Meadowlands Technical High School learners from left: Vuyiswa Anna Juqula, Jayleigh Reddy, Andrecia Naidoo, Ayabonga Bhengu, Owami Mdunge and Mareece Marimuthu with poet and author Kemera Moodly.
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DURBAN poet Kemera Moodly has turned to the classrooms of Chatsworth to ask a simple question: what does belonging feel like to young people today? The answer now lives in 70 poems written by Grade 10 to 12 learners from four local high schools, forming the heart of her new anthology Belonging.
Moodly recently launched the book, a collaborative poetry project involving Apollo Secondary School, Meadowlands Technical High School, Protea Secondary School and Southlands Secondary School. Learners were invited to reflect on the theme of belonging in their own way, resulting in a collection that spans personal, emotional and spiritual interpretations.
Moodly, who has a degree in Industrial Psychology and works as a human resources manager, said poetry came naturally to her.
Durban poet and author Kemera Moodly with learners from Apollo Secoundary School in Chatsworth. Back (left to right): Tasleem Rassool, Gabriel Naidoo, Reece Naidoo and Beauty Molefe. Front (left to right): Zahra Ali Sajid, Taryn Naidoo and Jazlynn Perumal.
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“Nature, the sky, trees, birds and flowers inspired me. It felt like it was my calling to write and create poetry. It’s an inherent part of me to express my emotions and thoughts through poetry. I will never stop writing, it is who I am,” she said.
She said the idea for Belonging grew out of a desire to encourage young writers and give something back to the community where her family is from.
“Poetry should not only be about the English curriculum at school, it is also about self-expression and using it to give voice to one’s thoughts and feelings,” she said. “The learners were free to interpret the theme however they chose to. Many wrote about God, family, friendship and love. What moved me most is that a considerable number of learners wrote very openly and poignantly about their families, and the significant role that their mothers, fathers and siblings play in their understanding of what it means to belong.”
She added that in today’s AI-driven, social media-saturated world—shaped by platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok—it is striking that young people still place deep value on real-life relationships.
“For me, this was the most significant finding and takeaway from the project: despite the tantalising pull of social media, hashtags and online trends, a young adult still looks to their family for acknowledgement, acceptance, support and love. And even in the absence of this, the yearning for it clearly exists,” she said.
Moodly said the poems offered a glimpse into how learners think and feel about their lives, revealing recurring themes of family and group dynamics, childhood memories, romance, religion and faith, self-image, isolation and connection, self-acceptance, and personal dreams and aspirations.
“I thoroughly enjoyed reading their poems. It was a window into their inner and outer lives,” she said.
Southlands Secoundary School. Back (left to right): Acting Principal Mrs Rugbeer, Mrs Moolla and Mrs Dayanand. Front, from left: Waarisah Ismail, Deandra Chandermun, Taesha Chutrugon and Durban poet and author Kemera Moodly.
Image: Supplied
Homelessness in Durban is also close to her heart. All proceeds from her books are donated to the Denis Hurley Centre, an NGO that supports the poor, homeless and unemployed in the city’s CBD.
“When I was young and travelled with my parents through Durban’s CBD, I always had a soft spot for the homeless, saving my 10, 20 and 50 cent coins to give them one day. So giving back to the homeless community in this way is sentimental for me and also reminds me of what is truly important to me as an individual and as a Durbanite,” she said.
Moodly said this would not be her last anthology, adding that there are still many stories waiting to be told.
“We have a diversity of creative voices waiting to be heard and to offer various forms of artistic expression. We often look to the Western world for literature, poetry and art, but we have a plethora of creatives amongst us here in South Africa. The creativity must be harnessed, honed, showcased, appreciated and recognised locally,” she said.
She has also published Words from My Heart, Seasons of My Soul, Teardrops from My Pen, Footprints, Tomorrow’s Light and Paper Heart.
Books can be purchased directly from the four participating schools and from Moodly.
Follow Kemera on social media for more of her poetry and updates:Instagram: @kemera.moodlyFacebook: www.facebook.com/kemera.moodlyWebsite: www.kemeramoodly.com