Analysis of The White Man's Burden by Rudyard Kipling

The Poet and Introduction

I do not think any lover of good literature will dispute my believe that Rudyard Kipling was one of the geniuses in his lifetime. Born in India on the 30th of December, 1865. 

His love for literature led him to journalism, poetry and short-story writing (he authored the famous book title: The Jungle Book) but to cut the very long profile short, at the ripe age of 70, Joseph Rudyard Kipling kissed his mortal flesh goodnight 18th of January, 1836.

If you're a fervent follower or reader of this blog, you'll recollect when Naijapoets recently analyzed a poem written by poet with Nobel Prize in Literature and Rudyard Kipling is another example on this blog. Jean Paul Sartre had his Nobel Prize in Literature in the year 1964 while Rudyard's Nobel Prize award was in the year 1907.

Colonization, exploitation and civilization are known to share the same link in any historical growth of both developed and developing countries. Colonialists act on the motive of calculated gains from the intended land which on the other hands lead to the further development of such land.

"The White Man's Burden" by Rudyard Kipling mocks the  long practiced heroism by people from Europe and America which they carry out in different ways noted in the poem. Colonialism, Activism, Philanthropism, Missionary, Exploration, Humanitarianism, Rescue Missions.

Structure and Devices

Structurally, the eight stanza poem has irregular rhymes pattern and stanzas. 

With tone of admonition to arouse a repellant mood, the poet made mockery of so many glorified acts through a second person perspective. 

Besides, the use of refrain "Take up the white man's burden" seen at the commencement of each stanza, there are other poetic devices as thus: "By all ye cry or whisper/ By all ye leave or do," is an instance of antithesis in the poem, "The savage wars of peace" is an example of oxymoron, "To wait in heavy harness/ On fluttered folk and wild" has alliteration. 

"And bid the sickness cease" which possesses assonance. Biblical allusion in the poem is "Why brought he us from bondage/ Our loved Egyptian night?"

Paraphrase of the Poem

Take up the white man's burden of sending your sons to rule the land you've colonized. 

Take up the white man's burden of patiently cajoling people with sweet public speeches that quench their threats of terror towards you. Or take up the white man's burden of discouraging the enjoyable lifestyle of the nobles and the kings but risk your life on deadly adventure to explore new places.

You can take up the white man's burden of giving gifts and financial aids to those affected by the aftermath of revolutionary wars filled with famine only to watch your effort amount to waste by people's laziness and religious fanaticism. 

You should also take up the white man's burden of being rewarded with blame (like Moses in the Bible) from your rivals and those you worked hard to safe from captivity. Take up the white man's burden of missionary approach where freedom is prayerfully seek knowing that people will always judge you by your gods and personal behavior. 

Or maybe you should take up the modern white man's burden of sacrificing a whole lot of yourself in the quest for laureates and honorary awards.

If you take this moment to examine, you will realize those white man's burdens give nothing but ingratitude, sorrow, hard wisdom and criticism.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

How Suitable Is The Title Vanity By Birago Diop?

The Poet

The poem Vanity was written by Birago Diop, the author of a poetry book titled: Lures And Glimmers (1960). Birago Diop wasn't just a poet, he was a veterinarian and was once an ambassador of Senegal to Tunisia. He was born 11/11/1906 but died 10/11/1989.

The Title Justification

I prefer the poem Breaths by Birago Diop  to the poem Vanity by Birago Diop but considering the title of the poem Vanity, how suitable is it to the context of the poem?

There was no direct display of vanity in the poem because the twenty nine lines of the poem were written without a single word called vanity, but the poem speaker painted the picture of vanity from start to finish.

Through one of the theme of negligence, the poem speaker revealed vanity in virtually all the four stanzas ("Who indeed will hear them without laughter?" in line 5, "What eyes will watch our loud mouths?" in line 8, even line 11-14 portrayed vanity)

The poem went "in black depths" to show how negligence on part of the poem speaker and of those who will hear what the poem speaker had to say, made the message of the poem to be in vain.

In conclusion, I'm of the notion or support that the title of the poem is well suitable. Kudos to Birago Diop.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the candid winged Leo soaring)

Read More

Poetry As A Freelance Niche

The $1 Question

The question of whether poetry is a lucrative niche for freelance job has become many contemporary poets' nightmare.

