Sticks Stones & Sanity: Sacred Sequences of Wise Words by Teniola Balogun

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Teniola writes sensitively about issues that are deeply ingrained in our lives, yet they are not convoluted or abstract, they don't evade simple comprehension. Her poems have a tender quality that renders each subject in a thought-provoking light, softly highlighting the emotions, they lament the loss of someone close, expresses the anxiety of a mother separated from her child, discusses dreams and aspirations of the people in Nigeria while critiquing the norms of society that restrict the freedom and growth of the youth. Her voice echoes unafraid and poignant, remaining in our minds even after we put down the book.

Some of my personal favourites in the collection would be Healing, Motherhood, Canine and the Loner, and February Lesson, in no particular order. I will leave you with a quote from one of her poems, "As she looked from me to my sleeping sister/And out the window to the neighbour clothing the lines/To the man helping the pregnant woman with her bag/To the beggar smiling at the crumpled notes in his plate/And back to papa's picture on the wall.../I got my answer;/Love is in humanity/to love is to be human."

(Note: Obtained ARC from IMP)



View all my reviews