POETRY FROM THE HEART For the 21st Century by Olusola Sophia Anyanwu
‘God’s riches at Christ’s expense’ is a well-known acronym for the saving ‘grace’ oPOETRY FROM THE HEART For the 21st Century by Olusola Sophia Anyanwu
‘God’s riches at Christ’s expense’ is a well-known acronym for the saving ‘grace’ of God. This expression chimes neatly with the ‘Good News’ of the Gospel, as summarised in the Bible in John 3:16. Anyanwu’s explicitly Christian poems in this new collection point the reader to the love of God the Father, a love demonstrated supremely in the redemptive work of his Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as the penalty for human sin, and rose
from death to life Reconciling mankind in love and life eternally. RISING!
The Lord’s Prayer begins, of course, with the familiar words, ‘Our Father’. It is hardly surprising therefore that God the Father (and Creator) is addressed directly in some of the poems; take ‘Heavenly Language’ for example, in which the speaker gives thanks for a new day. Elsewhere the poet refers to the Deity in the third person:
When is God’s time? We ask as years pass ... WILDERNESS
God, however, is also addressed in less formal terms. The print on the paperback edition of Anyanwu’s collection states that these poems ‘tell us that God is our Papa’, using an informal word that may remind some of the earlier Aramaic word, Abba. Jesus, of course, used this Aramaic word (Mark 14:36) in a way that implied devotion and obedience to his heavenly Father, even in the hardest of circumstances.
There are instances in Anyanwu’s texts in which the reader is addressed directly. Consider these arresting lines, which serve as a powerful demonstration of the harmony (of heaven) that can exist on earth when people of all nations embrace a shared humanity and unite in love;
WE matter Not because of our skin ...
We matter because you are the white keys and I am the black keys of The piano US
The Psalms have clearly been a significant influence. With this in mind, the following line can be read in the context of Psalm 148:9:
The language of Heaven blesses my being and soul ... HEAVENLY LANGUAGE
Some of the poems highlight God’s ‘love in creation’, to quote the hymn writer, H. W. Baker. Aspects of the natural world, such as coconut trees, feature in Anyanwu’s poem, ‘Home’, in which the reader is invited into the vibrant world of the poet’s Nigerian childhood. This autobiographical poem has its poignant moments; the Welsh word ‘hiraeth’ comes to mind in terms of the poet’s sense of heartache for a time that has passed from the realms of reality into the storehouse of memory. The overall tone, however, is one of deep gratitude for the ‘smells of home’, the ‘shrieks of laughter’ and ‘light refreshments of boiled corn ...’.
The complete title of this collection is Poetry from the Heart for the 21st century. While Anyanwu’s poems, like most contemporary poems, have a shape of their own, the poet has chosen to employ a selection of tools from her proverbial poetry toolkit. Metaphor, the occasional rhyme and internal rhyme, repetition and alliteration all play their part. The real strength of this slim volume, however, lies in its two-fold message of love and devotion; for it celebrates not only the Heavenly Father’s love for the world and its people, but also the poet’s loving response to the heart of God. ...more
- 'Unthinkable Skies' by Juliet Wilson has certainly made me want to continue to explore our world and our use of words. I very much hope that readers of this interview may care to visit the Calder Wood Press site and order a copy of 'Unthinkable Skies' for themselves.
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