World-renowned poet and writer Audre Lorde held that poetry is not only a dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has never been before.

No one understands and resonates more with this saying than Dr Kezell McCarthy-Klinck, North-West University (NWU) lecturer, researcher, supervisor, mentor and poet.

Dr Klinck, who works in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, says her poems are about her own life experiences, ordinary things she observes and life in general.

She recently published her first poetry anthology titled Kruis Street. According to Dr Klinck, this is a consolidation of the first bundle of 30 poems she wrote both in English and Afrikaans.

She says the poems represent a variety of life occurrences and observations through the years. “This first bundle of poems is a mix of experiences from growing up, childbirth and general observations of people’s personalities and behaviour in this world.

“I also combined issues of the senses and emotions – moments that everyone goes through as we attempt to live a ‘normal’ life. Some of the poems also address social problems such as drug, alcohol and women abuse experiences and observations.

Dr Klinck has set her eyes on publishing five poetry anthologies, with the remaining four in different stages of development and editing.

“It is my hope that these poems will be used for personal enjoyment, as well as teaching material in institutions of higher learning to add value to the body of knowledge, particularly with regard to recent events as we live in ever-changing times and need to adapt constantly. The main purpose of this first published anthology is to encourage creative thinking and continuous hunger for knowledge, as well as the exploration of art and literature among those who are young at heart,” she adds.

More about Dr Klinck

Her passion for writing can be traced back to 1999 when she registered for her BA degree in communication, majoring in broadcast and journalism.

She also obtained her BAdminHons in industrial relations, a master’s degree in human resource management, and, in 2018, a PhD in business management. She obtained all these degrees at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, where she is now ploughing back by sharing her passion for teaching and learning with students.

She is also a member of both NWU research niche areas GIFT and Telit-SA, where she engages with fellow members, conducting research and writing book chapters, and pursuing her ever-growing passion for writing. 

She is also an award winner – she received the NWU Community Engagement Award in 2020 and the Faculty Teaching and Learning (FTA) award in 2021.

 Dr Kezell McCarthy-Klinck.

 Dr Kezell McCarthy-Klinck recently published her first poetry anthology titled Kruis Street.