Virga

A Poetry Book Society Autumn 2021 Recommendation, Virga weaves historical events with the power of weather.

Togara Muzanenhamo's third collection explores the 20th century through the lens of atmospheric phenomena. From the spiritual silence of a sundog during the 1911 Japanese Antarctic Expedition, to the 1921 World Championship chess matches in the Cuban heat, to the final hours of a young Bavarian mountaineer in the Bernese Alps in 1936, and strange white clouds decimating whole villages in northern Cameroon in 1986—the poems capture stories of a rapidly evolving century beneath an ancient, fragile sky.

Like Gumiguru, Virga examines the impact of weather on our daily lives, broadening its geography to include wider worlds and different histories artfully strung together by the poet's fascination with the elements. This collection is for readers of contemporary poetry who appreciate lyrical verse and historical narratives. Discover the beauty and fragility of existence in Muzanenhamo's evocative poems.