Oluwaseun Olayiwola's 'Strange Beach' Audiobook Review: A Poetic Debut
The debut poetry collection from Nigerian American dancer and poet Oluwaseun Olayiwola, titled Strange Beach, has been released as an audiobook, offering listeners a unique auditory experience. This collection delves into profound themes such as race, family, queer identity, hedonism, and the human body, presenting a rich tapestry of emotions and reflections.
Themes and Imagery in 'Strange Beach'
Strange Beach draws its title from Claudia Rankine's poem Citizen: An American Lyric, which poetically describes each body as "a strange beach" where the Atlantic Ocean's waves break metaphorically. In Olayiwola's work, the shoreline emerges as a recurring image, symbolizing a threshold where conflicting forces collide and landscapes perpetually transform. This imagery serves as a powerful metaphor for the fluidity and complexity of human experience.
Olayiwola's verse navigates between abstract concepts and philosophical inquiries, sometimes abandoning narrative threads to embrace ambiguity. However, clarity blossoms when the poems are heard aloud. Olayiwola's narration infuses the collection with warmth and passion, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in vivid imagery, atmospheric settings, and the speaker's intricate inner world.
Key Poems and Their Impact
In the title poem, the physical body is depicted as being tossed about "like a conch shell where the echo of emotion in extremis floods the chamber," evoking a sense of vulnerability and emotional intensity. Another notable piece, Crustacean, explores perception and love through the lens of a small crustacean attaching to a fingertip, prompting reflections on visibility and affection. The poem culminates in a moment of childlike freedom, with imagery of rolling down a hillside, capturing the "velocity of recklessness."
These poems showcase Olayiwola's ability to blend lyrical beauty with deep thematic exploration, making Strange Beach a compelling listen for poetry enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Audiobook Details and Further Listening
The audiobook of Strange Beach is available via Fitzcarraldo Editions, with a runtime of 1 hour and 13 minutes. For those seeking additional literary audio experiences, further recommendations include The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee, narrated by Ellen Burstyn and Hillary Huber, and Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York by Andrew Lownie, read by the author. These works offer diverse narratives, from posthumously published stories to biographical accounts, enriching the audiobook landscape.
Overall, Oluwaseun Olayiwola's Strange Beach stands out as a passionate and thoughtfully narrated debut, inviting listeners to engage with poetry in a dynamic and immersive way.
