Title: Acornic verses
Author: Juliet Ngozi Udora
Reviewer: Daniel Adeleye
Pages: 72
Publishers: Verbatim Communications Limited
A cornic verses is a collection of poems by Juliet Ngozi Udora. The book is an outpouring of intimate spiritual dialogue with God, which resonates the themes of healing, courage, love, zeal, forgiveness, hope, faith and charity.
The poetry is no doubt well written and greatly inspired. This does not surprise me as Juliet is said to have been a writer with the propensity to see life through literary lens, who gets thrilled guiding and watching talents grow from seemingly young impressionable minds.
The book was written and arranged under different titles; Alone with God, For the love of God, The One I Love, Abounding Grace, The Gifts of Life, The Gifts of Nature and By Faith, are a collection of author’s deep reflections through sweet and sour moments; those periods when she felt the strong hand of life on some aspects of her living.
The poems are so unique that they transcend beyond the ordinary recitation of poems to a kind of story-telling about real life events and the Biblical suffering, trial and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is because many of the poems seem to have been sparked by real life stories and experiences. For example, the poem “My Longings”, depicts world of downtrodden and the catastrophe related to the people in that stratification, among of which includes hunger, sickness, impoverishment, underdevelopment, desperation, ignorance and many more.
“Can you separate ignorance and under development from the world of the poor?
How can progress come to the despondent? Must we feed our hearts and minds on garbages? As lower citizens of a great world,
Must I go back to my Maker empty handed?”
Also, the poem “Turn Around” reverberates the liturgy of hope and faith. Day by day, God would lead us to places of hope and healing, especially when we find ourselves at the darkest of life. Although, God promised that He would always be with mankind and in fact, live within them but He never promised them a life free from drawback. It takes a complete “Walking Faith” in us to bring tangible manifestation of God’s presence to conquer in those low moments. We don’t need to physically feel something extraordinary; we only need our faith for those expectations to manifest.
“Who can go through the bend without curving?
Who can feel broken and quickly heal?
Can I go through life without its scratches?
… But I will never let them crush me
His invisible hand upholds me
and gladly walk the path that faith has paved”.
“Sorrowful Joy” is another emotive story that came in the form of a free verse. Udora tells the remarkable story of her own spiritual journey marked by sorrow and joy by conversion and reconciliation.
“The ride of honour to Jerusalem became a painful walk to Golgotha as the shouts: “Hail the King!”
Gave way to “Crucify him”
It takes moral fortitude to be honest at the risk of ridicule and rejection. Sometimes, fears corrode spirit and confine us like a barbed wire fence. That’s why they say a coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man but one.
This Udora re-echoed in the poem “Valued Ridicule”, a story that knell the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ in the hands of Jews at Golgotha.
“Royalties have their ceremonies prearranged
But He had to bear the cross
Walked to the place of the skull
But didn’t leave his behind”.
“… Wine disappeared at the point of toast
as vinegar abundantly took its place
Sponge in place of a drinking straw stood atop a dispensing hyssop stalk”.
When it comes to romantic times of the year, Valentine’s Day is number one on many people’s list. Traditionally, everyone goes all out to let their special someone know how much they are appreciated on this day.
The author relived this lover’s day with an octave story “Valentine Wish” when she says,
“The taste of love
Is pleasantly hard to explain
But the feel radiates more than the rays of the sun
Even with shielding
It spills, flickers and dots the heights
That even a draft person can tell when it abounds
And that is the crave that soothes the soul
The soul of all that love and are loved”.