Born in a Second Language

by Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie

Born in a Second Language troubles the spectrum between silence (or the limitations of the mouth) and music. Language is an embodied practice, especially present through our hands. Words, specifically names, are a means of conjuring a certain kind of existence, and defining who one will become.

Thus, different languages unlock different worlds, and the names speakers answer to open them up to different becomeings.

Born in a Second Language is curious about the sonic, imagistic and linear implications on the page of speaking multiple languages when political, historical and cultural weights contend. It’s compelled by disappearance and how translation is often a mode through which it occurs across borders – a way in which we obliterate, often due to what is untranslatable and considered unwelcome, as we come into new selves in order to survive new territory.

Translation is not only a tool to understand language, but also a process that alters identity as speakers move through space and time. In the work, “home” is one’s body, gender, a mother, mother tongue, Brenda Fassie etc. How home is defined impacts each speaker’s positionality and perspective; it allows for understanding the connection between the interior and exterior worlds of the speakers. While the use of past geographical homes and history is, in some poems, nostalgic and in homage, the greater project aims to examine how these elements aren’t stagnant temporally but rather persist in and shape speakers presently.

Genres: Poetry, Language, Nonfiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2021

Reviews

[Althea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

This was a gorgeous poetry collection that deals with very powerful subjects including language and the dilution of language through translation, immigration and family. Akosua's writing is beautiful and lyrical, though I think some of it did go over my head as I'm still pretty new to poetry in general, but I do highly recommend picking this collection up - it's award winning for a reason!

Thanks to Netgalley and Button Poetry for an eARC in return for an honest review!

[Joumana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born In A Second Language left me absolutely breathless. I was struck by how much power the poems wields in such short spaces. Akosua is a master at playing with language, surprising us and making us long with the poem. Buy this chapbook!!

[Fern Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book of poetry. Afiriyie-Hwedie is a Zambian- Ghanaian poet who grew up in Botswana and has lived in the USA too. In this collection she explores themes of identity, belonging and what it means to be multicultural and live a life of belonging that spans countries, languages and heritage.

What I really loved about this book is it’s extremely new and inventive in style. The poet is very courageous with playing around with structure and bringing in various different elements (immigration forms, numbering, short poems, essay type poems…) and it really works well. I loved how not only does she talk about a variety of languages and multiculturalism but she brings that into her poetry too with the vast amount of different poetry types. She’s extremely good at vividly portraying situations, stories in a few words and making the reader think about the world around them and what makes it up. I really hope that she writes a lot more poetry!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Evocative poems about identity, language, music, & home. I felt every one.

[What I liked:]

•I enjoyed learning about the poet’s languages, Twi & Setswana & Nyanja & English. The way she wove the ideas & sounds of them together enriches everything. She really gets across how language is tied to home & relationships & places & identities, how it shapes us as people, how it’s so much more than just words.

•I felt every single one of these poems. They have such a strong sense of being, a life force that transcends time: the poet is a smiling school girl & a fierce woman. Her connections to her family, especially to her mother & grandmother, are so vital in these poems. The words & ideas feel so real, but in a precious & special way.

•The writing is wonderful. No words are wasted. Each line peels back a layer so you can see inward, builds up a layer so you can climb high. The poems are evocative & rich.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•Some of the more experimental formats I had a harder time engaging with. For example, “Please Select the Best Answer” looks like a flow chart, but I couldn’t figure out how it was meant to be read (what sequence, how things connected). I still got meaning out of it, but I’m wondering if I missed something.

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

English Review Below.

مجموعة شعرية قصيرة جدا عن الهوية واللغة والموسيقى والوطن. الشاعرة شابة تجمع بين جنسيتي غانا وزامبيا، فتتحدث عن ذلك وكذلك تجربة الهجرة إلى أمريكا ودور موسيقى بلدها في حياتها، كما أنها تستخدم بعض الكلمات الأفريقية من اللغات المختلفة التي تتحدث بها مما يضيف بعض الأصالة إلى الكتابة. أعجبتني طريقة تلاعبها ببعض القصائد والتي كانت غير تقليدية، فلا تشبه قصيدة أخرى، لكن بعض القصائد لم أفهمها أو أتأثر بها بالشكل الكافي.

