In this collection, the artist-cum-poet crafts a narrative that transcends the ordinary, offering a profound exploration of laughter and longing within the realm of motherhood.
Brushstrokes of Literary Devices: A Palette of Emotion
Akubo employs a diverse array of literary devices, akin to a painter choosing a palette of colours. Metaphors, similes, and personification, her chosen brushes, intricately blend to create a canvas alive with emotion. Metaphors delicately unveil the subtleties of motherhood, while similes paint vivid comparisons that evoke a visceral response. Personification breathes life into abstract concepts, rendering laughter and longing tangible entities with a palpable presence.
Through these literary techniques, Akubo invites the reader into an emotional landscape, where the shades and hues of laughter and longing are explored with depth and artistry. The metaphors, similes, and personifications are not mere adornments but integral elements, enhancing the reader’s connection to the complex tapestry of motherhood.
The Joys of Motherhood, a poem that beautifully captures the essence of the profound bond between a mother and her child. The verses paint a vivid picture of the tender moments shared between them, beginning with the dawn’s first light. We can see the use of brilliant poetic diction thus:
THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD
With dawn’s first light/ a child wakes to a wondrous sight, /of the mother’s celestial smile /and her warmth embrace, / filling both with such peaceful grace./ The joys of motherhood, / an endless ocean./ A journey of love, /care, and utmost devotion, /with tender hands and a loving smile, / through nights and days./She finds her strength in motherhood care./ Through the laughter, /tears of joy and memories shared /and the countless eye contacts, / as each will the other to sleep. /More than words can say, these priceless moments, no currency can pay. /For every step taken, each milestone reached, /every goal achieved and progress in life, /Mother’s heart is greatly encouraged. /Her fears allayed, and her worries greatly relieved. /Seasons come and go as the child grows./ From the very first utterance and step, /through nappies change to potty-trained./ The beautiful years pass away, with each passing day.
The celestial smile and warm embrace of the mother create a wondrous sight for the child, filling both with a sense of peaceful grace. The journey of motherhood is described as an endless ocean, a path paved with love, care, and utmost devotion. The mother navigates this journey with tender hands and a loving smile, finding strength in providing care through both nights and days.
The poem highlights the range of emotions experienced in motherhood – from laughter to tears of joy, from shared memories to countless eye contacts that convey a silent understanding between mother and child. Each moment, from willing the other to sleep to the indescribable milestones, is deemed priceless, beyond the reach of any currency.
The mother’s heart is portrayed as greatly encouraged with every step, milestone, goal achieved, and progress made in the child’s life. The bond serves as a source of strength for both, allaying fears and relieving worries. As the seasons come and go, mirroring the child’s growth, the poem beautifully traces the passage of time.
From the first utterance and steps to the journey through nappies to becoming potty-trained, the poem encapsulates the beauty of the years passing by. The sentiments expressed in these verses encapsulate the timeless and universal joys of motherhood, capturing the essence of the profound connection that shapes lives through the years.
Litotes, the artist’s use of chiaroscuro, is a recurring technique in Akubo’s poetic oeuvre. Through understatement, she achieves a nuanced emphasis on laughter and longing, akin to a painter delicately illuminating the most crucial elements of a portrait.
In the realm of laughter, litotes act as a soft glaze, gently highlighting its exquisite nature. Phrases like “Her laughter is not unpleasant” become the brushstrokes that, rather than stating the obvious, invite the audience to discern the profound joy encapsulated within the lines.
In the realm of longing, litotes function as the subtle shadows that deepen the emotional terrain. “Her longing is not unfelt” whispers through the lines, underscoring the depth of emotion with a finesse that allows readers to feel the poignant resonance without explicit declaration.
Laughter and longing emerge as the central figures in Akubo’s canvas. They are not standalone emotions but integrated elements, like the focal subjects in a masterful painting. Laughter, painted with strokes of joy and vitality, is the vibrant centrepiece. Longing, portrayed with nuanced shadows and delicate contours, becomes the haunting background melody.
These emotions are not presented as separate entities but as interwoven threads in the rotund texture of motherhood. Laughter becomes the vital life force, the bold strokes that breathe vitality into the work. Longing, subtly rendered, is the intricate, whispered notes that add depth and resonance.
In conclusion, Dr. Kaltume Akubo’s “Sonnets for Motherhood” is a poetic masterpiece akin to a carefully curated art exhibition. Through her adept use of literary devices, particularly litotes, Akubo invites readers to experience the intricate beauty of laughter and longing within the profound canvas of motherhood. Each poem is a stroke of emotion, a brush dipped in the palette of maternal experience, creating a gallery of verses that captivates and resonates with the observer’s soul.
