Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
Slide
previous arrow
next arrow

Poet's Talk

Poets Talk: 5 Questions with Kayeon Onyeka

My sense of identity is that of an observer making sense of every scene that presents itself. More like a camera capturing what is presented as it interprets the images into photos. But I must admit that even as lenses get blurry. ...

READ MORE

Poets Talk: 5 Questions with Jakky Bankong-Obi

Poets Talk: 5 Questions with Odu Ode

Poets Talk: 5 Questions with Fatima Adamu

From Our Columnists

In The Poetry of Life: The Poetic Side of Melancholy | Nasiba Babale

It isn’t that I have never written a poem in the absence of melancholy. I have. But there is a way melancholy pokes into your soul; it makes you feel things; it lifts the curtain over your eyes and makes you see the world with vivid alacrity. There is a way it sequestrates the feelings out of you and turns them into words. There is a way melancholy does these that joy simply doesn’t know how to. Melancholy is poetry’s favorite child.

On Peace and the Essence of Chaos || Star Zahra

So, I understand what it means to come into the peace of wild things – like lakes – who do not tax themselves with the afterthought of thoughts.

In The Poetry of Life: Things I Remember About My Grandmother | Nasiba Babale

I remember my grandmother by a lot of things, and when I picture myself in old age, I see myself in her image. Tall, lean, with a slightly curved back, a head full of gray hair that tangles and covers my eyes when being loose. Rheumy eyes set on a dark lean face, hands that are ever generous, and a serious demeanor that resets naughty grandchildren back to their default setting.

The Question of Hybrid in Deaf Birds & Frozen Frames || Salamatu Sule

Alabi likens this to the little value we place on what we used to have that is free but never allowed ourselves to explore at a new place where we can no longer enjoy that freedom but are happy to explore.

Black Poets

Black Poets: Ikeogu Oke.

Ikeogu Oke was a Nigerian poet and journalist who died in Abuja on November 27th, 2018, at 51. He hailed from Ohafia in south-eastern Nigeria and was considered a deeply spiritual person. He sought to embody traditional African beliefs, notably wearing the Ohafia war dress to high-profile events to highlight his Igbo heritage. 

Black Poets: Warsan Shire.

Black Poets: Véronique Tadjo.

Black Poets: Bassey Ikpi.

Surviving Love and a Pandemic – #Malumfashi

Most people are wearing cloth made masks they lower to their chins when they want to talk to you – there is something about the need to communicate with the lips visible, moving. Some are wearing matching Ankara and facemask prints, in a fashion statement that even Covid-19 cannot mask.

Flowing With Words and Music – #Andrea

The artists’ plan was to explore different spaces for the performances: from culture venues to a garden, to art galleries, with the vision that art creates vibes that raise the human consciousness.

Poetic Insights – #Andrea

I shout your name into the dark night A forest of shadows And there is no hyena around to respond Where are you!?

Garments | Naseeba Babale

From The Editor

BIRTHING WORDS: Will you buy my words… or An Author’s Short Introspection on His Writing Odyssey – Tope Ogundare

Tope Ogundare is a psychiatrist and poet who was recently shortlisted for Association of Nigerian Authors/KMVL Poetry Prize (2023). In this piece, he gives a brief glimpse into his writing and inspiration. Do read, do share! ...

READ MORE

BroDa SaMson [A Poem] by Oyindamola Shoola

IMISIMOLE’S BALAD by S. Su’eddie Vershima Agema

Orange Poetry NG

In The Poetry of Life by Naseeba Babale

In The Poetry of Life: The What-Ifs | Nasiba Babale

In a lot of ways, ending a year is like ending a poem. Like a poet approaches a finished poem in scrutiny, going over and reading it again, sometimes reading it out loud to hear the rhythm and make sure it flows smoothly, so too do we go over the events of an ending year. But unlike a poem, we cannot remove the words or the lines we feel are obstructing the flow of a year spent. There is no going back to remove a word or insert a new one. There is no changing the events of any moment. There is no altering the flow. There are only the what-ifs.

In The Poetry of Life: The Last Stanza | Nasiba Babale

In The Poetry of Life: Dear Friday | Nasiba Babale

In The End We All Become Our Mothers | Nasiba Babale

Everything Here

Portsmouth Football Club Appoints Bash Amuneni As New Poet In Residence.

Bash Amuneni, renowned Nigerian spoken words poet has been appointed as the new poet in residence (Poet Laureate) for the Portsmouth Football Club, an England club with 126 years of history.

What ‘Nigeria Meets Sweden: An Intercultural Cookbook by Philippe Glago’ Shows: A Review by Soji Cole

Stories From Young African Poets: Ngatha Faith’s definition And DNA.

However as I grew older shyness overcame the confidence that I initially had and I did not get to interact with poetry again up until I got to university.

Wendy Okeke Portrays Her Humanity in Grief’s First Kiss is an Avalanche

Stories From Young African Poets: To love a “no name” And Zainab Tijani Mohammed.

Initially, poetry was just another subject in school, words strung together, one after the other. As a child, my mind was more focused on the empty cans waiting to be filled with sand or crushing biscuits into paste to bake into cake. I don’t know where the concept of time immemorial fits into the corners of my memory, but words have always lived somewhere in my heart. I just didn’t know exactly where, so I never bothered to visit.

SEVHAGE and Konya Shamsrumi presents The Poetry Club UDUS Anthology 2025

Announcing the Shortlist for the 2024 Vivian Ihaza [SEVHAGE] Teen Poetry Prize

Stories Of Young African Poets: Sounds And Rhymes Of Timi Sanni.

I grew up enchanted by sound and rhymes, from my grandmother's folksongs to the English nursery rhymes I devoured.