{"id":1979,"date":"2020-12-13T17:11:51","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T17:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/umuakatimes.com\/topnews\/?p=1979"},"modified":"2020-12-13T17:15:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-13T17:15:10","slug":"mrs-nneka-joyce-duru-wins-international-poetry-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umuakatimes.com\/topnews\/mrs-nneka-joyce-duru-wins-international-poetry-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Mrs. Nneka Joyce Duru wins international poetry award."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span> 576<\/span> Views<\/span><\/div>

It has been joy unspeakable and double blessing for the Durus in the recent time. First, Dr Duru Stephen Chiedozie was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of naval architecture and marine engineering. Before the celebrations could settle, words came from afar that his amiable wife, Mrs Nneka Joyce Duru has won the African Writers Award which is usually organized by the African Writers Trust.<\/p>\n

With hundreds of entries from across Africa, precisely 25 African countries Mrs Nneka Joyce Duru, a \u201cshero\u201d (Umuaa Times word for a female hero) beat all the entries and emerged number with her poem titled, Ode to the Blackbird.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Below is the production of the award winning poem by Nneka Joyce Duru .<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ode to the Blackbird (Haiku) \u2013<\/p>\n

When blackbird shall sing<\/p>\n

The clouds shall visit the earth<\/p>\n

Larks shall hide in shame<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I am steaming black<\/p>\n

When I shall sing my love song<\/p>\n

Fair lark shall go down<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ho! Blackbirds gyrate!<\/p>\n

Play to us the beaded gourd<\/p>\n

Let earth sing our praise!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fair maiden, dance on<\/p>\n

Dark and beautiful are you<\/p>\n

Let earth sing your praise.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Literary Appreciation Ode to the Blackbird (Haiku) by Nneka Joyce Duru<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the findings made by Umuaka Times about the work of Mrs Duru, \u201cThis is a poem against racism and black inferiority. The poem begins with a prophetic declaration, \u201cWhen Blackbird shall sing\/\/ The clouds shall visit the earth\/\/Larks shall hide in shame.\u201d This is Africa, symbolic in the form of a Blackbird. The time shall come when Africa will begin to make a great and positive impact, commanding respect in the world. When that day comes, the clouds which represent the \u2018high, mighty and influential\u2019 in the world shall make haste to be identified with Africa. Lark here represents racists and other black suppressing powers. When Africa shall finally triumph, \u2018Larks shall hide in shame\u2019 in awe of Africa\u2019s glory.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Here in the first stanza, there is the use of allusion, symbols and personification. Personification is seen in the \u2018clouds shall visit the earth\u2019 and \u2018larks shall hide in shame\u2019 giving human qualities to both an inanimate object and a non-human creature.<\/p>\n

In stanza two, the persona introduces her identity as African, \u2018steaming black.\u2019 Here the metaphorical use of the word \u2018steaming\u2019 is used to lay more emphasis on the color black.<\/p>\n

\u2018When I shall sing my love song<\/p>\n

Fair lark shall go down\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stanza 2, lines 2-3<\/p>\n

Here the persona refers to her own efforts. When her impact begins to be felt, nothing shall hold her down rather the racists and haters shall all go down. Here \u2018I\u2019 does not only refer to the persona but to Africans as a whole and there is a call for all to begin to make positive contributions to their society and the world at large. \u2018The love song\u2019 in line two refers to the universal song of oneness, that indomitable spirit of support and encouragement to one another.<\/p>\n

\u2018Fair lark\u2019 here, referring to the color of the bird juxtaposes with \u2019fair maiden\u2019 in stanza 4 which means \u2018beautiful maiden.\u2019<\/p>\n

In stanza three, the exclamation \u2018Ho! is made as an emergent, awakening call to action.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ho! Blackbirds gyrate!\u2019\u00a0 Stanza 3, line 1<\/p>\n

Here, gyrate has two meanings; its literal and figurative interpretation. Literal, in the sense that to gyrate is to dance or spin passionately. Every African deserve to be happy, to rejoice, never to be dampened in spirits; and figuratively which denotes pride in one\u2019s culture and identity.<\/p>\n

\u2018Play to us the beaded gourd<\/p>\n

Let earth sing your praise\u2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stanza three, lines 2-3<\/p>\n

The beaded gourd in Igbo land is called \u2018Ichaka\u2019 which is a\u00a0 local musical instrument usually played with frenzy by lifting it high in the air and beating the beads against the gourd to produce a rattling uniform beats suitable for African songs and dances.<\/p>\n

There should be an open, unashamed display of our culture and heritage for the world to see and appreciate-\u2018Let earth sing you praise\u2019<\/p>\n

In the last stanza, there is the exhortation of Africa as a fair maiden to continue to \u2018dance on.\u2019 Africa is already a beauty. She should continue moving ahead, be proud of her identity, portray and protect her rich cultural heritage. And in the end, the earth shall sing Africa\u2019s praise.<\/p>\n

The poem has four stanzas and is written in Haiku style. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetical composition comprising of three lines with syllables 5-7-5.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nneka Joyce Duru is a wife, mother, gospel artiste, teacher and a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Rivers State chapter. A graduate of English Language at the University of Lagos, she is a champion of women\u2019s literature and women\u2019s rights. She has visited several schools where she taught the importance of decency and the well-being of the girl-child.<\/p>\n

Ode to the Blackbird by Duru Nneka Joyce is the winner of the 2020 African Writers Award for Poetry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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