Homeland & Other PoemsIfowodo was a frontline student leader in the early eighties and is a lawyer and civil rights activist. In 1996 he was a writer-in-residence at the Heinrich Boell Foundation. He was imprisoned between 1997 and 1998 and was subsequently adopted by PEN. This is his first collection of poetry which won the 1993 Association of Nigerian Authors Poetry Prize. Many of the poems are responses to politics; or spring from the tensions between writing political poetry, or art for art's sake, and other competing subjects of poetry, such as romantic love. The poet, quoting Neruda, first asks the reader expecting a poetic celebration of his natural world to 'come see the blood in the streets'. In the section section he writes tributes to Tracey Chapman, Winnie and Nelson Mandela and Margeret Thatcher ('the butcher'). The subject of the third section is the rediscovery of romantic love, amidst and beyond turmoil and oppression. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 4
Page 11
... earth and see no pain on our paths and no evil in men's hearts . For art's sake , we shall shun pain , and write lyrics of the ear . 14 October , 1987 Untold terrors are gathered ... Untold terrors are gathered in 11 For art's sake.
... earth and see no pain on our paths and no evil in men's hearts . For art's sake , we shall shun pain , and write lyrics of the ear . 14 October , 1987 Untold terrors are gathered ... Untold terrors are gathered in 11 For art's sake.
Page 37
... . Brother ! you go too far in search of what the books say is evil or perhaps this which billboards the streets is too large for encyclopaedia ? The refuge of a home proves a child's sandhouse before 37 Greed will kill the beast.
... . Brother ! you go too far in search of what the books say is evil or perhaps this which billboards the streets is too large for encyclopaedia ? The refuge of a home proves a child's sandhouse before 37 Greed will kill the beast.
Page 51
... All may turn from the evil of forbidden paths , -not this lady , with amulets in her skirts . You carved too close to bone , Maggie to stop a night of nemesis and its rain . Who would dare the voters ' own pledge to levy 51.
... All may turn from the evil of forbidden paths , -not this lady , with amulets in her skirts . You carved too close to bone , Maggie to stop a night of nemesis and its rain . Who would dare the voters ' own pledge to levy 51.
Contents
For arts sake | 11 |
Poem to the child of my time | 32 |
Mandelas mantle | 41 |
Copyright | |
1 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
anger anguish arms asked August battle bear beast beneath bitter bleeding blood bones break breath broken brows carved cast child close colours count crocodiles cross daily dance death December deep dust dying earth evil eyes face fading faith fear feet fire flesh flowing forest gathered graves grow guns hand harvest head hear heart heat hope horns January kill laughter lay dying leaves light living marched mark memory mouth muscle needing night pain past paths plead pledged POEMS poetry poison prize rain rising rivers roads sadness sand season seek serve shadow soldier song Soon sorrows soul space stars stone streets surer taste tears teeth terror things thirst tongue tree truth turn voice walk walls wear weeping whip wider winds wondered wounds