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Poetry and spoken word are my drug and love: An interview with Dikson
Marko Phiri , Kubatana.net
June 25, 2013

Tell us how your journey to meditative poetry began.
I’ve been writing and performing spoken word/slam poetry for the last 6 or 7 years. I was in Nepal recently and its hard not to get influenced or intrigued by the culture around you. I went on a yoga retreat and did a meditation session there. Whilst trying to empty my mind and focus, my immediate desire was to have that emptiness filled with words. The words of the meditation leader rang so clear and it led me to think up a spoken word event where we could combine the 2 practices.

Where is your creative zone at right now? Zimbabwe, middle or outer space?
Less outer space these days, always under the skin of our strange species and our hypocrisies.

Some artists have found Zimbabwe’s space restrictive and stifling creatively. Have you found this to be your experience?
I think I could be more productive as a writer and can’t blame that on any physical space. If anything Zimbabwe has a tranquillity and beauty that inspires one to create. On the other hand it sometimes feels like things move so slowly here that you can often find yourself drifting.

What/who are your influences?
The usual and, on top of that, Hip Hop more than poets of old. I am influenced a lot by how much we act like we know and how confident we are to stick by things out of habit, our unwillingness to embrace difference.

Is poetry/spoken word a side project?
Never. It’s my drug and love without doubt.

What are you reading?
Looking at too many screens right now· Brief History of Nearly Everything (nearly, almost?) by Bill Bryson for the second time.

What other creative genres attract your attention and have relevance to your art?
Film and photography really appeal to me too and evoke a similar passion but not the same.

The best time of your life?
University life was unreservedly enjoyable.

Any regrets so far in your journey that you would like to replay and fix?
For sure, and anyone who says otherwise is a suspect cat.

Love, or one-night stands?
Love! Always. That’s like asking if I would prefer to watch my favourite artist performing or to read the ingredients on a packet of Thingz.

Is there a specific social/political issue that gets you going and encourages you to create?
Borders, immigration, the carving up of a natural and open world by idiots.

Wine? Beer? Water, if you can find it?
More water right now but beer has been a long-time friend of mine.

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