Tolu' a Akinyemi

Never Play Games with the Devil Tolu' a Akinyemi

Never Play Games with the Devil is a didactic collection of poems with themes spread across pertinent issues of life. Succinctly written and compiled, the poems in this collection draw appeal from the Poet's ability to maintain a steady flow of thought by giving astute attention to each poem while weaving through a variety of themes. In a moment of self-adulation, he wrote: "My brain thinks faster than my words can convey. My mind works magic. Can I live this life forever?" The collection is divided into three parts and in each part the Poet ingeniously assumes different tones. In part one, he is a jostle preacher and an encourager, telling people to Hustle, Find their Feet and Grow. He talks about the lots of Broken Men crashing under the weight of expectations; he talks about boys like Eddie and Edmund who are bullied for the shape of their heads. He humorously addresses how consequences stem from choices and decisions in the poem Never Play Games with the Devil. The second part of the collection plays on ode to satire as the poet takes on the role of an activist. In this part, we see the anger of the poet against a despotic and undemocratic government, against marauding killer herdsmen and the pastor who has lost his voice. The poet mourns. He mourns for innocent souls that die as a result of the rottenness and lack of accountability of the state. In the final part, the poet explores the basis of human relationships. The poems here deal with love, commitment, trust...