13 Fairy Negro Tales

by Inua Ellams

In a language scooped directly from a paintbrush, Inua Ellams announces his arrival on the poetry scene. His vibe is grainy as old vinyl with bumping beats between the lines.
from 13 fairy negro tales Spokenword is like sex/
the more you listen/
the better it gets./ That’s why on long bus rides/
I close my eyes and try to hear drumbeats/
from Nigeria- the mother land calling./
I be like “yes mum, I’m hearing ya”/
It’s like some ciphered world/
with armies of sounds/
and underground cultures/
with talon-less vultures/
trying to pierce my skin/
and place talking drums within./ But Hip Hop takes over/
and my head bobs to the beat/
of a different soldier/
and it’s gotten colder/
on this side of thought/
‘cause now/
I hear dreams money bought.

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published December 27, 2005

Reviews

[Bookish Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I believe in the existence of police brutality.
The fatalities of men, darker than blue
have danced through the vapours of my inkwells
have lanced through the shells of truth"

I wanted to give this collection 5 stars, because it has so much potential. Although Ellams is clearly gifted and incredibly ambitious he falls into the pitfalls of cliché and unnecessary repetition a lot. There are moments of '13 Fairy Negro Tales' that are outstanding, and it is different to any collection of poetry I have ever read, rendering it fresh, nuanced and extraordinarily modern.

I love the interweaving of Fairy tale, Greek mythology, Shakespeare, Bible tales and the 21st century (there are passages on Nike, hip hop, street walkers, working class mothers and fatherless young men looking to make their mark on the world). I believe Ellams is a brilliant writer, but what he writes could be more raw - could strip back the layers of mythology and focus on feeling (but this is just my preference).

I love the rhythm of spoken word, it gives poetry life and makes it not an elitist art form (as it's often believed), but something accessible, aspirational and necessary. Poetry that strips away the mystique of obscuring language and gets to the heart of what matters is usually the best.

[Nofar Spalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and beautiful and at times moving. Would have gotten 5 stars if the quality was more consistent. As it is, it’s like most records: a few gems, a few good pieces and then a few poems that could have been left out.
Still, worth the read, even if you aren’t a poetry fan.

[Nii Ayikwei]

Much potential brimming from this début.