This is targeted at the book lovers, poetry geeks, wordsmiths, art lovers like me out there. I recently came across the book mentioned above and found this review. I thought it was worth mentioning here. Find the review done by EMMANUEL LLOYD ONYEIKE below.
Eky says; I found it an intriguing read. Follow the author on twitter @nyrhymes
BIG GRAMMAR, SEEING IS DOUBTING AND OTHER POEMS (REVIEW BY EMMANUEL LLOYD ONYEIKE)
Let me adapt the path of Mark Anthony in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, and say: “I have come to review BIG GRAMMAR and not to speak big grammar…”
To
write a book is either underrated or overrated until the work is done either
disastrously or with ingenuity. Authors come and go, but a good book generally
lingers beyond its writer.
Joshua
Nyoosu Hanior’s BIG GRAMMAR is a bold attempt at putting the challenges of
society into perspectives. It is a 30 page book on poetry which is an admixture
of traditional wisdom and realities in our contemporary society, especially
Nigeria. The book whose full title is BIG GRAMMAR, SEEING IS DOUBTING is
divided into three broad sections, each bearing a common theme central to the
thoughts of the author and the message he hopes to convey.
Section 1
The
first part, Section 1, contains 12 poems with the thinking/ philosophy being
PERCEPTION; the author seems to say that the world, our world, your world is a
product of your perception and chosen lifestyle. Whether we succeed or fail
depends on the daily patterns of thought we entertain and replicate. The author
gives us a peep into this in “I Have A Dog”
But
is the author’s argument sustained in “Seeing Is Doubting” where responsibility
seems to fall on the laps of another party? We can only find out when we read
further down to other poems.
A
few weeks ago, a former President announced that even the new generation of
leaders are corrupt. The question is: where did we learn it all from? The womb?
One of Hanior’s poems replies the retired General. And I restrain myself from
peeling off the wrapper on this very delicious bar of chocolate, though I
inexorably salivate.
Hanior
suddenly broadens his philosophy of patterns and choice in “Seed of My Lips”
using rhymes, assonance and contrast to gild his meaning.
Section 2
In
section 2, Hanior presents the theme of barren, flatulent leadership with
beautifully weaved stories embedded in 11 poems whose plots take the reader
through a mosaic of political, ethno-religious conflict and socio-cultural
ridges. Time and again he takes a swipe at the eloquent “swag” of a breed or
brood of creatures who “accidentally” found themselves at the helm of affairs.
Wedged
basically here in the middle of the book is the poem BIG GRAMMAR, an irony
because what you think is not what it is. It is paradoxically contrived to
achieve maximum effect when you finally crack the thin sheet beneath which lies
the leading thinking of the author.
Section 3
In
the final part, Section 3, Hanior’s thoughts are emotive in the 7 poems that
constitute this part. If you sometimes remember with nostalgia the loss of a
loved one or are in search of answers that only the Transcendental Being can
provide, this section offers deep introspection and reflection. Poetry has its
many powers which go beyond creativity in word economy. Its creative freedom
empowers the pen to create new meanings never completely observed in prose.
Hanior makes good use of this in his 2nd and 3rd poems
and leaves you to ponder, is there a new meaning to Solitaire?
But
there is a link between emotions and foolishness. Subjectivity is lurking. The
author describes fools’ slow steps to decadence and pain.
Diction &
Style
The
diction is simple and conversational. Unlike many authors who fall into the
trap of deploying figurative and rhetorical language often to an obviously
cloying depth, Hanior’s style of writing is refreshingly reassuring as he
effortlessly weaves and blends meaning with poetic devices. Where literal
compositions are proper, they are properly deployed and where figurative language
is proper, they are duly appropriated.
Poetic
Devices/Figurative Language
The
author uses metaphors and similes to convey his message. He introduces imageries
of “smoke”, “gazing on their bared buttocks”, “gaping holes”, etc in poems in
this section as they either exemplify the socio-political status quo or
contrast with the image he carefully built up. There is the proper use of
rhyme, assonance, rhythm, personification, alliteration, repetition, stanza, limerick,
satire, and etc to make this work not just pleasurable to read but competitive
enough for classroom parsing.
The
poem “Vanity” is an irony which also has a pun, assonance laced into the
fabric. The author gives us a peep into the devil’s favourite sin in one of the
poems, you want to find out.
A Bit of
Critique
Does
the author seem to make an argument in favour of child labour or does he seek
to redefine society’s understanding of the word? The answer is succinctly wedged
between the lines as we savour the taste and soak in the poems.
To
compare section 1, 2 and 3, you are apparently presented with driving a
Mercedes Benz, BMW and a Bentley to take a pick. One is better than the other
two, but only by degrees…sometimes not at all.
There
is something a good book does in the end. It leaves you with the promise that
you would soon pick it up again to gloat over your favourite lines. And when
you ever tire of that, it leaves you wondering “what next will this author
bring our way?”
Eky says; I found it an intriguing read. Follow the author on twitter @nyrhymes