In today's online-writers' jungle, niche like business niche, health related niche and finance related niche are the king in terms of potential returns they can push into online freelancer's purse.

Well, that doesn't mean poetry is a no-go-area; after all, most wise startup freelancers don't begin their journey with a single niche. They have at least two niches at their disposal.

The Bitter Truth

As I said earlier, all niches are not the same_ some are more lucrative than others but choosing the right niche isn't the only thing, possessing the appropriate freelancing knowledge is now a necessity.

Freelancing now has two phases which are the pro phase and the amateur phase. Most writers are missing out on the knowledge of how to become a professional freelance writer.

If you're a freelancer and has broad knowledge of poetry, there are many poetry magazines online you can always work with. You can find jobs here or you can simply allow Indeed.com to mail job offers to your email box the same way they do to my gmail box every week.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.
aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Q and A: Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre

The Excerpt

"There is something new, for example, about my hands, a certain way of picking up my pipe or my fork. 

Or else it is the fork which now has a certain way of getting itself picked up, I don't know. Just now, when I was on the point of coming into my room, I stopped short because I felt in my hand a cold object which attracted my attention by means of a sort of personality. 

I opened my hand and looked I was simply holding the door knob"

The Question

The style of writing in the Excerpt from Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre is _________

The Answer

Introspective (option A)

The Explanation

Introspective involves the practice of self-consciousness. The author employed the style to portray Antoine's condition of depression by showing how he examined himself most especially his new feelings towards holding or handling things.

The Novel

Nausea is a novel about a character named Antoine Roquentin living in Bouville for three years (he was a loner). As the story unfolded, he developed chronic side of nausea as a result of heavy daily burden and tasks to be accomplished.

The Author

Jean Paul Sartre who lived between 21st June, 1905 and 15th April, 1980 was one of those with Nobel Prize for Literature; an award he received in the year 1964. 

J. P. Sartre was born in Paris, France and grew up to become a writer, a politician and a philosopher among other things.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Imagery In Murder In The Cathedral By T S Eliot

The Author of the Drama

Murder in the Cathedral is a drama written by T. S. Eliots, a British poet though born in America by American citizens. He lived from 26-09-1888 to 04-01-1965 his full name is Thomas Stearns Eliot OM.

Summary of the Drama

The drama is a tragic one. It dramatized the rivalry between two friends King Henry II and Thomas Becket, who also can be considered leaders but the strength of their friendship began faint in sight of disagreements. 

At the long run, Thomas was murdered in the Cathedral but not by the order of his enemy-friend (King Henry II).

Imagery in the Drama

There are abundant references to nature images by the chorus which gives an indication of the passage of time and changing fortunes and circumstances of the chorus. These references emphasize the impending doom of Thomas Beckett. 

There is also the use of animal imagery in the drama suggesting cannibalism and violence as indicated by the references to the jackal, jackass and jerboa. 

The images suggest that Beckett's end will be violent and thus presage his murder at the hands of the knights. 

There is in addition the use of biblical images which recall the Christian notions of sacrifice and martyrdom as well as conjure up issues of predestination.

Samuel C Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Simple Summary of Finery by Jane Taylor

About Jane Taylor

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was written by Jane Taylor who lived between 23rd September of 1783 and 13th April of 1824. She was a poet mothered by another writer who goes by the name Ann Taylor (1796-1810). 

Jane Taylor hailed from Lavenham, Suffolk in London.

Summary of Finery by Jane Taylor

Finery is a poem that narrates a story of two young ladies_ Fanny and Lucy. 

Fanny was a young rich lady who took dozen of time to groom herself for a short party she needed to attend in her friend's place. She wore her hair so perfectly curly and chose the finest of her dress decorated with beautiful lace. She said to herself "Ah! how they will all be delighted, I guess,/ And stare with surprise at my handsome new dress!". 

The other lady (Lucy) not quite from a rich family attended the same party wearing white simple, cheap and neat dress.

Unfortunately for Fanny, no one noticed her nor her rich attire. She was almost a ghost at the party because none related with her because she appeared so proud and oppressing but all eyes were on Lucy, the simple and cheerful lady. 

Lucy at the party was preferred because she wasn't acting fake or trying put on the personality she doesn't possess.

