Professor Wole Soyinka
Professor Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka won The Nobel Prize in Literature 1986 . He is a distinguished poet, playwright, satirist and political activist. Last April, some commentators discussed Abiku Poetry, Soyinka and John Pepper Clark. A commentator asked other commentators to paste Abiku poems online. Another commentator sent Clark's and said he was too tired to send Soyinka’s version. It must be emphasized that Soyinka’s version is longer than Clark’s. Another commentator told the enquirer to write his own instead of asking as if anybody could become a Soyinka or Clark overnight. The world is a global village and people want free things to the extent that if Soyinka ever allows them to chop his beard as a souvenir they would comply.Histories, of errancy: oral Yoruba abiku texts and Soyinka's "abiku".(Critical Essay)
Wole Soyinka
(b.1934)
"Telephone Conversation"
The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. "Madam," I warned,
"I hate a wasted journey–I am African."
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.
"HOW DARK?" . . . I had not misheard . . . "ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?" Button B, Button A.* Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis–
"ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?" Revelation came.
"You mean–like plain or milk chocolate?"
Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
I chose. "West African sepia"–and as afterthought,
"Down in my passport." Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
Hard on the mouthpiece. "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding
"DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS." "Like brunette."
"THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?" "Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused–
Foolishly, madam–by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black–One moment, madam!"–sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears–"Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't you rather
See for yourself?"
1962
* Buttons to be pressed by caller who has inserted a coin into an old type of British public pay phone.
http://www.k-state.edu/english/westmank/spring_00/SOYINKA.html
PALIN'S PEGLER
Sarah Palin
I pitied John McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin as I assumed she was ‘tormented’ by male chauvinists until she committed a 'blunder' by quoting fascist, racist, journalist and writer Westbrook Pegler in her acceptance speech. It was a known fact that Pegler wanted Robert F. Kennedy dead. The weak 'argument' that Palin did not write the speech was baseless because all she had to do was to GOOGLE James Westbrook Pegler in order to find out what he stood for in his life time (August 2, 1894 – June 24, 1969).
Palin's speech was enough to make Barack Obama the next President of the United States. Palin should employ English and American Literature experts and select quotations that will not degrade her as a Vice Presidential Candidate. What a shame! Maybe McCain made the wrong choice afterall. I didn’t like Hillary Clinton’s attack on Obama and now I don’t like Obama’s computer illiterate attack on McCain although I like Obama. Obama should knock it out or stop it…
Sarah Palin and the man who wanted Robert Kennedy dead
