Title: Crumbles of a Broken Heart
Author: Rugumayo James Hannington
Published: 2024
Price: 25,000 UGX
Available: African Studies Bookstore
Rugumayo James Hannington, a poet and a teacher in Fort Portal at Nyakasura School, has published a poetry collection that will appeal to bleeding hearts everywhere. Titled "Crumbles of a Broken Heart", it expresses a passionate miscellany of poems sure to tug at the heart strings, after they answer this question: "When martyrs, patriots and lovers die for what they love and believe in. What do you call it? Love or obsession?"
“You could find answers in Crumbles of a Broken Heart,” says the Rugumayo. “The collection of poetry encompasses a life of beauty, love and loss but with a perspective of hope amidst the shattered dreams. Crumbles of a Broken Heart sums up themes of Absurdity, Spirituality, Love, Politics, Exploitation, Suffering and Death. Within these lines, you'll find the power of poetry to connect and heal shattered souls and dreams.”
His language is rhapsodic and evocative, conjured from the rabbit-sprouting hat, as it were. This is how his magical diction builds on themes seemingly from a vacuum where concern and deep feeling would ordinarily be. So he had to dig deep and also make his words sing.
“In the fragile melody of love and loss, the human heart irresistibly finds itself smashed into a myriad of pieces with each fragment holding a story, a scar, a memory, a crumb of the past. It is from these pieces and fragments that Crumbles of a Broken Heart draws its inspiration,” he says.
This literary offering is decidedly a collection of poetry that explores the deeps of heartache, the echoes of longing, and the resilience found in the aftermath of shattered dreams. It holds the bravely unique perspective that we are all broken in one way or the other: our societal institutions are broken – from religion, education, politics, interpersonal relationships, to love and marriage.
“Within the pages of this anthology, you will find a drapery of emotions woven within words and lines, each poem a testament to the power of art to heal, a symphony to mend, and an orchestration to transform. These poems are not just expressions of pain and sorrow, rather beacons of hope, reminders that even in our darkest moments, there is beauty to be found in the human experience,” adds the author.
“There is no hope that is lost under the shadow of the sun, no matter how broken we are. We are all broken crayons that can still shade and give light to the world. I have been privileged to witness the courage and vulnerability that compelled me to put this work down. The words in here offer authenticity and depth; they come with solace and understanding to those who have known the ache of a broken heart.”
As you can see, the poet’s sense is not lost on his sensibilities. Instead, he effortlessly amalgamates head and heart to furnish his reader with a body of work that reads like a potential classic, feels like one and thus could be one. The author is rather ambitious to hope that this collection connects with the reader on several levels in order to make a difference in our lives.
“It is my hope that Crumbles of a Broken Heart will serve as a companion to those navigating the complexities of love and loss. Let it offer comfort, empathy, and a reminder that you are not alone in this journey. May these poems be a source of healing, reflection, and connection, bridging the divides that separate us, and reminding us of the universal experience of love and loss that binds us all,” Rugumayo says.
Obviously the truth in this pudding, as with all others, is in the tasting. So buy yourself a copy to find out.
