The Poem
When April ends, armed with its seasonal overnight kit
Loaded with intense and brief lilies in fill bloom
The fragile glow of the cassia tree lining the roads
To proclaim the beauty and brevity of human life,
I recall the nightmare of my brother’s death in his youth
On the last day of the month labeled cruel by the poet …
When April ends, armed with its seasonal overnight kit
I seek solace in the already evident month of May:
The birth month of our hopeful future continuous
When the flamboyant tree rooted in one of our pasts –
Constantly a target of elemental and human decrees –
Blooms forth in all its glory, paying no heed
To the presiding clusters of campus intellectuals
Who, borrowing a leaf from the resident colonies of bats
Ravage our green fruits long before the harvest season,
Blindly out-doing each other like crabs in barrels
Struggling for vantage rungs on the ladder of escape …
After the brief lilies and the fragile cassias of April
I seek solace in May with its flames of the forest
Which tower defiantly above cretins who have adopted
The belly-to-earth pose of the Ile-Ife campus lizards
Permanently glued to ground dirt in hopeful obeisance
When they should stand up, bloom and be counted as
Contestants for the flaming crown of struggle, as
Members in a procession of satiated priests in worship
As followers of Ogun returning triumphant from battle
With the palm fronds of peace in his left hand
And in his right the steaming sword of conquest
His carpet of glory leading into fields of hope
As a guaranteed link with the month of September:
The month of sunshine: the sunshine of harvest time
When the miracle of May is doubled and re-confirmed.
General Introduction
"Memories Of Three Months" by Funso Aiyejina is a reflective and evocative poem that explores the themes of loss, hope, and the cyclical nature of life. The poet uses rich imagery and symbolism to convey the emotional transitions from grief to hope, drawing connections between the changing seasons and the human experience. The poem vividly contrasts the ephemeral beauty of April with the promise and resilience of May, ultimately culminating in the hopeful harvest of September.
Title
The title "Memories Of Three Months" sets the stage for a journey through time, specifically focusing on the emotional landscape experienced over three significant months: April, May, and September. Each month symbolizes different aspects of life and memory, highlighting transitions from sorrow to hope and renewal.
Themes
1. Ephemeral Nature of Life: The poet reflects on the brevity and fragility of life through the imagery of April's lilies and cassia trees. "Loaded with intense and brief lilies in full bloom" underscores the transient beauty of life, mirroring the fleeting moments of happiness and youth.
2. Grief and Loss: The poem delves into personal sorrow with the mention of the poet's brother's death. "I recall the nightmare of my brother’s death in his youth" conveys the deep pain and enduring impact of this loss, marked poignantly by the end of April.
3. Hope and Renewal: May is depicted as a month of hopeful future, signifying renewal and resilience. "The birth month of our hopeful future continuous" suggests a period of regeneration and new beginnings, contrasting the sorrow of April.
4. Struggle and Resistance: The imagery of the flamboyant tree blooming "in all its glory" despite adversities symbolizes perseverance. The struggle against "elemental and human decrees" reflects broader themes of resistance against oppression and adversity.
5. Harvest and Fulfillment: September represents the culmination of hope and efforts, akin to a harvest season. "The sunshine of harvest time" signifies a period of fulfillment and the rewards of enduring struggles, offering a sense of closure and accomplishment.
Literary Devices
1. Imagery: The poem is rich with vivid imagery that evokes the senses, such as "intense and brief lilies in full bloom" and "the fragile glow of the cassia tree." These images create a tangible sense of the seasons and their emotional significance.
2. Symbolism: Various elements in the poem, like the lilies, cassia tree, and flamboyant tree, serve as symbols for life's transience, hope, and struggle. The "steaming sword of conquest" symbolizes victory and achievement.
3. Repetition: The phrase "When April ends, armed with its seasonal overnight kit" is repeated, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the months and the emotional transitions they represent.
4. Metaphor: The comparison of scholars to "resident colonies of bats" and "cretins who have adopted the belly-to-earth pose of the Ile-Ife campus lizards" uses metaphor to critique intellectual posturing and conformity.
5. Personification: April is personified as being "armed with its seasonal overnight kit," imbuing the month with active qualities that underscore its transformative power.
6. Allusion: The reference to Ogun, the Yoruba god of war, and the imagery of his "palm fronds of peace" and "steaming sword of conquest" allude to cultural mythology, enriching the poem's thematic depth.
Language and Mood
The language of the poem is both evocative and reflective, blending personal reminiscence with broader cultural and natural imagery. The mood transitions from somber and reflective in the beginning, marked by the grief of April, to hopeful and defiant in May, culminating in the triumphant and fulfilled tone of September.
Context
Funso Aiyejina is a Nigerian poet whose work often explores themes of cultural identity, social justice, and personal reflection. This poem reflects these concerns, drawing on both personal loss and broader societal struggles. The references to Yoruba mythology and the Nigerian landscape provide a rich cultural context that informs the poem's imagery and themes.
Conclusion
"Memories Of Three Months" is a poignant exploration of the cycles of grief, hope, and renewal. Through rich imagery, symbolism, and cultural allusions, Aiyejina weaves a narrative that reflects on personal loss while also offering a broader commentary on resilience and the human spirit's capacity for renewal. The poem's structure and language evoke a powerful sense of the emotional and seasonal transitions, ultimately affirming the enduring hope and fulfillment that follow periods of struggle.
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