Evocative poems about identity, language, music, & home. It's a very short poetry collection about the mixed heritage of the author from Zambia and Ghana, the immigrant experience, the role of her native music in her life. She uses a lot of native words that add authenticity and I liked the way she played with the forms of some poems. Some of them went over my head, while others were really meaningful.

I thank Netgalley for the digital ARC

[Hirdesh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for ARC copy.

It's very peculiar kind of poetry book. In beginning I didn't like it though , it has numerous deep emotional poems.

Overall I wouldn't recommend it to read.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review - Born in a Second Language by Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie⁠
⁠
This review has been made possible thanks to @NetGalley and Button Poetry for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.⁠
⁠
I love the subject matter, as someone who also feels trapped between several languages and cultures, I related to it very much. I liked how the author played with shape poems throughout the collection. There was a good mix of prose poetry and I really enjoyed seeing the same phrases or images repeating themselves through the collection. ⁠
⁠
Some of my favourite poems include for those for whom this need not be translated, which is one of the strongest starts to a poetry collection I've ever read and it's full of emotion and conviction. I also enjoyed I know a place where I can spread myself out and be enough to fill a room, What my hands have learned, I am deciding which language to spend the night in, and it goes without saying. I feel like this collection was a fantastic all-around look at the experience of not belonging to one country, culture or language and the limbo state the author found herself in while living in these various places. ⁠
⁠
Born in a Second Language is out today!

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry from a culture other than one’s own can be incredibly difficult. The cadences and references fall on a completely unfamiliar ear, and one is uncertain in attempts to connect and make meaning. Afiriyie-Hwedie’s collection has moments of distilled poignancy as well as sections that seem overworked and insular. The voice of a young person seeking identity across cultures and within the tenets of Christianity will resonate with some contemporary readers. On the whole, this one was just ok for me.

Thank you to Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie, Button Poetry, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting poetry collection to read. I loved the way Afiriyie-Hwedie explored identity and belonging through language in particular, making these poems quite playful in the choice in words, structure, and style. There was a musicality to her poems as well, which was certainly amplified by the references to music she made throughout this collection.

I think my only complaint about this collection is that it was far too short, but I look forward to seeing what other poems she will share in the future.

Favorite poems: “for those for whom this need not be translated,” “Please select the best answer:,” and “It goes without saying.”

[SeaOfRainbow · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL!!!! So very beautiful. I have no words left to express.

[Sobbin’ Scenes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The title piqued my interest as someone who bilingualism is a huge part of identity. However, my bilingual experience is from two colonizer languages; the author's is not. Even so, I still related to some of the poems like I am deciding which language to spend the night in, and as for other poems I wasn't be able to relate to, I could empathize. So even when she spoke of religion that I don't partake in, the author would make me put my feet in her shoes and understand.

The poems were thoughtful and powerful, yet in a delicate manner. The author reflects on home, belonging, god, and immigration in this short anthology. Overall, lovely quick read that I think anyone could enjoy.

I received an ARC through Netgalley. Thank you!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie has written a provocative book of poetry. Originally from Botswana, Ms. Afiriyie-Hwedie has a Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan. Her poetry speaks of finding her way through American life as an immigrant, a woman, and a speaker of many languages. I want to return to her poetry many times. I particularly enjoyed the following

it goes without saying (the first lines follow)
"My British English troubles my American English
I pause before I say words like 'be-u-tea-ful
Confused by how I learned to say it in Botswana . . . . .

Outdooring Ceremony
"If the ocean is always ahead of itself,
did it foresee its naming?
Did it foresee how it would become what it was called?

