{"id":1454,"date":"2016-10-11T21:24:10","date_gmt":"2016-10-11T21:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/?p=1454"},"modified":"2016-10-11T21:24:10","modified_gmt":"2016-10-11T21:24:10","slug":"poetic-insight-issue-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/poetic-insight-issue-5\/","title":{"rendered":"POETIC INSIGHT (ISSUE 5)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 1.7.8 -->\n<div class=\"quads-location quads-ad1\" id=\"quads-ad1\" style=\"float:none;margin:0px;\">\n\n <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.1.7.8 Content AdSense async --> \n\n<script async data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\">\nvar quads_screen_width = document.body.clientWidth;\nif ( quads_screen_width >= 1140 ) {\r\n\/* desktop monitors *\/\r\ndocument.write('<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5983616716487778\" data-ad-slot=\"\" ><\/ins>');\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n}if ( quads_screen_width >= 1024  && quads_screen_width < 1140 ) {\r\n\/* tablet landscape *\/\r\ndocument.write('<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5983616716487778\" data-ad-slot=\"\" ><\/ins>');\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n}if ( quads_screen_width >= 768  && quads_screen_width < 1024 ) {\r\n\/* tablet portrait *\/\r\ndocument.write('<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5983616716487778\" data-ad-slot=\"\" ><\/ins>');\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n}if ( quads_screen_width < 768 ) {\r\n\/* phone *\/\r\ndocument.write('<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5983616716487778\" data-ad-slot=\"\" ><\/ins>');\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n}<\/script>\n\n <!-- end WP QUADS --> \n\n\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>POETIC INSIGHT (ISSUE 5)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>OGHENERO EZAZA\u2019S CRITICISM OF DENNIS OSADEBE\u2019S POEM, \u2018A SONG OF HOPE\u2019<\/p>\n<p>This analytical essay is on Dennis Osadebe\u2019s poem, \u2018A Song of Hope\u2019 carefully chosen in reflection of the grueling economic recession in my country, Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ABOUT THE POET<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360.jpg\"><img data-attachment-id=\"1455\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/poetic-insight-issue-5\/osadebay1-692x360\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360.jpg?fit=633%2C358&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"633,358\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Dennis Osadebay\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360.jpg?fit=300%2C170&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360.jpg?fit=633%2C358&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1455 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360-300x170.jpg?resize=300%2C170\" alt=\"Dennis Osadebay\" width=\"300\" height=\"170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360.jpg?resize=300%2C170&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/osadebay1-692x360.jpg?w=633&amp;ssl=1 633w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a>Chief Dennis Chukude Osadebey was born on June 29, 1911 in Asaba, the capital of the present day Delta State of Nigeria. He studied and worked in Nigeria, before traveling to England, where he studied law. He was a premier of the defunct Mid-Western Region of Nigeria. In the 1930s, his poems featured in reputable local and international Newspapers and journals. As a student in England, his book of poetry Africa Sings, was published. He achieved success both as a journalist and politician. He died on December 26, 1994 at 83yrs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>THE POEM<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>A Song of Hope<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Is thy weather rough and cruel,<br \/>\nCharged with thunder, dark and cold?<br \/>\nDoes thy fire lacking fuel<br \/>\nTo thy heart great misery hold?<br \/>\nLook around, O woman\u2019s born,<br \/>\nFull many a soul by sorrow torn<br \/>\nFrom happiness and heaven\u2019s door<br \/>\nIs worse than thou on Fortune\u2019s floor<\/p>\n<p>Dost thou lack the wherewithal<br \/>\nTo keep thy soul and body one?<br \/>\nDost thou still bemoan thy fall<br \/>\nAnd think thy weary self undone?<br \/>\nThink again, O mortal man,<br \/>\nAnd know that since this world began<br \/>\nMen and stars have fallen low<br \/>\nAnd living things have ceased to grow<\/p>\n<p>Art thou full of wealth and life,<br \/>\nSmiled upon by Fortune fair?<br \/>\nDoes thy strength overcome all strife?