Juby Peacock: A new voice in poetry

Otlarongwa Kgweetsi | Wednesday October 9, 2024 09:21

The anthology, launched this past Friday, is a deeply personal and spiritual work that has been a decade in the making. Peacock, whose transition from pageant queen to a published author, reflects her passion for storytelling, spirituality, and advocacy, credits her late uncle, Christopher Ramsden, for introducing her to poetry. “He opened the door for me to explore this art form, and I never looked back,” she said. In discussing her creative process, Peacock shared how much of her poetry comes from spiritual experiences. “I can hear a whole poem in a dream, wake up, and write it,” she explained, adding that sometimes she would hear just a line or paragraph, and the rest would flow naturally.

The anthology is organised into seven chapters, each exploring different aspects of life, spirituality, and the human condition. From praise and worship to poems dedicated to individuals, Chronicles of a Peacock touches on themes like nature, love, grief, and Pan-African identity. Peacock hopes her readers will uncover messages of “hope, faith, and a deeper understanding of God’s character” within her verses. Peacock has long been an advocate against issues such as xenophobia, human trafficking, and sexual abuse. Having counselled many survivors of abuse, she shared: “I wanted to capture the depth of their pain and remind readers that survivors are actual people, not just statistics.” However, the process of writing was not without its emotional challenges. Some poems, particularly those about personal loss, were difficult to complete. Referring to “The Great Stallion,” a piece dedicated to her late uncle, she admitted: “I cried a lot every time I had to write it.”

Despite the emotional hurdles, Peacock found solace and strength in her faith. She shared how prayer, resilience, and fasting helped her overcome writer’s block and complete the anthology. “There were moments where I felt stuck, but after fasting and seeking divine inspiration, the words just came,” she revealed. In the end, she felt blessed to have received what she describes as divine inspiration, especially for the final pieces, Home and Sunflower, which she calls “gifts from God.” With Chronicles of a Peacock, Peacock offers more than just poetry; she invites readers into a space of healing, reflection, and advocacy. As she poignantly noted, “There’s a lot of bad in the world, but through art, I’ve found healing myself, and I want to share that with the world.”