Member Article

This City Knows My Name

A new poetry collection by Abayomi Abiru has been released, taking Amazon and poetry lovers by storm. Here Patrick Parsons, coach, mentor and father to three, reviews the new release.

“Poetry is coming back into vogue and with a wave of talented poets, many of them from Africa, there is lots to choose from. So I started reading This City Knows My Name, thinking that to review it properly I need to find out what makes it stand out from the others. Why should this one be on my bookshelf, above and beyond others.

“The first things that struck me was the use of grammar. It breaks from the norm. A refreshing approach to all lower case makes the poems flow, dip and turn. Many are also written in first person which makes you feel like the author is speaking directly to you with his messages.

“The poems talk about challenges, actions, grief, and memories. You start to relax into the rhythm and mode of Abiru’s style…. then all of a sudden, you are stumbling into Surviving, and the style completely changes. Longer sentences, different use of stanzas and a grammar that is more in sync with other musings out there at the moment.

“The poem that takes the name of the entire book is a pinnacle of sights, smells and sensory overload of being in a city. Descriptive, emotive and one that you will return to read time and time again.

“Moving on through the book and the style at the start returns, which feels like returning somewhere comfortable, as we then continue through a variety of writing shapes and sizes. Some are more reminiscent of prose than poem, but the cleverness of content and deep resonating feeling is still very evident.

“Abayomi Abiru is a talented writer of that there is no doubt. The collection is intelligent, exciting and yet maintains a very personal feeling. His passion for nature and storytelling comes through clear, as does his knowledge on more academic subjects.

“Definitely worth purchasing and dedicating some space on the bookshelf for.”

This City Knows My Name is available to purchase online from Amazon and other retailers.

Abaymoni is a Nigerian writer, who enjoys telling stories through poetry. He holds a master’s degree in Business Systems Analysis and Design from The City University, London. He is also a certified Cyber Security personnel specialist.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Toms .