Searching for the rain

Abstract

Searching for the rain is an anthology of verse by Namibian poet Axaro W. Thaniseb who currently directs the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN). In this anthology, Thaniseb dares to address issues in post-independence Namibia that many would rather not hear nor talk about. He demonstrates bravery as he calls a spade a spade as he explores diff erent controversial themes. The same bravery is shown when he intelligently uses vernacular languages when he switches between languages in the book. In this realistic contemporary work, he shows both his great talent in writing and also his understanding and analysis of Namibian society, its passions, struggles and achievements and manages to do so impartially. Thaniseb’s style of writing is not only easy to read and thought provoking but it is also realistic. In this 46 poem anthology, Thaniseb covers themes raging from dreams, social inequalities, love, self-discovery, fear, pain, war to nationalism. As he travels not only across Namibia but across the world, he pens the poems we fi nd in Searching for the rain, the reader is therefore taken on a journey and into the thought life of the author as he writes with brutal honesty about his feelings, observation and judgements on life especially within Namibia. In this dominantly post-independence Namibian poetry, Thaniseb intricately uses many voices and as a result allows the reader an opportunity to hear not only his voice but many others’ such as that of a man in post-independence Namibia, a young man from the kasie, a man in love and a father who adores his daughter.