Member Article

Thoughts in Verses Review By Celia Baker

A new collective of inspirational poems about thoughts has been released for sale from Ololade Nafisat Ejemdibia. Named Thoughts in Verses, the book is based in the author’s belief that the art of poetry allows you to take a deeper look at the world. Here Celia Baker, teacher and avid reader, reviews the collection.

“In the forward the author claims to include all aspects of silly, whimsical, nonsensical, sombre, painful, dark, and full of despair. Loving the emotional reactions I often get when reading poetry, I open the book to the first poem with high expectations.

“They are what I would call poems of substances. They are short and punchy but carry strong meaning. The Cracked Egg resonated massively with me, and is a very clever way to describe what many people must feel.

“Looking for Knowledge is also a memorable poem – I read it a number of times and the simile to the baby fox is genius. Well worth a read even if you aren’t a poetry fan. In fact, all the poetry is easily digestible, with none longer than a page, it is easy to dip in and out.

“My favourite poem of all is Hatred is a Cancer. It is a true and impactful description of the damage this emotion creates, and I was desperate to share it to my social media channels in a meme for the world to enjoy! The Evil In us created the same feelings in me too – a cathartic scratch at a dark itch.

“The use of colourful depictions and photos are the start of a new verse or chapter is fast becoming a new trend, but Ololade uses it in an enlightening way. Depicting people of all ages from all walks of the life, the photos draw you in as much as the actual words.

“Despite the modern use of the imagery, the writings and set of the book feels rustic, but with that comes an authenticity, which is something you cannot fake. The heart in this book allows me to forgive the odd typo and makes me instead feel warm at the humanistic security it brings.

“If I had to be critical, I would say that there should be a stronger emphasis on the grammar, as I noticed a few times that the author slips in the verses, almost into a slang, which some will find arduous to read.

“The author states to have created this content based on their own personal experiences through to metaphorical representations of their thoughts. Ololade, what a life you must have had so far. You say you are fascinated with the how simple letters can come together and form something beautiful, meaningful and thought provoking. Your use of words has succeeded in this – well done.

“In conclusion, Thoughts in Verses in well worth a read. I enjoyed it immensely.”

Ololade Adebayo Ejemdibia has a master’s degree in logistics, data analysis and supply chain management from University of Bradford. A prolific writer, she has featured in a number of literary competitions and is a member of a numerous arts and culture organisations.

Thoughts in Verses is available to buy on Amazon.

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