Don Beukes

Don Beukes was born in Athlone in Cape Town, South Africa. He spent his childhood in Elsies River and Belhar and graduated at the University of the Western Cape with a BA Degree in English and Geography in 1992 where he also studied Psychology. He then qualified as a teacher with a Higher Diploma in Education (Post-Graduate) in 1993.

He is a retired teacher of English and Geography and taught for Twenty years in both South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Don's debut collection of poetry, 'The Salamander Chronicles', was published in December 2016 by Creative Talents Unleashed, dealing with a range of themes such as oppression, bullying, politics, globalism, sexism, abuse, birth, death, refugees, as well as racism, having been born, raised and educated during the last two decades of Apartheid.

His second book 'Icarus Rising - Volume 1' published by Alien Buddha Press, is a collection of Ekphrastic poetry with most of the poems based on original artwork and close collaboration with artists from South Africa, America and the UK.

His South African publication debut of fourteen exclusive poems was published by Libbo Publishers in August 2018 with three other prominent SA authors Bevan Boggenpoel, Leroy Abrahams and Selwyn Milborrow in a unique anthology 'In Pursuit of Poetic Perfection', which upon release went to number 1 in 'African Literature' on Amazon Kindle.

He was also published in 'Cape Sounds', an Anthology bringing together writers from Cape Town, South Africa.

His new collection of Poetry and Flash Fiction, 'Sic Transit Gloria Mundi/Thus Passes the Glory of this World' was published in December 2020 by Concrete Mist Press and Heath Brougher and reached #3 in African Literature under 'New Releases'.

His writing journey was shaped during the last ten years and only came to fruition in May 2015 when he collaborated with a well known South African comedian and artist, Casper De Vries for an ekphrastic poetry exhibition (in absentia), based on selected artwork by Mr. De Vries for the 'Aapstrak Vat 5 Art Exhibition' at the Alice Art Gallery in Ruimsig, South Africa in both English and Afrikaans.

His poetry has been published in numerous literary magazines and journals in the USA, Canada, India, Bangladesh and the Philippines, as well as in various anthologies. Some of his poems have also been translated into Albanian by Irsa Ruçi and in Farsi by Soodabeh Saeidnia as well as Afrikaans. He recently collaborated with internationally renowned cartoonist, artist and animator, Nanda Soobben, from Durban in South Africa; as well as Jonel Scholtz, Amitabh Mitra, Shameeg Van Schalkwyk and Vakseen, a Vanity Pop artist based in Los Angeles, USA.

He has been nominated for 'Best of the Net 2017' by the editor of Scarlet Leaf Review, Roxana Nastase for his trilogy, 'Esorfo Ygolirt/Trilogy of Rose'.

He plans to use his publication success to establish his own foundation in South Africa one day to improve literacy in schools and to promote a reading culture in impoverished communities, as he is passionate about the state of education in South Africa and indeed the global village.