blossom with words just to make merry with mad metaphors of the muse
mesmerising marooned minds with aching alliterations?
Sick similes bleeding to death
Like blood gushing out from harrowed hearts
From the ceaseless stabs of this knife called pen?
There are shadows, there are skeletons –
shadows and skeletons lost in the dark
Searching for the light that sketched them on the earth…
this is not a personification
but the insane images of you and I
this is not a poem
AUTHOR BIO:
Senator Iyere Ihenyen is the author of “Colourless Rainbow”, a volume of poetry published by the Lagos-based Coast2Coast Publishing, 2011. The book in the same year got a honorary mention in the NDDC/Gabriel Okara Prize for Poetry.
The emerging voice in new Nigerian poetry was born in Lagos in the 80s, but hails from Esan-West L.G.A., Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. He writes poetry, articles and engages in legal and literary research.
Recognised by a U.K-based organisation, Outspoken, in 2006 as ‘one of the significant voices in Africa pushing the boundaries of contemporary African Literature,’ Senator Ihenyen is a member of a number of Internet-based literary circles such as Ederi, Krazivity and African Writers. The late and respected Nigerian editor and critic, Okey Okpa, fondly called Foot, who was before his sudden death the Publisher of Coast2Coast Publishing, usually described the young writer as his ‘future Poet Laureate’.
Some of the author’s early poems have been published in local dailies such as the Daily Times, New Age and Business Times, and also published in international anthologies and sites published by Poetry Stop, Canada; and. Voices Network, U.S., where his poetry has been given special international recognition. In 2006, he participated in the British Council Crossing Borders Workshop with Dinesh Alirajah.
Recently, the Founding publisher of Nigerian Law Today (www.nigerianlawtoday.com), a blawg, was featured in far away Barcelona as ‘the true voice of Africa’ by Literatur ad Art, a Spanish literary site, based on his use of language, imagery and experimentations. His poetry has over the years been widely introduced to readers, especially on the Internet.
A practicing Lawyer, Senator Ihenyen is a graduate of Law from the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and the Nigerian Law School, Kano. He has served as the Campus
President of Golden Minds Nigeria (www.goldenmindsnigeria.org), a youth-focused and social transformation initiative where he is currently the Project Manager.
He was the Editor-in-Chief of the Catholic Digest, a campus publication of the Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS) University of Benin, where he also served as the President of the Catholic Law Students Association (CLASA), University of Benin.
Senator Ihenyen has just completed his forthcoming second volume of poetry, “Stranger in the Mirror of My Life and Other Pieces”, predominantly centered on HIV/AIDS. With his inveterate interest in Poetry and Literature, the author has also completed an unpublished literary text for students and writers in the genre of poetry, “Complete Poetry for Students and Writers”.
With a creative mind, Senator Ihenyen has growing interests in legal writing, publishing, web design, small business development, corporate branding and entrepreneurship. He is the business owner of Bobo Web Solutions (www.bobowebsolutions.com.ng), a new web design and web hosting enterprise.
The initiator of Poetry Mill, a free poetry evaluation service and evolving publishing solutions platform for new and unpublished poets, the young Lawyer-poet’s works have been shaped by such great writers as William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, Leopold Senghor, Wole Soyinka and Niyi Osundare. Others are Gabriel Okara, J.P. Clark, Kofi Anyidoho and Tchikaya U’ Tamsi.
His blog: www.senatorihenyen.wordpress.com
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Comrade Sen Ihenyen is one very patient poet (or so I think). His mien, even after a seeming look over by my very humble self, is quite worthy of mention. He has been a distantly near member of the family.
The few verses of his that I have seen impressed me. I think he is one of the few poets still breathing true poetry.
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