The final stanza of the poem advised that it's always better to wear a smiling face than expensive outfit because "the good-natured girl is loved best in the main/ If her dress is but decent, though ever so plain".

The 5 stanza rhyming poem is 4 lines each which total 20 lines. Via a third person perspective, Jane Taylor pointed at the importance of good social behavior by comparing two young ladies with contrasting social behavior.

The Poem

In an elegant frock, trimm'd with beautiful lace,
And hair nicely curl'd, hanging over her face,
Young Fanny went out to the house of a friend,
With a large little party the evening to spend.

"Ah! how they will all be delighted, I guess,
And stare with surprise at my handsome new dress!"
Thus said the vain girl, and her little heart beat,
Impatient the happy young party to meet.

But, alas! they were all too intent on their play
To observe the fine clothes of this lady so gay,
And thus all her trouble quite lost its design;­
For they saw she was proud, but forgot she was fine.

'Twas Lucy, though only in simple white clad,
(Nor trimmings, nor laces, nor jewels, she had,)
Whose cheerful good-nature delighted them more
Than Fanny and all the fine garments she wore.

'Tis better to have a sweet smile on one's face,
Than to wear a fine frock with an elegant lace,
For the good-natured girl is loved best in the main,
If her dress is but decent, though ever so plain.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.
aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Getting Leads For Poetry Blog

Why I Need Leads For Poetry Blog

Most people know me to be Samueldpoetry (the Leo with wings flying); the guy that loves poetry so much he sleeps with one bible and three anthologies under his pillow so as to dream sweet poetic dreams. 

On the contrary, you might know that I'm into other part-time jobs (school teaching just to mention one) that give opportunities to blog regularly.

As a poetry blogger, I have dimmed it fit to seek alternative traffic sources to support my blog ever since I lost my googke first page ranking as a result of URL switch.

Part of traffic alternatives I use is LeadsLeap and the platform is awesome even as a free member because I easily use the leadsleap list builder tool to crop-and-harvest 40% of the traffic to this blog.

Benefits of Leads Generation

Actually, any blog owner can use leadsleap free to 

(1) Advertise and get quality targeted traffic. 

(2) Make money from its PPC program_ even you don't need to have a website to do this number 2. 

(3) Write reviews and get SEO traffic. 

(4) Use its unique linking tracker to check if you're getting real visitors or bot traffic. 

(5) Manage your own popup generation system by using its popup generator.

If you're not interesting in checking the leadsleap home, then click on Continue Reading

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Analysis of With A Water Lily By Henrik Ibsen

The Poet

Henrik Ibsen is a poet who lived 78 years on earth between 20th March 1828 and 23rd May 1906. He was born in Telemark County in Norway.

The Summary

In the poem "With A Water-Lily", Henrik Ibsen admonished a child who seemed to be too fond of water. He told of the decoy a stagnant water creates with water-lilies.

The poem reminds me of my father's warning against playing in the river. He never would risk even the best knowledge of swimming to allow us play in any kind of river_ shallow or deep. He had witnessed how many expert swimmers lost their lives to the water.

The Structure

Back to the poem, the first stanza introduced the readers to the water and the lilies in the spring time while the second stanza was about the scenes created by the water-lilies.

Line 1 of the poem says: "See, dear, what thy lover brings". The phrase "see, dear" was referring to the child, "thy lover" used in the poem referred to the stagnant water, while "what thy lover brings" referred to the water-lilies floating above the water. Henrik Ibsen further described the water lilies by comparing them to birds with white wings [Line 2].

In line 5, the poet expressed the attractive sight of the water decorated with white-lilies; he said it was "Homelike to bestow this guests".

Quite in form of refrain, the last two stanzas of the poem were associated with the dangers of such water.

"Child, beware the tarn-fed stream;
Danger, danger, there to dream!
Though the sprite pretends to sleep,
And above the lilies peep.

Child, thy bosom is the stream; Danger, danger, there to dream!
Though above the lilies peep,
And the sprite pretends to sleep."

The Form

Categorized under life and living, the poem "With A Water-Lily" by Henrik Ibsen contained an end rhyme scheme of AABB CCDD with tone of admonition. The 4 stanza poem addressed naivety, beauty, season, and nature.

