LAMENTATIONS ON THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE
by Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure

New poetry collection explores the violence and aftermath of one of the 20th Century’s worst tragedies.

CEDAR FALLS, IOWA—A newly published collection of poetry provides a poignant, often-painful reflection on the travesties of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994.  Lamentations on the Rwandan Genocide by Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure combines diverse linguistic and cultural traditions to offer poetic explorations of the violence and aftermath of genocide.  With fifteen poems and an extensive section of notes on Rwandan culture, Lamentations on the Rwandan Genocide both documents a historical tragedy and forges new literary ground.  

Ishmael Reed, author of Mumbo Jumbo, has hailed this collection, writing, “With Lamentations on the Rwandan Genocide, Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure, one of our best critics, uses his rich, eloquent poetic voice to insure that the memories of one of the Twentieth Century’s most horrific Holocausts won’t be buried as unsung as the victims were.” 

Publication of this collection has been made possible be a matching grant from the Iowa Arts Council.  In awarding this grant, the Iowa Arts Council highlighted the “high artistic quality and overwhelming content” of Lamentations on theRwandan Genocide.  The poem “Soso Ameli Ngando’s Rumba Lament (A Lament in Six Languages)” was singled out as “amazing.”

Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure is a Professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa.  Dr. Mvuyekure received his Ph.D. and M.A. at the University of New York-Buffalo, as well as an M.A. and B.A. from the National University of Rwanda.  A native of Rwanda, Dr. Mvuyekure has published widely on African and African American culture, most notably as the editor of World Eras: Volume 10, West African Kingdoms (500-1590) by Thompson/Gale.

Final Thursday Press is an award-winning publisher of literary poetry and fiction.  Its previous publications have included Kyrie by Jonathan Stull and Ghost Wars by Vince Gotera. In 2004, Ghost Wars, was named a co-recipient of the Global Filipino Literary Award for Poetry.

Lamentations on the Rwandan Genocide is published in a limited, signed and numbered edition.  It is available directly through Final Thursday Press (geocities.com/finalthursdaypress) and at select booksellers.  It retails at $9.95 and can be purchased directly from the press (please include $1.50 shipping and handline).