OF A COUNTRY SPLINTERED BY GRIEF

1/6/2023

By Ayoade Olamide

How did this land become deafened to the calls of blissfulness?
It's been long I saw a butterfly flutter freely in the wind.
Are caterpillars now morphing into wingless cripples?
or have they grown too heavy to be pedaled on the wind's wheels?
—All these questions have I taken into my skin, but the dermis
remains a layer metaphoring a blank answer sheet, so how do
I direct my prayers to God without becoming a stray bullet?

This misery runs down my eyes in salt water as I watch
my motherland in nakedness. Her gown, soaked in flaming fire,
spreading with the wind. Her bosom, a crooked valley flooded
with a rotten river. She has been given to the hands of solemn songs.
& when I traced this affliction to the origin, I saw kings eating up
their palaces' pillars, pastors teaching their congregation how to
sin, shepherds leading their flocks to a meadow-eaten-wildfire.
Last year, Deborah became a wood to fuel a burning nation;
somewhere, her father still tries to unbury her remains like a
groundhog, but how does one gather ashes back to a body?
God, teach me to unwind the grief splintered in this poem
like a tiny piece of wood plunged into my foot sole.
Yestermorn, I sought hope from the mouth of the river Niger,
and it replied to me with the dead bodies of #endsars victims.
How did we get here—a place where quietude is a vagabond?
How did we thumbprint this grief to our flag without unfurling?
They said to vote is to expect a miracle, but what is
louder than a vote if not the cries of the masses?

Writer's Biography

Ayoade Olamide, NGP i, studies Mass Communication at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State. He is the author of "Poets Don't Sleep" & the fifth-place winner of NSPP 2022. His works have appeared in PoetryColumNND, Eremite Poetry, Hyacinth Review, PepperCoast Lit, IbadanArts, Artslounge, Woven Poetry, The Academy of the Heart, and Mind, Ariel Chart, WattNigeria & elsewhere.

17 Comments

abasiamayanga

4/6/2023 04:24:12 pm

There's a nice use of metaphors.

Gena

12/6/2023 09:54:39 pm

I love it🤗

Ayomide Deborah

14/6/2023 12:43:25 pm

Beautiful 😍😊. This is amazing. The poem portrays the author's frustration and anguish with their home country's state through vivid imagery and emotional language. The poet utilizes imagery to create a world of despair and sadness in the reader's mind.

The title " Of a Country Splintered by Grief" is a perfect choice 💖. I instantly began visualizing what he was saying. The poem is a reflection on the current state of affairs in the author's home country (which I assume is Nigeria), which has been plagued with corruption, violence, and societal decay. The writer employs personification to convey depression and grief in his homeland, describing the suffering of the people and using "Deborah" to symbolize the lost souls due to violence in the country .

The poem critiques the author's country's political situation, highlighting systemic issues and corruption. Its mournful tone inspires readers such as myself to reflect on the struggles of those trapped in a society that has lost its way. The powerful imagery and rhetorical questions encourage reflection on the struggles of those trapped in a society that has lost its way. Overall, it is a poignant and powerful reflection on the challenges faced by those trapped in a society that has lost its way.

The poem is well-crafted with powerful language, but it could benefit from concrete suggestions for change rather than presenting a bleak view. This is a personal preference and should not detract from the poem's beauty .

Peace

15/6/2023 12:19:53 pm

This poem highlights the pains of most Nigerian.

Where the country grieves, where the masses are tired but have to keep trying, where we struggle to see the beauty in our Nation.

There are so many questions!

Indeed, what's louder than the cry of the masses?!

Kudos to the Poet. It's a great piece.

Blessing Ani

15/6/2023 12:35:42 pm

This is a beautiful piece of work, I think it portrays homelessness more than anything. It is almost a wail.

Tobechukwu Anuna

16/6/2023 06:37:44 pm

A total disappointment on what fate holds on the aspect of life.

As writer explains🤷

Alhassan Awwal Jibril

21/6/2023 12:11:40 pm

The poet projects the the slow death of peace in the country and yearning for hope amidts the cloud of hopelessness. It's a magnificent peace.

Michael C. Obiesie

24/6/2023 12:06:00 am

The poem paints a country that has lost its glory
A country that waters its streets with blood of the voiceless
Crying out for sanity for healing of the bruised masses.

A beautiful poem with a strong message.
More ink to your pen my brother poet.

Umeakpa Confidence Njidekamma link

24/6/2023 09:28:26 am

This is beautiful. Artistically designed, embodying the evil in his country Nigeria.

Amaraeze Onyinyechi

24/6/2023 09:30:02 pm

I applaud the writer's skillful use of metaphors, he succinctly paints the past and present of our country with the right words. This piece is undoubtedly a striking one, portraying the grief we carry as a nation.

Divine link

25/6/2023 09:14:33 am

This is massive, more ink to your aesthetic pen brother.

Valentine Oriko link

27/6/2023 09:48:56 am

I love the way you expressed the pain of the poor in your poem

Onlycheddie

28/6/2023 08:03:16 am

I find it sad that a lot of African writers focus on the dystopia we live in. I hope that our environment can one day inspire hopeful and bright literary works.

Ufedo Adaji

29/6/2023 09:31:26 am

This is a heartfelt piece that resonates with many Nigerians. The author addressed pressing issues that have bugged society thus far even though the deafening silence from the authorities is palpable. Such a beautiful use of metaphors and descriptions. Bravo 👏

Greatmichael Kayode

29/6/2023 01:08:35 pm

"Of a Country Splintered by Grief" is a poignant and evocative poem that captures the speaker's despair and anguish over the state of their motherland. The imagery used throughout the poem, such as the absence of butterflies, the metaphor of caterpillars as wingless cripples, and the land soaked in flaming fire, vividly portrays a nation in turmoil. The poem raises thought-provoking questions about the loss of blissfulness, the responsibility of leaders and religious figures, and the powerlessness of prayer in the face of tragedy. The mention of Deborah's tragic fate and the reference to the #endsars movement add layers of societal unrest and political turmoil. Through the speaker's plea to God for guidance in navigating the grief and seeking hope, the poem conveys a profound sense of helplessness and yearning for change.

In terms of improvement, the poem exhibits a powerful emotional core and evocative imagery. To enhance its impact, the poet could consider refining certain lines for clarity and tightening the structure to ensure a consistent flow. Additionally, exploring more sensory details and weaving them into the narrative might further immerse the reader in the world of grief and beauty that the poem evokes.

Overall, It's a great poem that invites readers to empathize with the pain and search for answers in a country plagued by suffering.

Maimuna Mustapha link

29/6/2023 07:28:06 pm

I sooo much loved the choice(and play) of words.

What I didn’t like about it was how lengthy it was. I think it would have delivered the message just as much as it did if it was shorter.

Ihunwo Prosper Ovundah

30/6/2023 09:22:48 am

First of all I love the way the writer started off the poem.
With every sentence it showed why the heart of the writer is broken.. every paragraph was a solo poem on its own! Great piece of writing.

OF A COUNTRY SPLINTERED BY GRIEF

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Copyright @SprinNG

OF A COUNTRY SPLINTERED BY GRIEF

Leave a Reply.

Copyright @SprinNG​

Copyright @SprinNG