By CTW Team

Eliseus Bamporineza, an International Relations student launched his debut poetry book titled Born to be human. The book, which was launched last week, explores the concepts of love, romance, dating, patriotism, politics, identity, culture, climate change and life generally in the modern era. It contains poems written from lived experiences, observations and meditation. The poems provide a genuine understanding of life, its highs and lows, and hopes that move us with aim to change hearts and minds. The book also contains poems written in praise of the spirit of humanity, and the beauty of Africa and Burundi, the author’s homeland.

Eliseus embraced poetry writing during his time at the Junior Seminary School, Petit Séminaire Saint Pie X de Muyinga in Burundi from 2011 -2017. Schooling in a French education system, he started writing and performing most of his poetry in French. He them went on to win the 2014 edition of the East African Students Essay Writing competition, and wrote a play titled Amunguranka Ni yo Mazikesha in Kirundi, his mother tongue. One of his poems “They are Citizens of the World” has been featured in a book “Try My Shoe” – a collection of poems that narrate the lives of refugees.

In his statement to CTW, he notes that he is an admirer of Léopold Sédar Senghor, a famed poet, and a lover of philosophers, including Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Arthur Schopenhauer. Eliseus dearly holds a belief that poetry is a powerful means to echo all feelings and ideas in an artistic style.

“Poetry is a weapon one can use to bring about revolution, to denounce injustices, and reverberate all those human traits that are not voiced out,” he notes, paraphrasing his poem featured in the #What Moves You? Social media campaign launched by African Leadership Academy Quad in June 2020.

Eliseus is a Tujenge Africa Foundation (TAF) alumnus and African Leadership Academy-Mastercard Foundation (ALA - MCF) scholar. Prior to joining USIU-Africa in August 2019, he attended a pre-university orientation program in July 2019 at the University of Rochester in New York. He is currently in his second year of studies, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, with a concentration in Foreign Policy and Diplomacy with a minor in Philosophy.

The book is published by Christian Communication Literature, based in England, but available through its Kenyan branch, and online on its website. The book will also be made available on Amazon and on other platforms.