A FIRE IN MY HEAD, poems for the dawn

139pp., paperback, Reprint, London, (2021) 2022

“The fire in Ben Okri’s head, and thus his poems, is one of both indignation and illumination, casting light on the injustices of contemporary life, particularly Black life the world over, yet never abandoning the importance of beauty, art, nature, and the human connections we forge. Whether written for an occasion, in tribute, or addressed to inspirations or intimates, these poems strike notes of international importance and personal significance. Okri witnesses and reminds us of the important lesson that ‘Tyranny rises where vigilance sleeps,’ all the while holding space for each of us to ‘Walk in a Moonlight Wonder’ and remember the promises of dawn.” Amanda Moore, author of Requeening: Poems

Poet and novelist Ben Okri was born in Minna, Nigeria in 1959. His childhood was divided between Nigeria and London. He the author of The Famished Road, winner of the 1991 Booker Prize, and ten other novels, as well as several collections of poetry, essays and short stories.