Home in Motion

In his latest poetry collection, Nigerian-born and current resident of Northeast England Akinyemi considers multiple pivotal places.

Akinyemi sets these 48 poems at numerous locations throughout the world, including Newcastle upon Tyne, London, and Ekiti, Nigeria. He catalogs his experience of traveling through and living in places as an immigrant or citizen. “My Country” recounts the socio-economic reasons why so many immigrants begin their quest for a better life: “My country’s best brains / Have become scattered grains / Fleeing poverty chains.” A sad look at the ignorance and intolerance some have toward those seeking new beginnings, “Far Right” begins: “I pledged my allegiance to the king. / & the far right / is spewing rhetoric—triggering. / Say my blue blood // is contaminated. / Bloody immigrant.” But perhaps the poem that most powerfully embraces Akinyemi’s theme of perseverance and hope is “Freedom Song,” which is simultaneously lyrical, philosophical, and inspiring: “I am singing a freedom song / Birthed from chaos & winds of fury. / My country has excreted its youth & turned them / Into wingless birds… I was once asked, ‘What does home mean to you?’ / I retorted, ‘Home is where the heart finds the freedom / to pull at strings of dreams, / strike chords of ecstasy.’” And although the exploration into the concept of home is the significant thread throughout, there are several noteworthy poems that aren’t overtly connected to the primary theme. “Deflowered” recounts the poet’s first speeding ticket in Northumbria, “Sibling War” offers a tongue-in-cheek glimpse into fatherhood, and “Keep Your Minors” is a warning to all parents to protect their children from the evils of this “broken society.” The blend of thematically weighty and mundane subject matter collectively succeeds in limning the complexities of the poet’s current homelife as well as his state of mind—a place where “anyone from anywhere” can find happiness and fulfillment.

A thoughtful, wide-ranging collection exploring the meaning of home that goes far beyond physical location.