A Review of Bites of Insanity by Dr Yvonne Ngwa

An accession to a higher rung of the ladder of social criticism, Bites of Insanity portrays its author as a topical writer who beholds and ponders on the contemporary occurrences of his society and of the world at large. In 57 poems, subdivided into 10 different parts, Nsah Mala variously gazes at the negative and the positive in his society. The nascent Mbesa bard lambasts power abuse in a society that could be his but is also a prototype of any African nation; decries the lost glory of the African tradition sacrificed at the altar of ingratiation and materialism; makes a wry commentary on the insalubrities of the capital city of Cameroon; satirises the uninformed Cameroonian’s ignorance that exposes him/her to the lethal blows of malaria (cholera and other diseases); deplores the ambient ecological destruction, man’s moral depravity as well as depicts human frailty in the face of accidents and deaths.

Though virulent in his representation of these ills, the poet has obviously not given up on humankind. Hence, he enjoins society to value relationships; he also celebrates the people who positively impacted his life, and hails successes achieved and creativity. New-Age Muse or End-Time Literary Prophet? Nsah Mala resorts to a rich repertoire of poetic devices, vivid description, wacky terms, dark humour, and scatology—among others—to raise critical issues about modern man’s condition. After Chaining Freedom, this second collection of poems progressively establishes this budding writer.

Yvonne I. NGWA, PhD

Lecturer, ENS Yaoundé

Visit the following link to grap a copy: http://www.langaa-rpcig.net/Bites-of-Insanity.html

I DON’T WANT TO BE PRESIDENT

I don’t want to be

President;

I just want to be

Resident:

But assured

That any Resident

Can become President;

That any President

Can become Resident.

I don’t envy

Your Presidency;

I do admire

My Residency.

Like the village town crier,

My mission

Is to envision

Freedom for all and sundry

And to uproot all thorns on path to Presidency.

I don’t want to be

President;

I just want to be

Resident:

But confident

That all Residents

Are embryo Presidents;

That all Presidents

Are egg-shell Residents.

(Bastos, 29 May 2015)

Republican Parasites (Poem)

REPUBLICAN PARASITES

In this plantain Republic,

Human parasites and rubbish

Are scattered and spread everywhere

Like wild locusts on green fields.

While we chock in smelly vapours of rotting dirt,

These voracious human parasites are busy sucking

Our banana Republic to anaemic and epileptic levels.

There is no pity in Republican business!

Our national blood is sucked into endless parasitic intestines

As white-agbadaed and black-coated parasitic zombies parade streets,

Preaching country love, exhibiting latest cars, spacious mansions...

Lousily flattering the Boss, they secretly backbite and siphon.

These parasites sprinkle sandy dust on disappearing national cakes

And spread political fog and clouds on eroding national hills

And press thirsty engine saws on whithering national baobabs

And handpick all fresh buds sprouting on quaking national fields.

Land of gory! Land of parasites!

Thou of death and sorrow, our only bar.

Thine demotion, thine be hunger,

And deep embezzlement forever more.

(Mbankolo, February 15, 2015)