<br \/>\nIs thy learning great and rare<br \/>\nThou art not the first to gain<br \/>\nHealth or wealth or power or brain;<br \/>\nHelp thy neighbour rise to-day;<br \/>\nThou art only dust and clay<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>SUBJECT-MATTER<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Stanza 1<\/em><br \/>\nLines 1-4 address the hardship facing the people. Line 5 urges them to be conscious\u00a0 of their environment, while lines 6-8 say they will see others suffering worse fate, thus,\u00a0 will have no choice but consider themselves as lucky i.e. \u2018on Fortune\u2019s floor\u2019 (line 8).<\/p>\n<p><em>Stanza 2<\/em><br \/>\nThe speaker continued in his focus on those believed to have lost hope thinking they are in the most pathetic of situations. Line 13 begins the message of hope running through lines 14-16 telling the seemingly pathetic to take notice of the reality of life that, in a world of struggles, he (the pathetic) is not alone.<\/p>\n<p><em>Stanza 3<\/em><br \/>\nIn stanza 3, the poet-speaker no longer addresses those considered as suffering; he is rather concerned of those assumed to be rich, comfortable and satisfied. In line 18 the speaker says, the rich have acquired riches by favour \u2013 \u2018smiled upon by Fortune fair.\u2019 If you notice, the term Fortune is always capitalized everywhere it appears in the poem. This suggests the poet is using the term \u2018Fortune\u2019 to refer to \u2018God\u2019 the creator whom Christians refer to as \u2018the author and finisher of our fate.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, the poet, in line 18, is saying the rich only became rich by the grace of God. In line 20 the poet refers to those who have gained academic successes and intelligence. In Line 22, Health refers to those that don\u2019t have any deformity like asthma, leprosy, sickle cell anaemia; well and strong. \u2018Wealth\u2019 in that same line refers to the rich, \u2018Power\u2019 refers to the political leaders (including the royalties), while the term \u2018brain\u2019 refers to the scholars, that is, those that have attained high academic standards. In lines 21-22 the poet is telling such category of people that, they were not the first to achieve these successes. In line 23 he urges them to assist others to also achieve success. In the final line of the poem, the speaker reminds all successful ones that they are only dust and clay. This, is another allusion to the Bible, the Holy book of Christians. The biblical story of the creation of the world says that God created man from dust and clay.<\/p>\n<!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 1.7.8 -->\n<div class=\"quads-location quads-ad2\" id=\"quads-ad2\" style=\"float:none;margin:0px;\">\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<script>\r\n  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({\r\n    google_ad_client: \"ca-pub-5983616716487778\",\r\n    enable_page_level_ads: true\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><strong>THEMES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hope: This is the most prominent theme of the poem.<br \/>\nHardship\/Suffering: The poem celebrates the hardship and suffering of the masses.<\/p>\n<p>Fortune\/Grace\/ Favour: The poet says those that are rich, healthy, etc are only favoured by the creator.<\/p>\n<p>Call to Charity: The poet calls on the favoured, i.e. the rich to help those that are not well to do.<br \/>\nFate: This can also be linked to the theme of Fortune. The speaker says just as some are favoured, some only found themselves on the wrong side of favour. Hence his call on the rich to help the poor.<\/p>\n<p>Supremacy of God: The poet uses the term \u2018Fortune\u2019 to mean \u2018God\u2019. He says God is all-powerful and is responsible for the success of those who are successful.<\/p>\n<p>Man\u2019s mortality and weakness: The poet presents man as weak and powerless before God the Supreme Being, even in the determination of man\u2019s fate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>POETIC DEVICES<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Rhetorical Question<\/em>: This is a question that suggests its own answer. This device is predominant in the poem as the poet employs it at the beginning of every stanza.<\/li>\n<li><em>Metaphor:<\/em> Lines 1-4 are metaphorical as well as lines 6-8. Other instances include: \u2018to keep thy soul and body one\u2019 (line 11), \u2018wealth and life\u2019 (line 17) etc.<\/li>\n<li><em>Metonymy:<\/em> This is a literary device which refers to a thing while using a closely associated term\/word. E.g. the use of \u2018health\u2019 \u2018wealth\u2019 \u2018power\u2019, \u2018brain\u2019 in line 22. Also the use of \u2018Fortune Fair\u2019 (18), \u2018learning\u2019 (line 20), \u2018wealth and life\u2019 (line 17).<\/li>\n<li><em>Synecdoche:<\/em> This device is close to metonymy. This is using a part of a thing to refer to the whole of it, or using the whole to refer to a part. E.g. \u2018soul and body one (line 10), heart (line 4)<\/li>\n<li><em>Allusion:<\/em> The use of thy (line 1), thou, Art thou (line 17) thy neighbour. These terms are borrowed from Bible usage especially King James Version. This type of allusion is known as Biblical Allusion.