Zimbabwean poet and storyteller Kuda Rice is exploring what it means to be a poet in a changing creative industry, taking spoken word beyond the familiar microphone and stage.

This is evident by his latest project, Metamorphosis, which brings poetry together with music, film, fashion and visual storytelling. Produced by VIXY ON-IIT, the poetic musical piece looks at how the people we meet and the experiences we go through can shape the person we become.

At the centre of the project is a simple but powerful idea of growth. Kuda captures it through the line.

“I quicken my metamorphosis so I can matter more for this.”

To Kuda however, the transformation goes beyond the subject of one song. His wider creative work reflects a shift in how spoken word can be presented, particularly at a time when artists are crossing over between different creative fields.

Kuda’s approach raises an interesting question to many which is, what does a Zimbabwean poet look like in 2026?

Meanwhile Kuda’s answer appears to be someone who does not have to remain in one lane. Poetry can live in a song, a film, a fashion image or a visual story without losing its identity.

This makes Metamorphosis less about changing poetry and more about allowing poetry to move with the generation creating it.

Kuda Rice is part of a group of Zimbabwean creatives showing that spoken word can occupy new spaces while still remaining rooted in storytelling.