Keith Oliver Lewis
Keith Oliver Lewis is a poet from Smartie Town, Paarl. His work speaks to the lived experiences of coloured/brown people in South Africa. He uses words to investigate and reveal the root of the social ills plaguing his community. Keith’s creations focus on reimagining the forgotten histories of his people and humanising their current surreal existence. He sees memory as an archive to bring healing from trauma and loss. He is the author of the 2023 Short.Sharp.Stories-winning entry, “Blue Boy Lagoon” (included in the Fluid anthology published by Karavan Press).
Lady Di, die Cape Flats Book Festival het die jaar iets gekort
2026-02-02"’n Taxi vol skoolmeisies raak skielik a makeshift-geskiedenisklas. Gaireyah leer oor die tragiese storie van Sarah Baartman en die catalyst rol wat Aunty Di se poësie gespeel het om ons ancestor se remains huis toe te bring."
Die gewig van ’n gedig: ’n close reading van Gaireyah Fredericks se gedig "Swaa dra"’
2025-12-22"Gaireyah Fredericks wennie 2024-Diana Ferrus-literatuurprys vi ha gedig 'Swaa dra'. Die bekroonde gedig is earlier die jaa gepublish innie anthology Ons kom van hier. In 29 lyne van vrye vers, nooi Fredericks die lieser in op ’n gesprek tussen ’n dogter en ha ooliede moeder. 'Swaa dra' doen mee as nettie expression vannie gevoel van rou. Dit is ’n indiepte exploration van rou self."
Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees 2025: ʼn indruk van Boklied – wat betieken "nie-verstaanbaar"?
2025-10-29"En eendag sal ek gan na my mammie se hophysie innie lug / twie taxi’s vat Wellington toe / om vi Breyten presies te sê / wat ek rerag dink van Boklied."
Short.Sharp.Stories anthology Fluid: interview with Keith Oliver Lewis, author of “Blue Boy Lagoon"
2023-08-21"These characters are fictional, but they are also a quilt of real memories. With this story, I tried my best not to create archetypal characters or fall into the stereotypes that burden coloured characters in the media. I wanted to show these boys with all of their complexities, faults and facets. I believe that these are the things that make us human."