What is Poetry?

Poetry is a form of self expression. it is a unique way of arranging words to make a meaning.

"I would the poetry of words  as the rhythmical creation of beauty. Its sole arbiter is taste. With the intellect or with the conscience it has only collateral relations. Unless incidentally, it has no concern whatever either with duty or with truth"
- Edgar Allan Poe

Poetry is the imaginative expression of strong feeling, usually rhythmical, the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings recollected in tranquility.
- William Wordsworth

The language of poetry is rich in figurative expressions; it is specific and concrete. Rhythm is an important element of poetry.

Poetic licence is the privilege poets have for deviating from the norm. The freedom to use words in the unconventional style.

The Seven Signposts by Wole Soyinka: My thoughts

This is a book where Wole Soyinka explored the spirituality of the African Continent. He mentioned the following Orisa, "deities": Obatala, Ogun, Oya, Osun, and Orisa Oko. The book in a way creates awareness for these deities, especially as they seem not to be understood by many. Wisdom, clarity, direction, guidance, vengeance, friendship, togetherness and knowledge are attributed to these deities.

The author's approach is like mind pouring and appealing to people to study and understand the Yoruba religion. He mentioned that he can only write to the extent that he knows but individual study and exposure to the African religion will guide everyone interested, accordingly.

The book is also rich in images. If you ever want to see portraits, statue or figurine representing the deities, you have many of them in this book.

My experience with the book is reading the work of an author that is appealing to his audience to give some attention to the orisa. In other words, re-think the ORISA.