "political historical fractures" of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that, like ancient China, has its own battles to fight.

The cover of the collection, illustrated by a work by Moroccan artist Latifa Bermes, is in the image of the content: striking and full of symbols. Female beauty and nature are mixed, offering a striking contrast with the violence of words.

In his poems, Mugisho Bashomba does not mince his words. He denounces "dirty" violence without frills, describing with poignant sensitivity the suffering of those who have lost loved ones. But beyond pain, there is also the rage to resist, the will not to give in to injustice.

"Red cliffs can evoke a feeling of loss or resistance to the reason of time," explains the author. A sentence that alone summarises the ambivalence of his work, between despair and hope.

Prefaced by the writer and poet Jocelyn Danga, gold medallist at the IXes Jeux de la Francophonie, "Falaises rouges" is a collection that does not leave indifferent. It testifies to the power of poetry as a means of expression and resistance, and offers a voice to those who are too often silenced.

In these troubled times, Mugisho Bashomba's work resounds as a call to conscience, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, hope can be reborn.