<\/li>\n<li><em>Structure<\/em><br \/>\nThe most commendable thing about the poem is its structure. The poem is made up of three octaves. An OCTAVE is a poem of eight lines. Each stanza in this poem is an octave. The rhyme scheme is as follows;<br \/>\nStanza 1: A B A B C C D D<br \/>\nStanza 2: E F E F G G H H<br \/>\nStanza 3: I J I J K K L L<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> The 1st -4th lines of each stanza are made up of rhetorical questions, while the 5th line starts the message of hope.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Diction:<\/em> Simple, Ancient, and Biblical. This is to maintain the purpose of the poem being didactic.<\/li>\n<li><em>Mood\/ Tone<\/em>: Didactic, Admonishing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>ABOUT THE WRITER OF THIS ARTICLE<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg\"><img data-attachment-id=\"1007\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/poetic-insight-issue-2\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg?fit=1533%2C1467&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1533,1467\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg?fit=300%2C287&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg?fit=790%2C756&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1007 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o-300x287.jpg?resize=300%2C287\" alt=\"892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o\" width=\"300\" height=\"287\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg?resize=300%2C287&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg?resize=1024%2C980&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/892552_252132894925125_1750123149_o.jpg?w=1533&amp;ssl=1 1533w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><strong>Oghenero Ezaza<\/strong> writes prose and poetry. He has a published collection of poems entitled Reflections. He is the coordinator of the Warri Literary Society. His poems have also featured in various anthologies including Who Shall I Make My Wife, Wushapa (Beating the Drums of Peace), Black Communion, etc. He is also a comedian and performance poet with the stage name: Genza.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 1.7.8 -->\n<div class=\"quads-location quads-ad3\" id=\"quads-ad3\" style=\"float:none;margin:0px;\">\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<script>\r\n  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({\r\n    google_ad_client: \"ca-pub-5983616716487778\",\r\n    enable_page_level_ads: true\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>POETIC INSIGHT (ISSUE 5) OGHENERO EZAZA\u2019S CRITICISM OF DENNIS OSADEBE\u2019S POEM, \u2018A SONG OF HOPE\u2019 This analytical essay is on Dennis Osadebe\u2019s poem, \u2018A Song&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1455,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[28],"tags":[262,261,238,260,108,114,81],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1990,"url":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/poetic-insight-issue-7\/","url_meta":{"origin":1454,"position":0},"title":"POETIC INSIGHT (ISSUE 7)","date":"July 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"POETIC INSIGHT (ISSUE 7) EKO (OF THE STREET) BY EWO CHIDIEBERE A Succinct Review by Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom ABOUT THE POET Ewo\u00a0Chidiebere\u00a0is a young poet from Enugu State and a pioneer Poet-in-Residence at the PIN-Virginrose Poets\u2019 Residency (2016), Victoria Island, Lagos State. 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Heeding the Call for Submission made in February 2016, entries spanning the advertised columns were received and subjected to intense assessment\u2026","rel":"nofollow","context":"In \"Activities\"","img":{"src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1394,"url":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/pin-quarterly-journal-issue-5-call-for-submissions\/","url_meta":{"origin":1454,"position":2},"title":"PIN QUARTERLY JOURNAL (ISSUE 5): CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS","date":"August 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Building on the remarkable success of previous editions of PIN Quarterly Journal, Poets in Nigeria (PIN) calls for entries aligning with various columns of the journal due for release in the first week of October, 2016. The columns listed below are opened to corresponding entries: CRISPY SATIRE: features poems with\u2026","rel":"nofollow","context":"In \"Activities\"","img":{"src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1454"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1454"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1499,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1454\/revisions\/1499"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.poetsinnigeria.org.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}