Based on observation, "Child, beware the tarn-fed stream" in line 9 and "Child, thy bosom is the stream;" in line 13 are instance of parallelism in the poem.

"Adream" means to dream or be in state of dreaming.
"And the sprite pretends to sleep" means the water inhabitant acts as if in sleep.
"Buoyed" means float.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.
aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Should Poets Embrace Email Marketing

Email Marketing

The easiest way to lose focus as a poet is to adopt the internet practice of email marketing; it doesn't worth it!

Oh come on, I was just joking.

If email marketing is in any way bad for poet or poetry website, then why is every poetry website so energetic about it?

The fact that every giant website (whether poetry or poetry not) is keenly practicing email marketing is enough prove that you (a poet) shouldn't underestimate the power of email marketing as well.
If you haven't taken it seriously, then I urge you to add email marketing to your priority list.

Email marketing might have some advanced expert explanations but the layman meaning is the practice of gathering email addresses as to notify the collected email addresses of updates or new content or products.

Actually, it's both hard and easy. It's both expensive and cheap. Without the necessary tools, it can be quite time consuming. [Lest I forget, kindly subscribed to Naija Poets Email List, if you haven't done so]

Assuming you're already in the practice of collecting email addresses, it's important to ensure you’re delivering relevant content to in-boxes if you truly want to personalize your audience experience.

Email Segmentation

Neil Patel suggested email lists segregation as the best way to personalize your audience experience.

He further explained that everyone who signs up to receive emails might have different interests at heart.

You need to learn how to write marketing emails that don’t get marked as spam.

Grouping your subscribers into separate lists will ensure they don’t receive irrelevant information.

Segmented email campaigns can result in a 760% revenue increase.

Recent studies show the differences between segmented emails compared to non-segmented campaigns.

Segmented emails have:

14.3% more opens
101% more clicks
4.7% fewer bounces
9.4% fewer unsubscribes

Higher opens and clicks paired with fewer bounces and unsubscribes put your company in a great position to increase sales.

Samuel C Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Why Poem For Storytelling Increases Readership

Introduction

Megan Pryor in one of her lessons at study.com defined prosaic poem as poetry that is not written in verse and contains other poetic attributes, such as rhythm and metaphors. 

Such poem doesn't concentrate on rigid metre count as seen in most poetic work; it concentrates on the story from scalp down to detail.

Robert Kiyosaki said, "Stories help us make sense of otherwise complicated things. They encourage, inspire, and even move us to take action."

Poem for Storytelling

I'm not the only believer in the power of storytelling. From the above quote, we can see that Kiyosaki also believes so much in the power of storytelling. 

Why wouldn't he? He happens to be one of those who have sold the discovery of solution to the problems of entrepreneurship with a mere instrument of storytelling; yes, his books on investment, money management, business navigation have pocketed him multi-million worth of money. [This link leads you to spy on what Robert Kiyosaki is up to recently.]

As a poet, not all poem should be directional prone. Poems that are in form of storytelling_ even if not in prosaic form, sticks to the memory of poetry readers than poems that are absolutely melody oriented. 

As simple and singable as Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe, yet most readers cannot recite it offhand but every reader can tell again and again the poem title "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe.

My Storytelling Poems

As a poet and a huge fan of poetry, I have written all sorts of poem but my readers tend to relate better with those of my poems that are storytelling.

• Detective Tel 1-5
• The Remains of Raymond Hoe 1-6
• Overcoming Gni Mocrevo
• A Tale of Nonsense

On the conclusion to this post, I will like to note that every form or style of poetry is acceptable and good but currently, the prosaic poetry and the free verses are trending because they tend to win more readers' attention (whether poetry or not) than other pattern of poetry.

Samuel C Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

4 P Every Poet Must Practice Regularly

The worldclass speaker, Brian Tracy once said that the perception of an individual is his or her reality. People act on the basis of their perceptions of you. 

If you change their perceptions, you change the way they think and feel about you, and you change the things that they will do for you. [You can't to miss out on this Brian Tracy's Book]

In this article, I will mention 4 "P"s that will help any poet improve his or her audience perception towards him or her. Those "P"s are Power, Packaging, Performance, and Politeness.

Power. The more power and influence your audience perceive you to have, whether real or not, the more likely it is that they will be persuaded by you to be gospel of your poetic work of art. 

