Overview
Region
Southern Africa
South Africa
Era
Post-colonial
Language
English
Genre
Poetry
About This Work
Mtshali's debut collection, Sounds of a Cowhide Drum, sold over 12,000 copies in South Africa — unprecedented for poetry. This later collection continues his stark portraits of township life.
Literary Significance
Mtshali was the first major Black South African poet to reach a mass audience; his images of township life shocked white readers