I liked her poetry immensely and recommend it to you. I want to thank NetGalley and Button Poetry for the chance to read and review.

[Jassmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

my parents met in English / a language learned / alongside each of their mother tongues / this to say i was born / in a second language / born because of English

I try to focus on my poetry reading a bit more this year. I tried last year too, but I wasn't the most successful in the endeavor (read two collections), but I got a bit more organised this year, so fingers crossed!

This is a collection by Zambian-Ghanaian poet who grew up in Botswana and that closely focuses on language, colonialism, African/Black identity, the Otherness (even in the bounds of what we* as outsiders could take as a unity) and femininity. Poetry is always a highly subjective endeavor, which is why this collection gets a four star from me and not five, I wasn't quite entranced, I wasn't strongly emotionally connected even though this collection is emotionally raw and powerful. I'm really glad I read this since it was a fascinating read and I would definitely read more by this author in the future.

*I mean, I'm reading this collection from a position of white European and we sometimes tend to think that Africa is a monolith, which... you know, racism, important to challenge that one...

Favourite poems: Long distance, It goes without saying

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

my heart hurts, yo

[Gicely · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5✨: This poetry collection was definitely one of the good ones. This book delves into the topics of immigrants, family, sense of belonging, as well as the way history and language effect your understanding of your place and how it alters your worldview. I think this collection was done beautifully and effectively as to the themes it portrays, I think from a technical standpoint, the poetry is really well done and the way forms are used to tell the story beyond just the soundwork and meaning of the words in the poem is done well. I would recommend this collection to people who enjoy these topics.

The only reason I did not rate this collection of poems as high as I would another lovely poetry book, is that it wasn't my cup of tea. Poetry I've found is much more subjective enjoyment/understanding than a regular fiction tale, so while I think it's well done, the style wasn't my vibe on a personal level so I could not rate it as high especially since a lot of the poetry was very big brain energy and I had a harder time understanding it so I had to re-read a bit (but that's on me for needing simplicity). However, I would recommend reading these to see if it suits you, especially my favorite poems "Provenance" and "It goes without saying".

[spacedoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

‘Born in a Second Language’ is a collection of poetry centered around language and its connections to one’s identity, from a multicultural standpoint. It beautifully yet bluntly deals with themes such as identity, belonging, racism and multiculturalism. It drives home the message that language is not only about communication, but it is also an important part of who we are, especially for those who have had to leave their homelands behind. I had such a good time reading this book, and I highly recommend it!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly moving. I will be buying copies for my friends, even though they are monolinguals. The hierarchy of English is something that infuriates me on a cellular level. Although I am a native English speaker, I do speak two additional languages (not as a heritage speaker). I do feel a different connection to different words based on the language that I’m speaking, so I was able to personally connect to multiple poems.
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afiriyie-Hwedie offers up a set of powerful poems that honor family and language and give voice to the struggles and hardships of the immigrant experience. The shorter pieces resonated with me more than the longer ones, which experimented with style and shape.

These verses honoring her mother from “In my version” echo the compassionate tone found throughout the entire volume:

“Other times, I
look beyond God
for a woman
like my mother.

*

I cannot tell the woman
from the wound.
Both are so concerned
with your safety
they sit with you
until you heal.
And bleed and bleed and bleed.”

[Sarah Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful collection of poetry centering on being born in a second language, understanding identity, and troubling American conventions. I found myself lost in thought with the rhythm of the stanzas and appreciating structural choice across the variety of poems. This collection can be revisited multiple times to explore different thematic lenses, which is absolutely to be appreciated of button poetry. Thank you to Netgalley and this beautiful writer for the ARC.

[LauraLouReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compact selection of 36 poems exploring that of being born with a second language and a dive into ones identity in relation to language, culture, immigration and also being woman

Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie’s poetry has also introduced me to Branda Fassies music whom is mentioned in a
few poems.

