ISSUE 28

Editorial

Amatoritsero Ede

Orality, Graphology and Cadence

This meditation is the result of a talk I gave during the 2024 SpokenWeb symposium at the University of Calgary. The title of my presentation was, predictably – “Orality, Graphology and Cadence.” I approached that … Read the whole text
Roundtable

Otoniya J. Okot Bitek

A Sweet Sigh

(Scholar-Poet, Amatoritsero Ede, in conversation with Otoniya J. Okot Bitek, Poet and Novelist)

Amatoritsero Ede: Otoniya, it is a pleasure to have this long-delayed conversation with you. You are a poet first – I … Read the whole text
Poetry

George Elliott Clarke

April 16, 1977 (Viewed from April 16, 2022)

Night was Vanta-black as Manischewitz voluptuous purple—
serving as minor-fine, adolescent contraband—
squalled and squandered,
thundered and bolted—
unbottling two thirsts, our throats;
while her hair was gold varnished platinum
due … Read the whole text
Poetry

Jeevan Bhagwat

Alien Invasion

Uncle Sam is afraid of aliens,
wants to keep them out of his backyard
so he builds a great fence
as big and tall as his domestic fears
to stop their insidious invasion.

The last thing that Uncle … Read the whole text
Poetry

Saad Nizam Muzumdar

(Excerpts from the forthcoming collection, “Echoes from the Hills”)

1.’Twas the Night Before

Massive milestones skipped

Atop the backs of ripples

Rushing in a pond―

The little pebbles scattered

Along the pondshore.

The pond has frozen over, … Read the whole text
Reviews

Candace Fertile

Fiction, Poetry and Essay Reviews

A Ladder of Bones
by Bunmi Oyinsan
Guernica Editions
248 pages, $22.95
ISBN: 978-1-77849-008-8

The title of Bunmi Oyinsan’s latest novel, A Ladder of Bones, immediately warns readers that what is to come … Read the whole text
Poetry

Luke Sawczak

Surrender

Sweet sadness of surrender
when I know what you want
and you know what I want

and I’ve decided to give in
before you’re finished arguing.

I watch the thing coming
a mile away, and anticipate
your joy when … Read the whole text
Reviews

Kathryn MacDonald

Fiction Review

In the Bear’s House
by Bruce Hunter
Frontenac Press
2025, 320 pp

“And how a person tells a story tells so much about them” (In a Bear’s House, 190).

At first glance, In the Bear’s House by Bruce … Read the whole text
Essay

Helon Habila

On Biyi Bandele

Since his unexpected death on 7 August 2022, a lot has been written about Biyi Bandele’s life and work by colleagues, friends, family and fans. How he started his writing career as a precocious 14-year-old, by winning … Read the whole text
Creative Non-Fiction

Leslie Stark

Lunch Date with Jesus

Me and Jesus have a lunch date.
He orders a plate of nachos and I think:

That’s weird, I mean, who knew Jesus
Would like nachos, but then again
who doesn’t like nachos, but really … Read the whole text