First and foremost, poetry is close to my heart. Poetry has always been easier for me to write than anything else and thanks to my adhd, it got me through many chaotic waves of depression, isolation, and loneliness. So when I heard from the author Somto Jefferson Uwazie that his book Hearts and Spears was a collection of poems, I was then dipped into nostalgia and sprinkled with inspiration!

But first I do have a trigger warning, we will be discussing topics such as famine, suicide, death, rape, and miscarriage.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first opened up his book. The title is very misleading but at the same time it’s utterly perfect. It’s definitely one of those collections you do not judge by its cover! Somto separates his collection in to four themes but with brief or long poems associated to said themes. What’s interesting about this layout is that they’re all seemingly unrelated but tend to correlate.

His first collection Anger and Grief are heavy pieces of poetry. Each poem describes his frustrations with the world, country, situations, and it’s people. After reading Anger and Grief, I truly believe this collection will be studied in the future due to its overall synopsis of the year 2020 – he includes a poem about the BLM protests, Covid, Sars, and many other important historical moments. Somto isn’t afraid to call out the hypocrisy in politics even though most hide behind one hand while peeking through their fingers, seemingly minding their own business. He addresses corruption right off the bat, his first poem is passionate and angry. You read his frustrations and the audacity of those committing heinous crimes towards those they’re meant to serve and protect. The realism portrayed in his first collection is painful, it hurts and you ache with Somto.

You feel his fire and rage!

The Anger and Grief poetry collection brings out emotions most try to suppress. Yet, despite the anger and grief he is profound, compassionate, and relentless. He swiftly moves verses with honesty and sincerity. Somto seeks justice and emboldens it with his poems!

When you reach the next collection, it’s expected to be like Anger and Grief which it is but with a little more tenderness put in. He focused on writing poems about Women and the trauma they’ve endured through those they’ve trusted or through the pain of miscarriage. He shares joys, triumph, but also a vision of love, equality, and awareness. Somto’s tenderness shined through the in a few poems in that collection. His verses describes the love that a mother has for their child and the unshackling of what a woman’s place should be in the world. He recognizes the struggles women have had to face in the world where they were only seen as property or caregivers and how they still struggle today. Through his poems, you know where he stands and what he believes. He is firm and straightforward in his passion for poetry.

A quote to remember from Hearts and Spears: “Nurture your minds with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes”. – Benjamin Disraeli

Next, we move on to his Nature collection. This collection is raw, like nature. His first poem is regarding the King of the Jungle. Sekakama is at the forefront of the collection. He makes himself known on his land, keeps intruders at bay with fear and power. In this poem, Sekakama is hungry and goes out for a hunt only to take away a zebra’s life. The Nature collection draws similarities to the Anger and Grief collection due to the constant theme of death. Sekakama took a life to feed for him and his pride. The death being versed in Anger and Grief wasn’t for food or hunger but for greed. Somoto continues this collection with these themes, bringing out the beauty of nature all while pointing out our flaws and pains as humans.

Last but not least, his collection called Happiness. This collection is full of hope, love, and Somto. You get to learn a lot about him through this poetry collection which I really enjoyed reading. As Somto feeds us his verses, you fall deep into his poems leaving you wondering about your life while making you chuckle and smile.

Somto’s writing is deep, passionate and if you read long enough, you’ll get lost and engulfed in it. The Hearts and Spears poetry collection will take you down this twisty path and you better be holding on tight! You’ll take sudden turns and face multiple challenges but Somto will guide and lead you right back to you. I’ll admit, this collection is very political and headstrong so if you’re not ready for truths well you better sit tight because it’s important and worth a read!

Make sure to support this author by buying their book here!

About Somto Jefferson Uwazie:

My book holds failed politicians to account by exposing their many flaws and failures in flowing verse. It also shows the power and strength of women, depicts the beauty of nature’s wildest beasts and in the last section contains poems that inflame happiness.

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