Poet Adura Ojo writes about breaking eggs. 'Life is a Woman Breaking Eggs' is here!

Hi everyone!

I have someone very interesting for you to meet today if you haven't already had the pleasure. I've known Adura Ojo since she first starting submitting her wonderful poetry to the prompts at RomanticFridayWriters, the precursor to Write...Edit...Publish (WEP). You will notice the amazing cover--that is the work of Kiru Taye, irrepressible author and artist, who also wrote for RFW.

I read recently that one way to improve our prose is to read poetry. I do. But I don't always understand it. However, Adura's poetry is accessible, even to me, after I read it through a few times. It can't be hurried.

I hope you will read Adura's post, read her poem, and consider buying her wonderful book of poetry which comes highly recommended by me.

Poetry and Me - Adura Ojo

Hi there. I am the author of 'Life is a Woman Breaking Eggs'. It gives me great pleasure to be featured on Denise's blog once again. We've been friends practically since the first day I identified myself as a writer and clicked away happily on my laptop.

My Life

I was born in London. My parents were studying in the UK at the time. When they were done, we moved back to Nigeria where I was raised with four siblings. My childhood was happy. I did my first degree, English Studies, in Nigeria and returned to the UK at age 21. Life can be tough as an 'immigrant.' Although I was born in the UK, my Nigerian identity and accent make me an 'immigrant' in the eyes of British society. I describe some of these experiences in the book.

Influences

Poetry and music are my muses when it comes to embracing life with all its joys and madness. I love Maya Angelou...a poet who lived in every sense of the word and taught the world so much. I'm also a fan of Warsan Shire, EE Cummings and Sylvia Plath. I write poetry as therapy. It is therapy like no other. I find that I can manage some of life's demons through poetic expression. A lot of 'Life is a Woman Breaking Eggs' is autobiographical; it is also reflective of the experiences of people I have been fortunate to meet on my journey and how their experiences have impacted on me.

How I Write

I'm an instinctive writer. I don't have a time slot, routine or ritual. I write mostly at night when it's quiet and there are no distractions. I'm a night owl so it's more productive to write at night.

Motivation

Poetry to me is an offering that's accessible to its readers. It's a great way to tell a story and to access emotions. I want non-poetry readers to read my work and feel that poetry isn't bad after all. That would be great!

'Window' is a poem from the book that I'd like to share with you. When I read 'Window' again this afternoon; I saw a completely different story to the one on my mind when I wrote it a few years ago. The power of interpretation is one of the things I love about poetry. I wonder what your interpretation would be?


Window

Looking over the window

pains the soul

desire dripping rain

going nowhere

eyes of unseen sun

eclipse of moons gone

I’m waiting for a windfall

spare me the tsunami tears

don’t you know

our eyes are closed to the world?

save your drowning swim
for cheap vodka
bought with our future

be happy, my love
our numbers came up
in silent breath
clear as glass

embrace the cardboard mirror
blowing kisses of hopelessness
at your Oscar worthy tsunami

no threading back
hope’s canvas

our shreds like hot coals
walk in light’s night

©Adura Ojo, Life is a Woman Breaking Eggs (2014)

Available in Kindle and Paperback.

Thanks for reading.

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Thank you, Denise, for your gift of friendship and for hosting me on your blog.

Adura, it's been wonderful reading this post. I wish you good health and happiness!

• Do you read poetry? 
• Who are your favourite poets? 
• Has any specific poet influenced your life?
• Do you like the sound of Adura's poetry?

Sign ups are open for the WEP September challenge. You are welcome to submit flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry, artwork, photos. Please join us.

Here is a sunflower for blogger Tina Downey who passed away recently. RIP Tina

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