Deeper thoughts of a poet

Title:  Turns of Thoughts

Author: Andrew Bula

Publishers: Old Press, Abuja

Year of Publication:    2020

Reviewer:  Edozie Udeze

 

The voice of the poet, as an artist, is always the voice of the people.  In whatever way or form he or she presents his/her views, it is to notify the society of different issues.  The poet does not lament or praise for nothing.  It is what he sees, what he observes, what he feels in and outside of his inner self that prompts his offerings.

For Andrew Bula, a university teacher, poet, author and more, poetry speaks volumes.  This is exactly what he has brought himself to do in his latest collection titled Turns of Thoughts.  This collection harps on momentary exigencies of Nigeria and beyond.  Having done poetry at different fora over the years, Bula, a Benue born wordsmith is quite at home with the real requirements of rhymes and rhythms.  He comes out whole, completely in tune with the issues that trouble and distort the flow of the environment in all facets, in all ramifications.

In 31 poems hovering on diverse problem areas of the society, he is able to dissect humanity.  It is like he goes into the deepest nuances of humanity, crying, noting, lamenting on what to do to get things right.  He has total grasp of the records of some mores, some feelings, with lucid renderings that permeate souls, engaging the reader.

He goes into different cultures but makes his Tiv home base his foremost thrust.  He is totally instructive, a total foray into the bowels of the turns that turn to thoughts.

He says: Down the cozy

close where two or three

might gather

But none there is save one

deep in turns of thoughts…

Though in the end safety

itself isn’t safe a zone

However much the efforts

to arrow for it, as now

When a German Shepherd

vainly barks interruptions

hard by.

In a brazenly audacious way, Bula goes into full throttle.  He keeps vigil as he snails slowly far out of the woods.  These are woods of problems, of a poet who is also a time-keeper.  He sees this as his forte, his humble way to hint at the wall gecko.  This wall gecko is ominously different, appearing in a female form.  A horrible lady friend or fiend in form of a wall gecko comes to torment her boyfriend.  It is one of such horrifying issues that Bula brings to the fore.  Come to think of it, is he not right?  Most friends these days, male or female, often turn out to be as horrendous and lugubrious as a wall gecko, evil, slippery and unfathomable.

Even though simple are the winning ways, the poet purposely remarks thus: for much of the time here

Not through and through to

live or sheer decorate as

one’s wont to,

One designs, to defend one

self,

And for ego, win posts the

most!

How does this offer earth’s store by Heaven’s nod?  A palpable question, indeed, yet Bula does not shy away from the issue; solve me this puzzle.  It is then time to remember and eulogise the late Nelson Mandela, one of Africa’s‘ most celebrated leaders.  The poet says: As though led by the Magi’s Star

You journeyed from afar to Jo’burg..

We bondage our broken hearts

With thoughts of your freedom gift.

As a teacher, Bula is at home with phrases that pierce the heart.  In learning the way, he tackles mainly the discipline of old by cane that helped to tame the child.  For him the cane should be made readily available to reintroduce order in the system.  He renders it thus: Teachers cane is kind

If you get all swims right

If you fail them all

Then the cane becomes

cold…

Then from against the wall

Came the soft tick-tock

pulse

On and on, it ticked away.

And from it I learnt the way.  It is not a lesson in futility.  A poet learns and transfers to the public through his well-organised contrite presentation.  Even if the lion always controls the jungle, a poet has a way to soften the nuances.  This is king on fours in the wilds.

He says: O Lion! King on

fours in the wilds

For ages and ages gone by,

and greying

Tales and praises of your

sight linger on

As are the marvels of your

deeds: …

I dress you in the robes of

your majesty.

There are also the vessel of honour, Notes from Guitar strings, much minuses and little pluses, who knows…  They all come in different guises, some hard, others subtle.  Each, however, shows the total embodiment of act of presentation by a teacher – poet.  This is what Bula symbolizes in these lines, often evoking fire, trying to situate personal and collective perturbations, worries, etc.

Though slim in size, the volume commands attention.  Some parts come in the Tiv Language.  A bit more explanations and tone-marking should be introduced into the text in the second edition to help for a better comprehension of the local expressions.  Turns of Thoughts therefore is suitable both for pleasure and academic exercises.  It is indeed rich in its choices of themes, titles and presentations.