I remember love letters back in the 80s when the guys tried to pen their poetic thoughts or just regurgitate the lines of a popular poem they picked somewhere while searching through tonnes of literature. I remember how we stole our parents’ fragrances even if it was Brut aftershave, Lavender or Sasorobia; it did not matter if it was not quite sophisticated. All that mattered was that the missive, as we referred to the love notes, could not go to our object of desire unscented. There had to be an enticing fragrance accompanying the words.
The reply from the ladies was somewhat short if she did not have any interest in you and the envelope and paper conveying her disinterest was often plain. On the other hand, if the envelope was coloured and decorated with flowers, if the paper which had her writing came with stains of what you believed was her lips from a red lipstick or lip gloss, then you have won the girl over completely.
Words were ways we wooed women when we were growing up. I get the feeling that all that has changed now with all the materialism around us today. Sweet words from the heart don’t convey love again, you have to show it by showing off how deep your pocket is or how fat your wallet is and as the girls would put it “Na money or na flower I go chop?”
But somewhere on planet earth there must be some women who will only be swayed by sonnets that extol their dazzling eyes and pay homage to their comeliness; by words literally leaping out of pages into their hearts. Diamonds are a girl’s best friends, sweet words are, too, trust me.
And there are plenty of sweet words to delight any dematerialised woman in Sam Umukoro’s Heartstrings. Recently released in Nigeria having been presented first to the South African literati at the Poetry Lounge on February 14 2010, Heartstrings is a collection of love poems which Sam has been writing since (as much as I remember) 1995.
Sam will be the first to tell you that he is not a poet, but on the other hand he takes himself seriously as a writer. He is aficionado and connoisseur of great literary works. It is not difficult to decipher where his deep thoughts come from – a combination of gene, education and an open mind.
I know that at the touch of love every man becomes a poet, but Sam must be commended for bringing to the fore again a dying art form and for keeping it clean for all ages.
Here what he has to say in I love ‘Halima’:
it give me a tan.
and...
And if you are lady reading this now, tell me if you are not completely blown away by ‘If’:
to sleep;
to your delight;
blunt the purity of snow;
but my love, I do offer you.
And this, a tribute to mothers:
with broken and contrite heart;
the umbilical cord is never broken.
to high heavens.
it is evident in me;
to bear good fruits.
my love will not wane.
Nigeria is filled with too many hard issues; we need to start focusing on the softer values of life – love, appreciation and kind words for those we love and people who live around us. Only love truly makes the world go round.
I cannot remember the last time I picked a love poem or story from the shelf of a bookstore; it’s all money, oil, poverty, corruption and greed of our politicians as if these are the only things that define us. With Heartstrings there is hope for this straying generation.
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