Suleiman Adeyemi’s I’m not a poet is a playful invitation to consider the validity of its premise, while ultimately asking readers to consider more deeply the line between what each of us may or may not consider art, or it’s creator an artist (this certainly SEEMS like poetry, doesn’t that make him a poet?).
And yet, as the playful, humorous, and self-deprecating work in Part 1 evolves into the richer, more mature pieces in Part 2 and beyond, there’s no longer any question - this is poetry. Along with this shift, the self-doubt expressed in the title dissolves too, as if we are witness to Adeyemi further embracing his poetic identity in real time with each further poem and with each turn of the page. The overall structure of the collection suggests the story of a young man initially in doubt of this label “poet”, but who embraces this identity more and more though habitually processing his thoughts, goals, and life experiences (about love, xenophobia, becoming a teacher, and Philadelphia, for instance) through poetic reflection.
And what we’re ultimately left with is a thought-provoking, beautifully written and structured, and often smile-inducing poetic memoir, by an inciteful author with a creative spirit and an imaginative and artistic way with words. By a poet.
Dale Placek Doctoral Candidate University of Maryland, College Park Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership
MEd. Arts Integration, UMD College Park BFA Theatre Design, Boston University
Suleiman Adeyemi’s I’m not a poet is a playful invitation to consider the validity of its premise, while ultimately asking readers to consider more deeply the line between what each of us may or may not consider art, or it’s creator an artist (this certainly SEEMS like poetry, doesn’t that make him a poet?).
And yet, as the playful, humorous, and self-deprecating work in Part 1 evolves into the richer, more mature pieces in Part 2 and beyond, there’s no longer any question - this is poetry. Along with this shift, the self-doubt expressed in the title dissolves too, as if we are witness to Adeyemi further embracing his poetic identity in real time with each further poem and with each turn of the page. The overall structure of the collection suggests the story of a young man initially in doubt of this label “poet”, but who embraces this identity more and more though habitually processing his thoughts, goals, and life experiences (about love, xenophobia, becoming a teacher, and Philadelphia, for instance) through poetic reflection.
And what we’re ultimately left with is a thought-provoking, beautifully written and structured, and often smile-inducing poetic memoir, by an inciteful author with a creative spirit and an imaginative and artistic way with words. By a poet.
Dale Placek
Doctoral Candidate
University of Maryland, College Park
Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership
MEd. Arts Integration, UMD College Park
BFA Theatre Design, Boston University