Two poems that made me stop and pause for thought were Port of Entry and It goes without saying.

An eye-opening and enjoyable short collection of poetry.

[Hollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akosua is a talented poet. I am amazed at how effectively Akosua translated the pain and emotion through her writing. Her writing is thought-provoking and relatable. Sometimes I found the writing shocking. I loved how various poems connected with one another. My favorite poem was “Panacea”.

Reading the poems left me yearning to learn more about the author and inspiration for this work. Well-done!

[James Morehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging in language and form, wonderful use of found poetry and concrete devices. Beautifully designed suiting the visual nature of the poetry. Recommended reading as a physical book - can't imagine this book would work as an ebook.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

A voice not often heard talks of her experiences with language, religion, family, immigration and living. Heavy in the theme if language and its importance and power, this is a short but packed poetry book.

[Sheneli Narangamuwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking😍. Born in a second language myself, I felt this collection so much.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3.5

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry collection was very interesting to see the way that the poet felt about their culture. I really enjoyed the language that was used in the collection. It definitely was a collection that I would recommend to anyone and anybody just getting into poetry or interested in learning about another culture! It was very entertaining and you will not be disappointed if you read it!

[Anwen Hayward · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Review of an ARC via Netgalley)

This was a really beautiful and evocative collection about language and cultural identity, and how America (and the white Western world in general) seeks to dampen both. Afiriyie-Hwedie's language here is really just phenomenal; she has an almost supernatural ability to tell the story of a whole life in one line of poetry, and although this collection is very short it feels complete, like not a single page or word is wasted. All the poems here are tightly crafted and layered with so many meanings that I think you could probably read this entire collection cover to cover multiple times and have a different experience every time.

Having said that, I did find some of the poems were a little hard to parse and I wasn't sure I fully comprehended all of them, but I chalked that up to the poet's experience being so very different from mine; there are things she's experienced and writes about that are a completely new frame of reference for me, a white monoglot who's lived in the same country my whole life. I still enjoyed the language of the poems, even those I didn't entirely understand.

As far as poetry collections go, this is one of the most impressive in terms of poetic technique and language that I've read this year, and it's obvious that Afiriyie-Hwedie is one of those poets who's going to end up on every MFA syllabus going, and she should.

[Callum McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of the poems in this collection focus on Afiriyie-Hwedie’s complicated relationship with language, musing on how much our cultural identity is tied up in our mother tongue; how a disconnect from one can make us feel estranged from the other.

It’s a fascinating topic, and Afiriyie-Hwedie tackles it with nuance, employing a suitably beautiful and engaging writing style. Structurally, a few of the more playful pieces felt a tad too gimmicky for my taste, and as a whole, the collection does feel a little short – though with such a tight thematic focus, I can appreciate the desire to avoid too much repetition.

All-in -all, this is a compact, perceptive collection that is worth checking out.

Thank you to the publisher for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Soula Kosti · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

In Born in a Second Language, I couldn't deeply connect with each poem, but I overall enjoyed this debut poetry collection by Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie. Maybe it's my fault because I went into this with high expectation as the premise mentioned that these poems will explore language and translation through the immigrant experience which is something that intrigues and concerns me.

The poem "It goes without saying" is a true masterpiece and gives me chills every time I read it.

"In America, there is less consideration of u in a sentence
How c o l o u r becomes c o l o r
Word flattened like somebody's version of this poor earth
And We the people
Is often them not u, the people"

Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started and finished this book today, but I definitely need more time to reflect upon everything I’ve read on these pages. This is a collection of personal poems written by a black woman, immigrant in the USA. She explores the challenges and injustices she faces in her life, often being reminded that she’s not home, that her English isn’t the “good” one, that because of her color she’s excluded from groups, and many other issues that unfortunately are still present in our society nowadays. I’m white, but I’m also a woman and I have family living abroad, so I could relate to some of her poems too. "It goes without saying" really touched me. Great read!

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.