For example, if you appear to be a trending or reigning poet or writer, the level at which they will buy into your vision will be much more likely higher than they if they didn't perceive such power in you.

Packaging. This can also be referred to as branding. This is very vital in the area of your audience assessment and which will determine the way they will market you and your poetry to others. 

Meaning that your packaging in the mind and heart of your audience largely determines how open they are to being influenced by you.

Performance. This refers to your level of competence and expertise in your area. 

A person who is highly respected for his or her ability to get results is far more persuasive and influential than a person who only does an average job.

Politeness. People do things for two reasons, because they want to and be. Kindness, courtesy, and respect are far better than coercion. 

Your audience tends to bend more to your side when you are polite. They will remain motivated to go out of their ways to help you accomplish your desired poetic goals.

Read More

12 Literary Devices In Birches By Robert Frost

Let me quickly take you through some of the literary devices evident in one of Robert Frost's evergreen poems titled "Birches".

Personification: This is when an inanimate object or abstract idea is represented as animated or embodied with personalities. "But I was going to say when Truth broke in/ With all her matter-of-fact about the ice-storm" (line 21-22). Truth was written as if human name and also given human qualities.

Assonance: This is the repetition of similar vowels in the stressed syllables of successive words. "When I see birches bend to left and right" (line 1)

Alliteration: This is the repetition of the same letter at the beginning of two or more words immediately succeeding each other or at a short interval. "As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel" (line 9). "Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells" (line 10).


Enjambment: This is the continuation of syntactic unit from one line of verse into the next line without a pause. "As ice-storms do. Often you must have seen them/ Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning" (line 5-6)

Simile: This is a word or phrase by which anything is likened with the use of like or as. "But swinging doesn't bend them down to stay/ As ice-storms" (line 4-5) and "Years afterwards, trailing their leaves on the ground/ Like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair" (line 18-19)

Hyperbole: This is an expression with evidence of exaggeration of meaning to be conveyed. "With the same pains you use to fill a cup/ Up to the brim, and even above the brim" (line 37-38).

Contrast: This is any expression with clear motive of juxtaposition. "I like to think some boy's been swinging them/ But swinging doesn't bend them down to stay" (lines 3-4).

Allegory: It is a figurative which describes a certain subject with another subject resembling it in properties or circumstances. The poem is commonly known to carry a deeper meaning towards life death as the aged poet had come to realize from experience. The birch tree is used in the poem represent the phases of human life.

Imagery: This is the making of images or visual representation of objects with words or expressions. "Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust" (line 11) "From a twig's having lashed across it open" (line 47) "...a snow-white trunk" (line 55).

Free verse: The poem is written in free verse. There is no distinguishing end rhyme scheme for "Birches". This might be because writing in free verse allows for freedom from the limitations of end rhymes.

Mood: This is the manner at which a literary message is conveyed. The mood is passionate enough to expose the poet's love for not just the tenacity and flexibility of the birches but the act of swinging them for fun which led to "I like to think some boy's been swinging them" in line 3 and "I should prefer to have some boy bend them" in line 23.

Tone: This exposes the state of mind. It described the relationship between man and his natural environment. The birch trees being subjects of nature add pleasure to rural youths by eroding their boredom.

Read More

10 Analyzed Poems About Wind

The Introduction

In this article I will like to remind you of wind (one of the most common found theme in poetry of nature). 

Many classic and contemporary poets have written about it_ William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Kwesi Brew, Subramania Bharati, Glynn Burridge, Emily Bronte, etc.

What Is Wind

No matter the type of wind in discussion, it is a mass of gases propelled by force. Wikipedia noted that in outer space, soar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the Sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space.

Analyzed Poems

The word "wind" does not only appear as themes of poem but as well as titles of poems and few of such poems are analyzed below:

• Analysis of Ode to the West Wind by Percy Shelley
• Analysis of Tempest by Glynn Burridge
• Analysis of wind by subramania bharati  
• Analysis of Dry Season by Kwesi Brew
• Analysis of Weather Ear by Norman Nicolson
• Analysis of The Wind by Vikram Seth
• Brief Analysis of Afterwards by Thomas Hardy
• Analysis of the Thawing Wind by Robert Frost 
• The Night Wind by Emily Bronte
• Analysis of Wind by Ted Hughes

Read More

Poetry Quote of Sir Walter Scott

The Poet

My Native Land by Sir Walter Scott, a Scottish poet born on 15 August 1771. The 9th of his father's children. His father was a member of a cadet branch of the Scotts Clan, and his mother descended from the Haliburton family, the descent from whom granted Walter's family the hereditary right of burial in Dryburgh Abbey.

