Africa-Press – Lesotho. An ambitious 21-year-old Poet Katleho Ntšonyane, famously known as Prodigy Teller, has become an inspiration to his peers through utilizing art to reveal his
emotions and intentions to the audience. Prodigy Teller revealed to Informative Arts&Lifestyle that he was inspired into poetry by his teacher back at standard four.
“Each day we had to write a poem in a 4 quire book and if a week went by without having signed any poem, it was a disaster cast upon you,” he said. He
says his art intensified as he fell in the hands of Kabelo Mosito, also known as Scalvaitor, who mentored and directed artists at Tšakholo high school.
“I drew so much energy from this much talented artist. He could sing and recite
all the metaphors that could rage off his throat and I guess he made poetry an abc sequence that we all followed,” he said. He added that Sculvaitor was not
only an excellent supervisor, but also taught him that ‘You do not fall in love with poetry but poetry falls in love with you”. “The first act we pulled was an event held at school.
It was then when I realised that I am a vocally gifted Prodigy, I had a spotlight that day hovering over my head, as if electric chuckles filled my veins.
I knew that poetry had chosen me. So I decided to have a name that showcased my work and looked no further than the name Prodigy Teller,” he noted. He
furthered that after completing his matric he set off the pen for a few months and people started wondering his direct messages asking why he was suddenly
silent. He thought he was done with poetry but realised that one does not easily run from his God given gift. “What is meant for you will always find you
because you earned it,” continued the poet. “By the time I took off the pen, I had enough time to study my capabilities and design my craft such that I will mount a stage and hence an open platform for
poetry performance. I had vision of creating an audience that does not applause when I cry on stage but tells me to preach. An audience that hears my patterns even
when the speakers fail to pronounce my words, an audience that understands why I say I recite from the dead poet society even when the mics go mute, an
audience that is loving, caring and supportive like that of Thato Mora Mobu,” he said. Prodigy Teller explained that during this self-introspection he had thoughts ranging
down on him, moulding into a brighter side where he saw himself as an open mic stunt poet and beating open mic sessions for young poets who want to be heard.
“I want to be heard, I want to speak for the people and people should listen,” he concluded.
