There"s a gathering amount of verse that fills the streets these days from different spheres. It is a continuing tribute to the spirit of the Nigerian writer who most times thinks first in verse especially in a growing reality that defies long periods of writing that would culminate in long prose. In this light, we have more poetry on the one hand and on the other, short stories. As any discerner of poetry would know in terms of comprehension, there are two distinct types of poems: those hard to comprehend that leave you befuddled and those that are easy to grasp. In the end, the poet has to decide why he is writing and to whom—for whom too, perhaps. Over here, this poet, Damian Jam, chooses to be simple—not simplistic, but easy—so that the world can get the words of his heart which he yearns to be heard all over like that gong beating all through the village as in days past.This collection of poetry is devoted entirely to the poetic exploration of the social and political setting of contemporary Nigeria. It offers the platform for the robust discourse and propagation of new literary values. It is an open commentary on life, existence and the security challenges plaguing the nation and humanity at large. Indeed they are didactic and thoughtful, emulating the style of the stories, proverbs, maxims and pithy sayings told in the past by firesides or during the moonshine with lessons to be transmitted to the young generation.
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There are different shades to the spirits evoked in this work. Indeed, the sounds of the deep soul of the instruments evoked are varied. In the t.i.tle poem, "Sounds of a Metal Gong", the gong becomes the symbol of the transmission of vital information and important news, good or bad. But there is far more and it would take you rising up to the challenge of Damian"s verse to find understanding.
I therefore hope that these poems will provide fresh thoughts and a promise of greater dawns as we redirect our paths to the roads we have obdurately refused to take and make a better society.
Maria Ajima, PhD
Makurdi, Nigeria