The Quote

"Living, shall forfeit fair renown,"

This quote is found in line 13 of the poem "My Native Land"

The Details

Actually, William Shakespeare's Sonnet 3 addressed the same attitude of absurd selfishness a little differently.

The poem told the story of a certain man at the point of his death_ maybe as a cause of injury. He was very wealthy, and high status man but never for once heed the advice of poets to invest in others.

The poem speaker concluded that such rich man would die without honour.

Let butcher the quote flesh after flesh, if "Renown" from the the context of the poem refers to the praises the man has gathered through his achievements and "Forfeit" which is a verb refers to the man's failure to keep an obligation. 

Therefore, the lesson to be learnt from the quote is that, the way a person chooses to live his or her life might destroy his or her good reputation.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Q and A: End of War by Okinba Launko

                              End of War by Okinba Launko

Question

The casualties in Launko's End of War are ____

Answer

Men (Option C)

Explanation

The poem is similar to the poem title The Dining Table by Gbanabom Hallowell. In the poem "End of War" by Okinba Launko, line 4 and 5 of the poem are prove that men are truly the casualties; the lines stated "the silence of the battlefield/ heralds the widow's anguish".

The men that went to war die leaving their wives to suffer the pain and aftermath of war which happens to be a lasting widowhood. [click here to listen to the audio]

Judging by the title of the poem, its subject matter is war and and its effects.

"Okinba Launko is a pen name of the playwright and poet, Femi Osofisan (Winner of the Folon-Nichols Award) He has been honoured with awards and appointments for his lifetime achievements", says description at todara online bookstore.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.
aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Analysis of My Dreams My Works Must Wait Till After Hell by Gwendolyn Brooks

The Overview

It is such a bad sight to be in an unwanted confinement_ be it imprisonment, be it sickness, be it captivity, be it compulsory babysitting. The truth is no one loves to be denied freedom_ not even poets.

In the poem "Letter to Martha 17" Dennis Brutus wrote of the negative effect of confinement. Stephen Spender did the same in the poem "My Parents Kept Me From Children Who Were Rough"

Gwendolyn Brooks also expressed her unhappiness with freedom denied by illness. In the poem, she referred to illness as devil when she wrote in line 8 of the poem "Hoping that, when the devil days of my hurt". 

The themes that resonated in the poem are freedom, duty, illness, aging, etc.

The poet could not practice her duties or routines as a result of the sickness that confined her with pain. 

Even though she pictured old age as the cause of her loneliness, she enjoyed the freedom to eat her honey and bread at when due until such freedom was taken. In anticipation to return home, she became uncertain of her sensitivity to the delightful taste of honey and bread.

The Poem

I hold my honey and I store my bread
In little jars and cabinets of my will.
I label clearly, and each latch and lid
I bid, Be firm till I return from hell.
I am very hungry. I am incomplete.
And none can give me any word but Wait,
The puny light. I keep my eyes pointed in;
Hoping that, when the devil days of my hurt
Drag out to their last dregs and I resume
On such legs as are left me, in such heart
As I can manage, remember to go home,
My taste will not have turned insensitive
To honey and bread old purity could love.

The Poet

"Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks was born on June 7, 1917, in Topeka, Kansas. She was the first child of David Anderson Brooks and Keziah Brooks. 

Her father, a janitor for a music company, had hoped to pursue a career as a doctor but sacrificed that aspiration to get married and raise a family. Her mother was a school teacher as well as a concert pianist trained in classical music. 

Family lore held that Brooks' paternal grandfather had escaped slavery to join the Union forces during the American Civil War", so says Wikipedia article.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

Watch Video Analysis of Faceless by Amma Darko

Read More

Theme of Supernatural in The Concubine by Elechi Amadi

The Novelist

Born on the 12^thof May 1934, Elechi Amadi was a Nigerian author raised in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He had many novels to his credit and like many classic novelists such as Chinua Achebe, his novels exposed readers to the traditional way of life in Nigeria. Elechi Amadi died on the 29^th of June, 2016.

