Poetry Hotspot
At Macondo, poetry is both heartbeat and gathering place—a way to pause, reflect, and connect across cultures and generations. From intimate readings and collaborative writing experiments to vibrant open mics, poetry flows through the festival as a shared language of imagination and discovery. It offers audiences not just words on a page, but living experiences that invite them to listen deeply, contribute their own lines, and celebrate the power of verse in shaping how we see ourselves and the worlds we inhabit.
Catch your breath/ Read a line– make a line/ Connect with lovers/ of verse, uncover the love/ in you.
The Program
ALL DAY EVERY DAY
Passing Poems/ Mistari Tu:
Take five, jot down some verse; pin it up for another to discover. An invitation to pause– and try your hand at writing a few lines (of poetry?) in between sessions. A second invitation: leave your words on Macondo’s wall of fleeting lines and read another’s musings. Leave sated/Kula unono!
Collabo Kali/Exquisite corpse
Let’s write poems together! Line by line, hour by hour. Collabo Kali is an invitation to offer a slice of your imagination and experience in a single line, typed out old-skool on a vintage typewriter! One line per Macondo citizen. The full collaborative poem will be unveiled at the Poetry Pop Up event each evening. Come, let’s play!
Saturday 20th 1.15 pm -1.45 pm
Slow date over a poem:
What happens when we take the time to turn a poem over and over, to examine the lines on its palms, tickle its armpits and see how it reacts? Does the poem reward the attentive reader? At today’s Slow Date we read selections from Canadian/Trinidadian poet Dionne Brand and Tanzanian poet Nyachiro Lydia Kasese.
Hosted by Ngwatilo Mawiyoo & Sam Kitonyi.
Saturday 20th 5.15pm - 6.00 pm
Poetry Pop Up at the Hot Spot
The stage heats up, erupts. Pressure release of poems in plosives and elongated vowels. Discover the day’s Collabo Kali, celebrate our featured poet, Karwitha Kirimi (Kenya). Sign up early at the tent to secure a spot to share your poem in the pop up open mic.
Hosted by Ngwatilo Mawiyoo
Sunday 21st 1.15 pm - 1.45 pm
Slow date over a poem:
What happens when we take the time to turn a poem over and over, to examine the lines on its palms, tickle its armpits and see how it reacts? Does the poem reward the attentive reader? At today’s Slow Date we read selections from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and Kenyan poet Clifton Gachagua. Discussion hosted by Ngwatilo Mawiyoo & Sam Kitonyi.
Sunday 21st 4.45pm-5.15pm
Poetry Pop Up at the Hot Spot
The stage heats up, erupts. Pressure release of poems in plosives and elongated vowels. Discover the day’s Collabo Kali, celebrate our featured spoken word poet, Dominion (Kenya). Sign up early at the tent to secure a spot to share your poem in the pop up open mic.
Hosted by Ngwatilo Mawiyoo