Books you should read: 'The Boy from Africa and other poems' by Oliver Sopulu Odo

The Boy from Africa and other poems  by Oliver Sopulu Odo, is a chapbook containing 24 poems that focuses on the spirit of Africa, the African life as well as the depression of the African continent. Oliver writes his poem with the aim of giving strong motivation and also ensuring that you take a deep reflective thought as you read his poem.

Poetry: An Analysis on E. "O'brevis" Omeje's Depression -E-CAF

Photo by Chris Dubem

The poem is an easy comprehensible piece, made up of three nailed stanza, with a unifying theme. It's the shortness and meaningful write up I have seen on depression; encoded with the START, the AFTERMATH and the ADVISE. So complete!

Vincent Agbodike: Christ's Passion

In us You gave it all
By us we lost it all.
We rejected the blame
Putting Your efforts to shame.

In full force the gate of hell let loose
Pouring upon us her virtues in deuce;
Death, misery, hardship, sorrow, pain
Wickedness, hatred, vanity. Sin!

Oliver S. Odo: "Backfriend my Friend" and it's analysis by E-CAF

             

Hello! Backfriend the sweet atter
You have been giving to me is
My life support to live longer
I want you to know that bitter
Is a medication for the unhealthy living
Hungry doesn't kill a free goat that
Dines from its enemy farmland.
       
Criticism of Oliver S. Odo's B"Backfriend my friend" by Chidubem Egwudike
The persona, in this work, tells us the the kind of ironic impact false friends have on us.

Poem: FEAR by Chidubem Egwudike

Image Credit: Pinterest

I wrote this poem in the year 2017. It was dedicated to a very good friend of mine, Felicitas Irue.

She is a girl I felt attracted to back in my tutorial days. A lady who dwells in her sadness until I meet her. Trust me, I won't share her story here..lol

I am so glad to have met her and I believe I have indeed enlightened her.

Poem: INDICES by Chidubem Egwudike

This poem was written by I in the year 2019. It has originally been published by Think Life on April 20, 2019. Copyright of this work is under the protection of Think Life.
It's titled INDICIES....

Biography of Romeo Oriogun.

Romeo Oriogun

Romeo Oriogun is a 21 century Nigerian Poets. His poems have appeared in Praxis, Afridiaspora, African Writer, Brittle Paper, and elsewhere. Shortlisted for the Brunel International African Poetry Prize, he’s the author of Burnt Men, an electronic chapbook published by Praxis.

Biography of Niyi Osundare.

Niyi Osundare

Niyi Osundare (born 1947 in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria) is a prolific poet, dramatist and literary critic. He gained degrees at the University of Ibadan (BA), the University of Leeds (MA) and York University, Canada (PhD, 1979). Previously professor (from 1989) and Head of English (1993–97) at the University of Ibadan, he became

Poetry: They too Are the Earth by Niyi Osundare.

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Image via Foluke Ifejola

They too are the earth

The swansongs of beggars sprawled out
The brimming gutters
They are the earth
Under snakeskin shoes and Mercedes tyres.

They too are the earth

The sweat and grime of
Millions hewing wood and hurling water
They are the earth
Muddy every pore like naked moles

Poetry: I wan bi President by Ezenwa Ohaeto

E get one dream Wey dey worry me I don dream am tire,

If I sleep small Na di dream go come If I close eye small Na di dream go come If I siddon for chair say make I rest small Na di dream go come I think say na malaria dey come,

For night when I lie for bed When hunger dey blow me When I never see food chop When I never see water drink Na di dream go come,

Poetry: Idoto by Christopher Okigbo

Before you, mother Idoto,
         naked I stand,
before your watery presence,
          a prodigal,

leaning on an oilbean;
lost in your legend...

Poetry: Christmas in Biafra by Chinua Achebe

Cover page 

This sunken-eyed moment wobbling
down the rocky steepness on broken
bones slowly fearfully to hideous
concourse of gathering sorrows in the valley
will yet become in another year a lost

Christmas irretrievable in the heights
its exploding

Poetry: 'ABIKU' by Wole Soyinka.

Abiku is a Yoruba word that can be translated as "predestined to death". It is from (abi) "that which possesses" and (iku) "death".

In vain your bangles cast
Charmed circles at my feet;
I am Abiku, calling for the first
And the repeated time.


Must I weep for goats and cowries
For palm oil and the sprinkled ash?
Yams do not sprout in amulets
To earth Abiku's limbs.


So when the snail is burnt in his shell
Whet the heated fragments, brand me
Deeply on the breast

Poetry: "The Casualties" by John Pepper Clark

Image | Casualties

THE CASUALTIES.
to Chinua Achebe.

The casualties are not only those who are dead.
They are well out of it.
The casualties are not only those who are wounded,
Though they await burial by installment.
The casualties are not only those who have lost
Persons or property, hard as it is
To grope for a touch that some
May not know is not there.
The casualties are

Wesco: A piece to my "Alma Mater".

Western College
Western College!
A college of gratitude,
A school of good aptitude
Were students strives to attain a goal.
A goal of wisdom
A wisdom that leads to freedom
Here is Western College!
The kingdom of guruship.