Overview of the Novel

The Concubine by Elechi Amadi is a novel that revolves around the subject of marriage and effects of immortal forces in the activities and fate of human beings. 

Using Ihuoma as a tool for demonstrating such subject, the author revealed Ihuoma (the main character) as a lady who possessed all the necessary qualities to enjoy marital life but to the readers’ chagrin, a force beyond human control hampered her supposed sweet marital life; Ihumo had a spiritual husband.

The Theme of Supernatural

In the novel, The Concubine, Elechi Amadi boost the beauty of the novel with the theme of supernatural events. Notable is Ihuoma and the sea-king (believed to rule the sea) who never wanted her get married to any man in the physical realm because she was his wife in the spiritual realm. 

The novel went further to narrate the consequences of her attempt to get married_ the sea-king was responsible for the death of characters such as Emenike, Madume, and Ekwueme. 

The sea-king was so powerful that all sacrifices offered to divorce Ihuoma from him was so futile leading to the death of Ekwueme.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.

aka samuedpoetry

(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

7 Principles For Building Audience On Poetry Forum

Poetry As A Passion

People handle poetry differently. Those passionate with the art now have countless means of showcasing their passion; poetry forum is one of those.

Before I make a few list of the poetry forums I participate, below are the principles necessary for building audience on poetry forum.

7 Principles For Building Audience

(1) The Principle of Friendship
Your audience or readers shouldn't just be random people on the forum; it is necessary they are your friends or they become your online friends. 

Study them, study their reactions, understand their expectations in terms of poetry. The best way to do it is to reach out one-on-one.

(2) The Principle of Direction
I can boldly refer to myself as a poet_ professional or amateur is not of importance to me. Though I try my hands on all sorts of poetry forms yet I'm considered a rhyme-loving kind of poets; therefore, my readers are those who cherish poetry that seems musical. 

Having a well defined direction is a good way to build poetry audience.

(3) The Principle of Value
Make it a pledge to always add value to your audience and readers. 

If the poetry you produce holds what, then your audience will linger longer until the case of readers who treat your poetry like a one night stand. 

I will rather have 10 readers who engage or relate well with my poetry than 10,000,000 prying eyes pretending to be readers.

(4) The Principle of Referral
As a poet, your readers are your best asset; they stand in the position to make you or mar you. They talk, they react, they praise, they condemn. 

If your poetry displeases your readers, they don't just neglect it instead they tell people how annoying your poetry is. If your poetry pleases them, they don't just keep it to themselves, they refer people to be part if the pleasure. My point here is that, don't just beg readers to share your poetry, give them the reason to do so by writing highly interesting poem.

(5) The Principle of Reciprocity
The fact of Do-Me-I-Do-You is applicable to building a lasting audience. You must create times to connect with whatever poem they have crafted. This is very important if you expect someone who gets to you to stick with you.

(6) The Principle of Availability
What good is a friend who will not be there when needed? Many organization and companies now understand the value of availability to the point that they don't joke with feedbacks and live-chat. 

You can remain available by constantly publishing and engaging with your readers.

(7) The Principle of Time
Actually, this one is broad. It requires you determine when your readers engage the most with your poetry. It also requires time to build reliable readership amidst the huge competition.

Recommended Poetry Forums

There are many poetry forums available online for free. If you're interested, search for the following URL: Hellopoetry, poetrycircle, familyfriendpoems, allpoetry, everypoet, etc.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.
aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More

7 of the New Summer Poetry

Summer Poetry

August is here, sunny as ever, and if peradventure you find yourself in the doldrums. Poetry Magazine's selection of summer poems from recent issues of Poetry will so do you good.

The seven poems go thus:

• At My Best by John Rodriguez 

• Three Songs at the End of Summer by Jane Kenyon

• From “Summer, Somewhere” by Danez Smith 

• A Summer Garden by Louise Glück

• A Winding Sheet for Summer by Peter Gizzi

• Cruel, Cruel Summer by D. A. Powell

• Summer at North Farm by Stephen Kuusisto

By exploring the seven selected poems, you shall find out how the discussed both the brightness and darkness of the season.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

Read More