The poet is particular about the disaster, to be precise, the intervention of Boko Haram and other insurgents, which pervades the world. The occurrences in Nigeria are strange to us and the disaster has affected our economy. The researchers and readers may learn more and have further knowledge of appreciating and analyzing any poem. read the poem and work on it.
Bomb Blast
Contents
- 1 Bomb Blast
- 2 Briefs of the Poem
- 3 Theme
- 4 The theme of disasters
- 5 The theme of losses
- 6 The theme of Bomb accident
- 7 The theme of death
- 8 Language and Poetic Devices
- 9 Stanzas and lines
- 10 Mood/Tone
- 11 Diction
- 12 Neologism
- 13 Type of poem
- 14 Figures of Speech
- 15 Onomatopoeia
- 16 Metaphor
- 17 Hyperbole
- 18 Symbolism
- 19 Synecdoche
- 20 Euphemism
- 21 Word List and Meanings
- 22 Practice Questions
Uh! Happened it is
Another historic disaster
Has engulfed the globe
The common cry of bommuu
Here and there
Haram has taken charge of paradise
And put pepper into many faces
They often bokonise us with whips
And honeycomb turns to desert
Every place has become a horror
For the world to live
A hundred thousand innocents perished
In moments of loses
They drew more tears from sobbing eyes
And putting hot tears on all faces
Many parents bow their heads in sorrow
For their children in unknown Haram
Prison yards
I pity Laga, my friend indeed
Laga was struck to death recently
Laga, the legal library
Laga, a mobile encyclopedia
Legal titan, titanic in stature, titanic status
You are not dead, you have triumphed
Adieu! Our legal icon, rest in peace.
Poet: Deola Adelakun
Briefs of the Poem
The poet explicates the disaster the insurgency has caused in some African countries, especially Nigeria.
The intervention of Boko Haram and gunmen has put sorrow into many families. The cry of bombs has become the song of every Nigerian.
Many Nigerians have been sent to heaven of no return by a bomb blast. In a wink of eyes, many innocents perished by Boko Haram.
The poet shows his pity for his friend: Laga who was struck to death by a bomb blast recently.
Theme
The poem, “Bomb Blast”, covers wide areas to explain the disaster popularly called the Boko Haram insurgency that pervaded every nook and cranny of this country. There are themes of disasters, losses, bomb accidents, and death. They are discussed below.
The theme of disasters
The poet is particular about the disaster, to be precise, the intervention of Boko Haram and other insurgents, which pervades the world. The occurrences in Nigeria are strange to us and the disaster has affected our economy. The people in the Northern part of Nigeria up till now, especially Borno State cannot peacefully go out and do whatever they like because they fear the Boko Haram group.
The theme of losses
The poet explains that during the insurgency, many lives and properties were lost and many are destroyed. The poem reminds us the tense atmosphere that the group has caused. As I quote” “Haram has taken charge of the paradise and put pepper into many faces. Hundred thousand innocents perished.” That is many lives and properties are destroyed during the actions of Boko Haram.
The theme of Bomb accident
The poet points out the terrible and disastrous consequences of Boko Haram. Some accidents bomb blasts caused. Some of the accidents are the destruction of properties and loss of lives.
The theme of death
The poet affirms that Boko Haram has sent many people to heaven with no return. The old die and the young die. The male persons die and the female persons die.
Language and Poetic Devices
There are languages and poetic devices used by the poet to explain the concept of the poem. Some of them are discussed below. Read the poem and work on the language and poetic devices.
Stanzas and lines
The poem has 25 lines and the stanzas are accurate. The poem is rhymed is which it contains stressed and unstressed syllables that give a rhythmic effect.
Mood/Tone
The poet feels sad and he is angry to explain the kind of people Boko Haram are. The state of mind of the poet is the question of how certain wicked people can surrender themselves for the devil to be used to destroy properties and lives of people.
Diction
Diction can be seen as the language and choice of words that the poet uses. The poet deliberately chooses certain words and languages. Such words and languages are “Bommuuu”, “Bokonise” etc.
Neologism
The poet uses local vocabulary to explain the weight of the happenings in the poem. Some of the coinages are “Bokonise us…” to mean torment or torture us. (line 8)
Type of poem
The poem is historical as the poet gives an account of Boko Haram in Nigeria. The poet cleverly give accounts of the history of insurgency of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Figures of Speech
Several figures of speech are used in the poem to enrich the language and allow the readers and researchers to do the work of art. Some of the figures of speech are discussed below. Read the poem and work on the figures of speech.
Onomatopoeia
The poet uses onomatopoeia (sound) such as “bommuu” to suggest the meaning of “bomb”.
Metaphor
The poet makes use of metaphors to compare two objects without the use of comparative words. Such metaphors are “The common cry of bommuu”,(line 4) “Every place has become horror”(line 10), “Legal, the legal library” (line 21), and “Legal, mobile encyclopedia” (line 22).
Hyperbole
The poet makes use of hyperboles for emphasis. Such hyperboles are “Hundred thousand innocents perished” (line 12), “And putting hot tears on all faces” (line 15), and “And put pepper into many faces” (line 7).
Symbolism
The poet makes use of symbolic words to represent certain words or concepts. Such words are “Paradise” (line 6) to represent Nigeria, “legal library and mobile encyclopedia” are “Academic and intellectual”
Synecdoche
The poet makes use of synecdoche such as “…many faces” which means “many people. ”For the world to live.” “world” represents “people of the world”.
Euphemism
The poet makes use of euphemistic lines such as “Adieu! Our legal icon, rest in peace” (line 25) and “…you have triumphed” (line 24) meaning “died” “
Word List and Meanings
Haram: Tormentor
Bokenise: Torture or torment
Disaster: Unexpected event (Bomb Blast)
Engulfed: Surrounded
Sobbing: Crying
Encyclopaedia: A store of knowledge
Titanic: Strong
Practice Questions
1. Analyse the message of the poem.
2. What figure of speech is the expression: ‘hundreds of thousand innocent?’
3. What is the figurative expression contained in the poem?
4. What does ‘blue diamond’ represent in the poem?
5. State the mood of the poet while writing.
6. Who was affected in the poem and how was the person affected?