Review: “Drift” by Leonell Echa

“Drift” is a poem spoken word poem written by Leonell Echa to address societal ills. The poem borders mainly about the separation and violence brought about by culture and religion.

Nigeria is a country filled with diverse religions, therefore it is no surprise that it is being torn apart by our leaders in the guise of tribalism. Hence, we seem to be “drifting” apart.

The poem is a very short one but full of depth and has a didactic sense. Almost every line is like a loaded gun that aims right at you with the truth. The poem is made up of 35 lines with carefully selected rhymes and rhyme pattern that seems to follow in the order of a monosyllabic rhyme. It has great rhythm that makes it sound almost as sonorous as a bird.

The tone is that of disappointment, warning and advice. While the mood seems to be that of anguish, sorrow and and yet filled with hope.

The theme range from bad governance to tribalism, vices

The figures of speech used include personification, paradox, euphemism, metaphors, imagery, antithesis and so on.

“Delve into the darkness to keep up with the night” this is a metaphor. Darkness signifies night. “Something underneath the stars making their blurry bright.” Stars are metaphors for light, they make the place bright. “Silence is the only nation ruling, when we decide to hide.” All these are examples of metaphors. “Division supercedes when we identify with tribe”, “colours that did not die will fade.” Apart from them being metaphors, they also create an image in the mind of the reader of listener.

“Bloody hands in sight”, “body bags too tight”, are all imagery.

It is an irony that “only the ambulance will dare to remember their names” people are dying everyday that we’ll never know about.

“Blurry bright” is an alliteration, because B illiterates. Also in “body bags”.

Euphemism was used to make light of rape in “Our daughters are better mothers when not forcefully laid”.

Repetition, there was a deliberate repetition of some of the end rhymes for the sake of emphasis. Like drive, survive and alive. “A future where we survive” was also repeated.

Pun, “there’s no one if there’s everyone and no one on your side.”

Paradox was used in the beginning lines, “chewing off I bite,” “giving up, I fight”, despite the fact that the situation is overwhelming and it makes you want to give up, you have to fight by showing the your light.

We are busy fighting and turning against each other, when our rulers have no religion. They tear us apart and we let them, instead of joining forces to fight together. The fight for survival is something we need to make a conscious effort at, otherwise we will be name less faces in body bags. It is totally up to us to decide, whether to destroy ourselves by ourselves. It is bad enough that tribalism is killing us, why add other vices like drugs to it?

We must fight to survive, for our future and a brighter tomorrow. Our leaders may continue to lie, but we cannot kill those we reside with. Others may standby and watch all the violence and injustice take place, but we must carry up the light, and keep hope alive. We cannot give up, we cannot be silent, neither can we give up the fight, our country can still become a better place. And “being our brother’s keeper, is the best way to stay alive.”

Vera