Famous African Poets
01. Breyten Breytenbach
Breyten Breytenbach was born in September 16, 1939. He is an South-African writer. Besides
writing he is good at painting. He won Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. His famous works are- A veil
of footsteps, All one horse (1990), Dog Heart: A Memoir, Mouroir(1984) etc.
02. Chinua Achebe
He was born in November 16, 1930, Ogidi, Anambra, Nigeria. His first work Things Fall Apart
becomes successful. He was not only a poet but also a novelist. For his outstanding literary
work he won Man Booker International Prize. His famous work are- Things Fall Apart ,No
Longer at Ease, A Man of the People, Arrow of God ,Anthills of the Savannah.
03. Christopher Okigbo
Christopher Okigbo was born in Okigbo was born on 16 August 1930. He is an postcolonial
poet. He is the founder member of African Authors Association. He died in the independence
of Biafra.Path of Thunder, Dance of the Painted Maidens, Lament of the Masks these are the
famous works of Christopher Okigbo.
04. Dambudzo Marechera
The poet who was born in Zimbabwe and became famous for his literary works is Dambudzo
Marechera. He was born in June 4, 1952, Rusape, Zimbabwe. He won Guardian Fiction Prize.
Black sunlight ,The House of Hunger ,The black insider and Cemetery of mind are his famous
literary works.
05. David Wright
David Wright was born in February 23, 1920, Johannesburg, South Africa. He was the student
of Oriel College, Oxford. His notable poems are- An Agnostic Gets A Shave In Pakistan, The
Teacher's Reward, Making the Most of What We Have, Spring and I are Restless, A Santa Fe
Storm.
06. Dennis Brutus
Dennis Brutus was a south African poet who was born in November 28, 1924, Harare,
Zimbabwe. He was also known as a journalist. His famous works are: Simple Lust, Stubborn
hope, Still the Sirens/Poems, Salutes & censures, Remembering, Leaf Drift.
07. Ingrid Jonker
Many of her poetry is translated into other languages. This great woman was born in
September 19, 1933, Northern Cape, South Africa. She is also considered south African Sylvia
Plath. Her famous poems are- The child is not dead, Ontvlugting ,Ek herhaal jou, The Face of
Love, My omhelsing het my verdubbel, Ek herhaal jou (I repeat you), This journey, Begin
Summer, L’Art poetique and 25 December.
08. Keorapetse Kgositsile
Keorapetse Kgositsile was an South African poet who is known as "Bra Willie". He was born in
September 19, 1938, Johannesburg, South Africa. When the clouds clear, o the Bitter End,
This Way I Salute You these are his famous literary writings.
09. Kofi Awoonor
Whose writings depicted the culture of Ewe people and their religion is Kofi Awoonor. He was
born in March 13, 1935, Gold Coast; so he is an Ghanaian poet. His remarkable writings are
The African predicament, Comes the voyager at last and The Promise of Hope.
10. Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka is an Nigerian poet who was born in July 13, 1934 (age 80), Abeokuta, Nigeria.
He is the first poet who won Nobel Prize for Africa in Literature. Ake, The Interpreters, King
Baabu, The Beatification of the Area Boy are his famous writings.
11. Leopold Sedar Senghor
Leopold Sedar Senghor was born in October 9, 1906, Joal-Fadiouth, Senegal. He is not only a
poet but he is the first president of Senegal. His famous books are The collected poetry,
Oeuvre poetique, Poems of a black Orpheus and Selected Poems of Leopold Sedar Senghor.
12. Kwame Dawes
Kwame Dawes is an Ghanaian poet who is actually not only a poet but also an actor, musician
and editor. He was born in July 28, 1962. He got Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts, US
& Canada. His famous works are: Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius, Shook foil, Natural mysticism
and Impossible Flying: Poems.
13.Phillis Wheatley
Wheatley was seized from Senegal, when she was about seven years old. This African poet
was born in May 8, 1753. She started her early life in slavery and throughout her life she had
to struggle against poverty. She believes in the power of literature especially in the power of
poetry. Her notable works are-On Imagination, An Hymn To The Morning, One Being Brought
From Africa To America, On Being Brought from Africa to America, A Farewell To America to
Mrs. S. W., On The Death Of A Young Lady Of Five Years, An Hymn to Humanity, An Hymn
To The Evening, Ode To Neptune, On Recollection, On, Virtue, A Rebus and so on.
14.Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni was an African-American poet and born in June 7, 1943, Knoxville, Tennessee,
United States. Not only she writes poems but also was known as a commentator. Her notable
works are- Bicycles: Love Poems, Cotton candy on a rainy day, Quilting the black‐eyed pea,
Ego-tripping and other poems for young people etc.
15. Guy Butler
Guy Butler was born in January 21, 1918. He is a South African poet and critic. He completed
his education from Oxford University. His notable books are Demea, Karoo morning and
Pilgrimage to Dias Cross.
