The poem, which addresses challenges of communication between parents and their children, was printed a week ago and has already sold more than 600 copies.
Nyati brings poetry to bridge the gap that makes it difficult for a parent to express the kind of care they will be giving when imposing certain rules on their daughters.
With illustrations by Andrew Mandaza, Mthabisi Mpofu and Ndaba Lunga, the book appeals to children, while at the same time the use of strong language captures adult readership.
My Daughter is a clear indication of how far a father can go to protect his daughter from the ‘snakes, lions, monkeys and other wild animals’ that are ready to attack her.
Nyati manages to paint different kinds of men by likening them to different animals and reptiles – making the advice interesting to read and at the same time educating the daughter.
“I wrote the book for my daughter when she was a teen. I didn’t really know how to talk to her about things that were happening only to later realize that 85% of the people who bought the book were in this very same situation,” said Nyati in a recent interview.
In 2009 he was invited to Enfield in the UK to see an exhibition of artwork children had done according to their interpretation of the poem.
Nyati encouraged artists to engage the corporate world for sponsorship.
“Artists still believe there is no money in the industry but I now strongly disagree. We should learn to engage the corporate world for partnerships and sponsorship. Thanks to TN Holdings, my poetry has been published”, he said.
Post published in: Arts