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read the interview i was given and u will learn

I write poetry to share my culture - Omosun
WHAT made you set up ‘Tribal Poetry,’ and what do you want to achieve with it?

During my childhood, I used to listen to my grandmother reciting to us the poetry of mythology and legends of our ancestors. "It is a brilliant way of coping with problems," she once said to me. "I sing it when I walk alone to the stream, fears would be lost when we recite poetry of hope," she continued
I also learnt lessons from the proverb we heard. I love the choruses that everybody, including my grandma sang along to. The call and response form in African oral narratives helped those of us who were shy to speak in public because it afforded us the opportunity to overcome our shyness and also helped in boosting our confidence.
Years later, during my trial as an adult growing up with a special difference, I sought out these stories by putting them down in print and setting up ‘Tribal Poetry’.
It is very important to tell stories to children and it is equally important to tell the world about my culture. Apart from being exciting, it helps them in many ways as it has helped me during childhood: It helps to develop their listening skills, to become effective communicators with the use of their dialect, to understand the society in which they live, to bridge a gap between their generation and past generations, to understand the meaning of life and to become more creative in what they do. This is what ‘Tribal Poetry’ is about.
Do people respond to it?
People respond to it because they count on the writers’ art to tell them about experiences in a world they live in but have not completely understood. The joy in reading such art is like seeing through the eyes of someone else who has seen in a way that you have not.
When did you start writing?
I, like all poets, have a talent with words. I discovered mine early and I knew it is something not given to everyone. As a kid, I had always been fascinated with the sight of words in print; ever since I knew that spoken words could become poetry when you put it down in writing. It is hard to recall when I started.
Can you recollect your first writing effort?
No. But my first published effort was an article published in the New Nigerian during my NYSC in Kaduna State entitled "I hear your lips" It was followed by two others "Coping with disability" and "A cry for help" in a spate of a month. Some months later, my collection of poetry entitled Juju man Poetry collected from www.poeticnites.com were regularly featured in the New Nigerian newspaper,
Do you have any published work?
My first book was an e-book, Over the flat straw grass. I was defrauded in the deal; the agent is still being sought for. The Saint Benedictine Monastery in Edo State sponsored the second, Music of the mind. It was published recently. Apart from this collection, others are works in anthologies and magazines.
Do you have role models?
Yes I do. Rev. Father Anselm Adodo, a monk in a monastery in Edo State, Festus Iyayi and Prof Julius Okojie are some of my models.
Who were the authors you read as a kid?
I cannot recall the authors but I can recall the books. Chike and The River, I guess, was one of them. Things Fall Apart was recommended at school and I loved it. There were other poetry collections too.
Would you say reading them had an impact on you?
Yes. Chike and The River was emotional and easy to read. It contained this popular and easy poem ‘Row your boat’. That is why I read poetry to kids now. That poem is simple but very beautiful.
How many writing workshops have you participated in and what have you benefited from the workshops?
Many, and the benefits are many. For instance, you are able to share your knowledge with other writers.
What’s peoples’ reaction to your website?
The response has been overwhelming. The call from across the world and lately the BBC has to do with poems I have in the web. The poems have been reviewed severally because while others focus on the shame of my nation and continent in works on their websites, I do not.
What influenced you to take up poetry; is there a theme that runs through your poetry?
Whenever I go to the village during festivities, I often had to prepare some meals and invite people to come and have a feast. We would gather around the wood stove in our compound and I would make them happy by telling them stories I learned from my childhood. The elder of the family would listen carefully and at times add comments if unintentionally I misquote a proverb, I try to recreate the scenery around the hearths as it was in the past, to sit around fires, to poke and smell the sting of the rising smoke Now I write imaginatively from the oral culture, from my own story. And my first book, Music of the mind, a collection of poetry tells of my journey and the beauty I discovered as I try to continue the priceless vocation of a habitual storyteller.
I have a reason for why I do what I do, recreating details as if it is true to life. I believe that story telling is a simple and wonderful way to act out our imaginations. The art helps the mind grow and learn to create. It is a way of letting the children use their imaginations and help them build up their communication skill as it has done to me.
Growing up in the village as a child, I looked forward nightly to the story times that took place at readings. My favorite stories were the sing along ones and call and response form. My grandfather would quote a proverb and ask us to finish it.
As I grew, the lessons of the stories strengthened me. My writings today is conditioned by the childhood scenery, the riches of the story telling culture are quite evident to me and very beautiful.
I write about the beauty of this gift, to share my culture and to contribute the little I can in preserving the art. At times, I use illustration from western stories because I want to make the modern writer know that he doesn’t need to go back to the past to recreate the art of orature.


© 2006 African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc. Publishers of the Tribune Titles. All rights reserved.
Omosun Sylvester
Bells University of Technology
Ota, Ogun State

2007-02-05 01:36:17 · answer #1 · answered by urdeen s 2 · 0 0

You should read lots and lots of books and eventually youll be a good script writer, script writers need to have sources.
You should review your grammar and promise yourself to know 10 new words a day.

My best advice is to really read books from different authors & genre.

Hope you write a good script that will be a movie soon.

Good Luck

~MIke R>

2007-02-05 09:02:29 · answer #2 · answered by Michael R 1 · 1 0

take your chance and don,t give up.succes!

2007-02-08 15:44:04 · answer #3 · answered by rita l 1 · 0 0

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