A review by beatrixcesana
The Actual by Inua Ellams

4.0

Visceral, dissentient and provocative poetry. Ellams combines humor with social and historical commentary, using powerful and candid language. Each poem, an outcry of anger and frustration that is unequivocal. The poet condemns colonialism and its cultural repercussions. By discussing the case of Nigeria, he calls attention to timeless, unforgivable global cruelty. His voice continuously shifts from brutal and raw (texts are formatted as 'Fuck/ poems') to lyrical and soulful. Amongst my favorite poems are "Fuck/ Sunflowers," "Fuck/ Boys," and "Fuck/ The Incalculable Unknown." Here is a quote from "Fuck/Boys" to inspire your reading: "The man says / Shake it off / We are men / We feel nothing / The boy tucks the tiny fracture into the sleeve of himself and strikes again / The fracture burrows deeper."