A Review of Damilola Olaniyi’s ‘Drifting Cords’ by Paul Liam

Poetry is a mirror to the past and future; it reflects the personal or communal realities of lived experiences in society. Through the use of metaphors, poetry amplifies the fear, anger, love, violence, and perceptions of the personae it represents. Hence, when we read a poem, we engage not only with the poet’s subjective view of reality, but we also examine the private and social constructs that inform the poet’s reimagination of existence. In other words, poetry facilitates a conscious interrogation of what was, what is, and what ought to be within the perceptive portrayal of the poet’s conscious and subconscious thematization of life. This premise underscores the representations in Damilola Olaniyi’s 32-page chapbook, Drifting Cords (2025), published by Inkyrepertoire.

Drifting Cords is a slim collection of 12 lacerating poems. It is a philosophical reflection on life, love, death, nostalgia, exile, and social realities. It chronicles the persona’s interrogation of life. Through the use of ode and elegy, the poet invites the reader to join her in examining life and the existential realities that often undermine our quest for agency. For example, in the opening poem, “This Death Called Life, and Vice Versa” (p.1), the persona examines the paradoxical nature of life, characterized by many complexities. She presupposes that life and living could be equated with death. Using metaphors of dawn, sky, noon, night, and life, the persona highlights the transience of existence. The persona remarks in the opening stanza that “Dawn is for dew, dawn is delicate milky, maiden of eternal renewal.” She suggests that dawn, which marks the start of a new beginning, could also signify the beginning of an end because life itself is fragile. This notion is re-echoed throughout the poem, particularly in the third, fourth, and fifth stanzas. In the third stanza, the persona submits that “NOON IS STINGING rays of sunlight shot into life’s dark corridors.” If dawn is delicate, noon presents the brightness that opens the dark corridors of “OF LIFE and love bordered by hate.” But when we think that a new start is in view, then “NIGHT STEALS UPON US. Night robs us. We hate it and pine for it./We love how… /IT AKES away the light of day, so we may join the slow dream of death with others,”/ “WAITING for the unraveller that is dawn, dew, soft, another arrival, another death.” Olaniyi presents the parallelism between life and death, helping the reader to appreciate the mystery of nature.

In the second poem, “Heart of Sand” (p.3), the second poem continues with Olaniyi’s reflection on death, in a somber tone, the persona wonders about dying and how she would be buried, as lucidly captured in the third stanza of the poem, “& I WONDER: will I be engraved in sand or a wall of hearts—/Thumping, thumping, thumping,/Till my comeuppance?” The persona appears in the first and second stanzas, betraying a feeling of melancholia, even though the exact situation is stated; one can sense the burden in her heart. For example, in the first stanza, she postulates, “I feel dead weight/gathering irrelevance,/immobile,/but somehow defiant in the spotlight/threatening to blind me.” She then declares in the second stanza, “IT SEEMS to me/that it starts and ends here—” The uncertainties and worries of life can inflict doubt and resignation on the mind of a person, leading to contemplations about death and dying. In the third poem, “Ccords of Feelings” (p.4), however, the poet reveals the persona’s mental state, and we can deduce that she is suffering from depression, which explains the melancholia of the previous poems and the thematic preoccupation of the collection at large. This notion is highlighted in the second and third stanzas of the poem, “IF NOT TO DEEPEN THIS depression/begetting shadows of what used to be?” She continues, “SUCH LONELY PRISON I find myself;/dour-faced beauties alone for escape.” In the last stanza, the persona explains that after several futile attempts to find a solution to her crisis, she resigns to writing. Perhaps, writing serves as an escape from the woes of loneliness and depression. She enthuses, “WHAT RECOVERY HAVEN’T I sought?/What more can I write,/except to stagger on paper?/What more can I write,/if not that I’m down in spirit?” The poem highlights the psychological challenges that many poets and indeed writers in general go through in life and how writing becomes the escape route to dealing with depression.

In “Memories of Yesterday” (p.8), the persona reminisces on a romantic misadventure as she reflects on the promises and sacrifices made, but which did not end out as expected. The poem opens on a positive note, recollecting all the sweet promises and hope of love. But towards the middle and end of the poem, the tone of the poem changes from positive to negative as the persona bemoans the heartbreak she suffered at the hands of her erstwhile lover. This assertion is corroborated by the fifth stanza of the poem, which reads: “WHEN ALL I see/are merged memories, hurts, pains,/betrayals, laughter and hearts.” But the poem ends on a hopeful note where the persona looks forward to recompense for the afflictions she suffered. She declares in the last stanza thus: “NOW I LOOK FORWARD to/that beautiful place/where we both come true.”

In the poem titled “Oshodi” (P.10), the persona reflects on the chaotic nature of the Lagos suburb where the poet may have grown up. The persona, through vivid imagery, provides a descriptive overview of the area characterized by busy and disorderly lifestyles. It briefly depicts the poor conditions in which ordinary people live in pursuit of happiness and economic gain. Oshodi thus serves as a metaphor for the existential struggles of ordinary Nigerians caught between luxury and poverty; for example, Lagos Island represents the nation’s immense wealth, while places like Oshodi symbolize the widespread poverty faced by many citizens who struggle daily to make ends meet. The poem sharply highlights the indignities that define the lives of ordinary citizens. The poem is presented below for emphasis:

paradise of mud & grime
dirt & rubbish
buses & people like the arteries
of its pounding heart that says—
I wake up in the morning and run
like rats & roaches
cavorting for space
the noise, the muezzins, the early bathing melodies
of hawkers & conductors, where no one owns the floor
submerged by the race of survival

The poem clearly depicts the dehumanizing conditions and struggles of ordinary people in Lagos who cannot afford the luxury of island living or residence in upscale areas. It serves as a metaphor for the inequality between the wealthy and the poor. The lives of everyday men and women in most Nigerian urban centers are marked by undignified living conditions, as illustrated by the poem. In conclusion, Olaniyi’s promise as a poet is clear, and her ability to convey critical messages in poignant language is notable. Reading her work reignites awareness of the unspoken truths about the challenges and trauma faced by those with limited means of expression. Her poems, therefore, serve as witnesses to societal realities and personal traumas. The weaker aspect of the collection is its lesser emphasis on artistic depth and its reliance on clichés to highlight its message and meaning. Overall, it is a commendable debut, and a fitting read for those interested in accessible poetry.

---