Ushie Joe: A Reign of Locusts, Poems (Ibadan: Kraftbooks, 2004)
About the Book
Ushie’s poetry presents a new voice with modulations that vibrate with creative freshness … a young poet of incalculable promise. Ime Ikiddeh Professor of English and Dean, Postgraduate School University of Uyo
Joe Ushie’s work is metaphorically and linguistically cunning…
Stewart Brown Centre for West African Studies University of Birmingham, UK
Honoured recently by the Cross River State Government for outstanding contribution to Literature and Culture, Joe Ushie was born at Akorshi, Bendi in Obanliku LGA of Cross River State, and teaches at the Department of English, University of Uyo, Nigeria. He is the author of Popular Stand (1992), Lambs at the Shrine (Kraft, 1995), Eclipse in Rwanda (Kraft, 1998) and Hill Songs
CONTENTS
TOWARD CANAAN
The african bermuda
Night, still
Musa’s legacy
Ladder
A reign of locusts
The termitarium
Homage to the dragon
Clifford
Homo sappers
The uniform
Song of the thief
Mobile caskets
The exchange
Seasons
lf i weep
Black box
My head
Tap root
I own here
The seed
Shackles
Our laugh will change
BACK TO THE HILLS AND VALES
Soul of the earth
Let me be
Angbeb-ishang
Cradle echoes
Let us share
Cycles
The lure
Itse igiang lefe
VOICES AND MOODS OF THE SILENT WILD AND OTHER DEEP MATTERS
Rain season
Particle
Tongues
Time
Sleep
The silk cotton tree
Monuments
Akpan essien area
Masks
Tussle
Congo music 1
Season of flower
Cell
Goddess
June
RETURNS
Mother’s mortar
Amauche amangbo
Sad
Dad’s
Dark hour
The bond
Sailing to silence