Contemporary African Poetry Research Articles

Migration and postmemorial witnessing in contemporary African poetry

Migration and postmemorial witnessing in contemporary African poetry

Ecological Consciousness and Hybridity as New Poetics in Contemporary African Poetry

Ecological Consciousness and Hybridity as New Poetics in Contemporary African Poetry

Prayer to Wetri Yéyé

In a letter to the editor, Boevi Aggrey Zankli has filled in the background to the recent poem which is presented below. He argues that too much contemporary African poetry has been overly responsive to external European influences to the neglect of a more significant African poetic tradition. “The poet's words and rhythms and imagery often find roots in foreign countries. The thoughts that they derive from their reading of English and Irish literature filters into their works… I am trying to use the African tonal sound 0 0 in heightening my poetry so that the African elements would not be lost in the English language.” Although he uses the English language in his own writing, in this way he has attempted deliberately to retain the stylistic devices of his own poetic heritage.