Slanguage

Wuteh Vakunta

Description

The poems contained in this collection are cathartic songs. They convey an amalgam of experiences culled from the poet's peregrinations around the globe. Each poem translates an emotion. This anthology is the externalization of the poet's pent-up emotions, the vocalization of a piece of a mind that yearns to bring sanity to a world that has gone berserk.

Sujets

• African
• African people
• African literature
• List of African writers by country
• Poetry

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 19 juillet 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789956552399
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

SLANGUAGE Poetry from Dreamland

Peter Wuteh Vakunta

SLANGUAGE Poetry from Dreamland Peter Wuteh Vakunta

L a ng a a R esea rch & P u blishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com

ISBN-10: 9956-552-49-6

ISBN-13: 978-9956-552-49-8

©Peter Wuteh Vakunta 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or be stored in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher

Dedication

In honor of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, SouthAfrican freedom fighter

hailed for his ontological statement on the quintessential role of languages

in contemporary society: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language that goes to his heart.”

Table of Contents Foreword ........................................................................... ix Bush-Faller ........................................................... 1 Slanguage ........................................................................... 2 Nomenclature.................................................................... 4 Docta .................................................................................. 6 Speak Right........................................................................ 8 Power of the Word........................................................... 12 Dreamland............................................................ 13 Uncle Sam.......................................................................... 14 American Dream .............................................................. 15 Jim Crow ............................................................................ 17 Mirage................................................................................. 19 Phoenix in Oval Office.................................................... 20 Dirty Linen ........................................................................ 22 Pyrrhic Victories................................................... 23 Bayonet .............................................................................. 24 Balls..................................................................................... 25 Leeway................................................................................ 27 Barrel of the pen ............................................................... 28 Bravado .............................................................................. 30 Same Boat .......................................................................... 31 Food for thought .............................................................. 32 Makwerekwere Trumpeters............................................. 34 Summum Bonum ............................................................. 35

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Identity Crises ...................................................... 37 Fausse identité................................................................... 38 Disposable Beings ............................................................ 40 Masquerades ...................................................................... 41 Tough Love ....................................................................... 42 Manacles............................................................................. 44 Sanctimonious Hypocrisy................................................ 45 Simulacrum ........................................................................ 47 Shithole .............................................................................. 50 Bootstraps.......................................................................... 52 Diploma Mills.................................................................... 54 Nomenclatural Musings ...................................... 55 Nom de plume .................................................................. 56 Nomenclature.................................................................... 57 Nurture............................................................................... 58 Straddling the Mungo....................................................... 59 Rape of the classroom ..................................................... 60 Rat Race ............................................................................. 61 Harambe............................................................................. 62 Requiem for Love............................................................. 63 Mange-mille ....................................................................... 64 Penmanship.......................................................... 67 Plume.................................................................................. 68 Predator.............................................................................. 70 Rap on the Venal .............................................................. 72 Phallus ................................................................................ 73 Time Bomb........................................................................ 74 Impunity............................................................................. 75 Ntarikon ............................................................................. 77 Veneer of Piety.................................................................. 80

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Vicious Circle .................................................................... 82 Phantoms ........................................................................... 83 Trappings of Royalty........................................................ 84 The Tremor ....................................................................... 86 Necromancy ...................................................................... 88 Soccer Mania ..................................................................... 90 Casket ................................................................................. 91 Requiem ............................................................................. 92 Vantage Point.................................................................... 93 Taxi Driver Wisdom ........................................................ 94 Crazy Love......................................................................... 95 Phantoms ............................................................. 97 Fads..................................................................................... 98 Rate Race ........................................................................... 100 Rape of Democracy .............................................. 101 Demo-crazy ....................................................................... 102 Je wanda ............................................................................. 104 Chiba .................................................................................. 105 Chief Inoni......................................................................... 107 Guide éclairé...................................................................... 109 Chairman............................................................................ 111 Mami Wata......................................................................... 112 Coup d’état ........................................................................ 113

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Foreword Poetry has the potential to serve as an antidote to societal ills, allowing the poet to work through issues in society, to find solutions to ontological mazes, seek clarity, provide solace to the sick in flesh and mind, and provide peace in times of turmoil. Versification provides a vehicle of expression for diverse attitudes, and fresh insights. Throughout life, from the cradle to the grave, we store information culled from our lived experiences; from the travails of others, and try in some way to make sense of it all. When we are in a conundrum and cannot find signification in the things that transpire in our lives, we attempt to externalize our inner musings through writing. A committed writer must be preoccupied with his time. He must address himself to the human predicament. True artistic endeavor shouldn’t be confounded with ideological propaganda. Art for art’s sake is an anachronism in a world beset with the pangs of diseases, oppression, illiteracy, genocides, ethnic bigotry, exploitation, neo-colonialism and imperialism. The poems contained inSlanguage (Poetry from Dreamland) are cathartic songs. Theyconvey an amalgam of experiences culled from the poet’s peregrinations around the globe. Each poem translates an emotion. This anthology is the externalization of the poet’s pent-up emotions, the vocalization of a piece of a mind that yearns to bring sanity to a world that has gone berserk.

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