The Anguish and Vigilance of Things

The Anguish and Vigilance of Things is Richard Ali’s debut poetry collection, a meditation on love, memory, history, faith, violence, and the fragile condition of being human. Across forty-three poems arranged in two movements—World and Otherworld—Ali moves from intimate lyricism to sweeping reflections on conflict, loss, mythology, and the moral burdens of history. Rich in literary allusion and striking imagery, these poems inhabit the spaces between tenderness and devastation, inviting readers into a deeply reflective exploration of anguish, resilience, and vigilance. A landmark collection from one of Nigeria’s most distinctive contemporary literary voices.

‘The moon is given the quality of a totem, symbolic in its role—its light, “a silver,” connotes the shiny quality that brightens the world beneath it, and an assurance of its purity to stay evil. Under the weight of the words “We could not imagine danger beneath the silver moon,” therefore, is an anxiety of the destruction of the moon’s protective powers—the trepidation in the poet’s voice is communicated to us. But this is luck. Richard Ali’s language in The Anguish and Vigilance of Things is not always accessible throughout the collection.’

Review: The Anguish and Vigilance of Things.