Takaichi Tanaka

I am Takaichi Tanaka (pen name); a Malawian poet born 23rd March 1970 in Lilongwe, Malawi’s heartland and capital district. I hail from a small village called Chawantha-Misale found on the western outskirts of the capital. My real name is Dryford Chimutu.

I began writing poems out of sheer interest while in high school. My higher education, however, did not include formal lessons in poetry and English literature in general. Instead, when I went into college I studied Rural Development (Dip. in General Agriculture) and later Business Administration (Bachelor’s Degree).

I have interest in diverse poetry genres. My role models in the realms of poetry include Alexander Pope, Wang Wei, Thomas Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, and my more internationally acclaimed poets. This was why while studying for the BBA, I took World Literature as an elective.