Aremu Adams Adebisi, a young resolute poet with a passion for the impossible is our guest on #PoetOfTheWeek this week.
Adebisi, who hails from Ilorin, Nigeria, was born on February 17th. He presently attends Marcas Islamic School, Agege, where he is studying Islamic Education.
Adebisi is also into motivational writer.He is partially fluent in Arabic Language. His verse put him among the best wordsmith, even though he is still a budding poet who writes other genres of literature – prose, drama and non-fiction.
How and when did you start writing poetry?
I started writing poems in 2013, after I have graduated from High School about three years before.
Certainly, I would not have ventured into poetry, if not for the effect the rich-arabic poetry had on me.
When I graduated from High School, I had to be enrolled into an arabic institution. We underwent fundamental studies, especially poetry which I came to love. Little did I know its effect will later become my passion. My first poem was ‘Pen Mightiness’.
What is the source of inspiration for your poems?
Many outlets serve as sources of inspiration to me; like poetry groups, poetry lessons, poetry prompts, poetry debates, happenings, other poems, encouraging words – in fact, life itself. Naturally, I will draw inspiration from what I can visualize and comprehend very well. For example, you will see me writing on heat when it is severe on me.
What is your ideal environment for writing, what aids your flow the most?
You shouldn’t be surprised whenever you see me sitting in solitude, for I prefer a quiet environment in loneliness.
Before now, I never had time for friends, relatives and others because I was too engrossed in my own thoughtful world. I was later to realize people are the word of world. Solitude develops my thoughts into quotes, and quotes into poetry.
This I often acknowledge by saying:
‘If you want to find the best in me, get me a pen and find me a quiet place’.
Do you have any role mode in poetry? Any particular poet? Nigeria? Elsewhere?
I love De La Mare‘s works, Robert Frost‘s simplified poetry, Hillare Beloc‘s humorous pieces of art, Prof Osundare Ijala style of writing, Prof Soyinka, Prof Chinua Achebe, and others. I often wish to be like them under my own garment.
I find a model in the inspiring Kukogho Iruesiri Samson, the studious-teacher Graciano Enwerem, the resolute Olulu Holloway, the mysterious Enigmatic Olumide, the passionate Eriata, and the unrelenting Madame Erah.
What style of poetry do you write mostly? In what form do you thrive most?
I pen mostly lyrical poems. I love poems that sing. Poetry is fun we always say; if poetry is fun, why cant we dance to it? I choose my rhythm carefully, and make my rhymes flawless. The only poet whose poems muse on this form is Kukogho Iruesiri Samson. You would discern that from the title of his site: Words, Rhythm & Rhymes. Other poets do more of rhymes and not of rhythm
The social media is a fertile ground for poets, especially Facebook, how has Facebook help in developing you as a poetic artiste?
*smiles*. Facebook has been tremendously good to me. It connected me, and still doing, with some very talented poets of my time. This wouldn’t have happened if not for the love of my dear brother, Aremu Olayinka Samurai. It was through him I got to meet awesome poets like James Ademuyiwa, Samuel Ogbemudia, Graciano Enwerem, Abiola Oluwaseun, Edwina Neofloetry, and others. I can recall how they introduced me into the world of like-minds, suggesting friends after friends. My gratitude to them.
Still talking about Facebook, You are a fast growing young poet on this platform, what can you ascribe to this rapid growth you’ve been experiencing recently?
Not far-fetched. Thanks to my newly acquired friends then, my first group, Graciano and friends, and then the Wor Rhymes & Rhythm group which Samuel Ogbemudia made known to me. I remain grateful for that. And then came the poem, Miss Pell which Kukogho Iruesiri Samson personally recommended me to post on the site. Since then, it’s been love and love from every poetic nook and cranny. I thank them all
Words filtered into our ears that you are involved in a poetic league, where you have to go one on one with other poets, we hear you are doing pretty well. Tell us about this poetry league?
Kai! Words can fly o. Well, I thank God for His grace and mercy. How the group came into existence was through God’s intervention into our gruesome poetic lives; and through the resolution of Graciano Enwerem and co. May God crown their efforts. The group seduced us into higher grounds, and now we are menstruating.
We undergo lectures after lectures together as a good family will eat dinner. Also, there is this anthology work and the school-to-school visits, geared at improving our poetic welfare. The poetic league also serve as a platform through which we are made to better our diction, ineffectiveness, theme accuracy, punctuation, and others. It is a group every poet must consider himself in.
I’m doing pretty well is due to the fact that I pay rapt attention to every lesson taught, both on Words, Rhymes & Rhythm and the Figures of Speech Movement. I study works of prolific writers around me also. No special feature.
What is your stand on Nigerian and African poetry, rate them in comparison to poetry from beyond Africa?
We are getting there. In Africa, Nigeria is a force whose determination can never be reckon with. In fact, we are few steps away into global recognition. We just need to address some vital issues and hope the government offer its support.
Some poets are of the belief that writing love poems is a waste of precious time. They will rather write something that will affect the society at large positively. Do you share this view?
Not at all. Every situation has love as a panacea to it. One can’t affect the society at large positively without lovely poetic sermons. It is a no no
Apart from writing poetry, what else do you do?
I teach tenders also, both western and Islamic studies. Teaching they say is the best form of comprehension
Where do you expect to be in poetry in the nearest or distant future?
On higher grounds, developing, with improvement, other budding poets as I was been treated. This I was told by Kukogho Iruesiri Samson. And since then, I hope to actualize his prophesy.
Give aspiring poets advice on how to venture into the art and do well?
Do not be intimidated. There are no giant in the field of poetry without reasoning. Keep thinking, and keep writing more.
Write everyday, share everyday, learn everyday, and always always improve everyday.
You are born to be great, and no one can stop that except you. A poem a day keeps writer’s block at bay.
Contact:
Facebook: Aremu Adams Adebisi
Email: hhadarms(at)gmail.com
Blog: Hadarms Blogspot
Mobile: 08164187014
Twitter: @Pwinx_Orlieturn
