₦airaland Forum

@ Salisuammy

Literature needs to be complex 'cos it's an institution. It's like a food. Can you compared white rice and well-spiced one. If literature is a toy, then all nairalanders would've bagged Nobel by now.

Though i read my Koran daily, i'm at present devouring the book of my moment 'Invisible Chapters' by Maik Nwosu.

Literature is an institution, not a frivolous passion. Sure, we can institutionalize it, but let's think twice, i mean, let's get to the peak of our crazitivity, sorry poetivity first. A fast horse doesnt run long!

Thank God you beg for no judgement/critique. Stay cool.

YOU MUST LOVE ME
(For Natasha Simpson*)


I’m not a good cook

But your heart is my gizzard

Heard you call me a cannibal



We must eat

Shun the burgers of your excuses

Your ice-cream has been defeated by my sun



We must eat

Trust-coated loaves of love

A bouquet of smiles hoarded I

To stir the tea of fantasy

In the eyes of my desire



Let’s eat

This broth of my life

Begs for your tongue



Let’s shame the rainbow

Under the petals of our dreams



Let my breath

Witness the breastfed nods

Hidden

In the pregnancy of your shy frowns


*Natasha is an African-American I met in Jos, Nigeria.
This poem is one out of many i forced into her life.

With due respect, who's Achebe before the prowess of some present Nigerian writers? Have you read or heard of Ahmed Maiwada and colleagues? Achebe is a thieving writer; he exploited the art of his kin to bellow his creativity. Such is unoriginality.

@DeepZone

Soyinka is brainier but okigbo is more classical. And the fact that he died a martyr made him angelic. Okigbo was killed in the front during the Nigerian civil war of the late 60's.

There are wide chasms between lines, poetry, verses and songs. You write lines. Romantic lines. Not poetry. Keep it up.

Hi Cifeozo.

I don't know how deep your knees are in poetry, but judging by your 'Homecoming' i can rate you an average poet with potentials though. You know, in poetry what matter the most are the beauty of your words and musicality; that's for poems with direction. You sure write well, but i still insist that this poem needs some masterly retouch. The poem read like a keg of water. Water is good, but because of its commonness, it needs no chant in the presence of fanta, champaign. I DON'T TALK MUCH. As a poet i know you've smelt my message. Hope you're not offended. Best Regards.

Your poem is like a wind- Directionless. Try the same poem without rhymes. That would better explain you. Good attempt, anyway.

@ Franc1982

You write nice lines, sure. Is sun the only source of inspiration? C'mon, this is unoriginal. Sorry to say this: I have a high taste of poetry hence i qualified your lines average coz they're prosaic, i mean the imagery isn't striking. That's me. Just being me!

Cool idea. Don't mind gamine. But how can it be properly done? Let's think over it.

Hurray! Any particular bookshop one can have a copy? Great! Keep going!

How notorious am i than you? This explains it.

I love james hadley but his books derail me: They arouse my passion for sex, adventure, crime,

Every man has a craft in which his life resonates. To conclude that Okigbo is the best of all poets is a judgement made in darkness and dispassion. If you want to know the truth, go get the poetry of Maik Nwosu, and some emerging poets of the 21st century. Okigbo is just among the pioneers. The first aint the best! Sure, I've read LABYRINTH. And had mark out an encyclopedia of lapses in the craft.

Are you a fan of Salman? Sure, i'm not! And would never be one. Salman dented his repute by blindly smearing a prophet of the ISLAM in a book SATANIC VERSES (without a joist to support his blindness) in the 80's. Perhaps you had'nt much knowledge of Salman. Do we celebrate a bigot? Please have a shade to lull your EZINES.

Seems all of u have no literary mind! for why listing memorables writers without MAIK NWOSU, a nigerian writer/poet based in the US. Not even shakespear boast of his ingenuity!

Honestly, one writer i so much cherish is Ben Okri with the novel THE FAMISHED ROAD. But the most essential nay best of all Nigerian writers is ABUBAKAR GIMBA with books like TRAIL OF SACRIFICE, SUNSET FOR A MANDARIN, SACRED APPLE, INNOCENT VICTIMS, ETC. He was the president of Association of Nigerian Authors between 1997 to 2001. please try get his works. Moreover if you're a secularist that puts question mark on the metaphysical world, please try savouring the book ALPHA SONG by MAIK NWOSU, He's the big 'thing' in the Nigerian book market now, only that his works are complicated.

Great. I'm a born writer with many unpublished works to my credit. I write on all genres of literature. Let's get along on philantropicgee@yahoo.com

we tend to neglect the fact our past president(political hero) in person of president obasanjo is a writer, i think he should be king to badge that title
for more evidence on this fact, go get "my command, Nzeogwu," and lots more in any of the national libraries nationwide.

The problem with nigerians is that we dont celebrate living legends. many writers abound in the country ar far far betta than okigbo, try niyi osundare, olu oguibe, ebeoronwu

any female poet in the house? please hook up with me at philantropicgee@yahoo.com, my numbers and profile will b unveil afterwards. Concerto!

this is what soyinka wud've called unpalatable poem. not mellifluous at all!