CONSOLATORY POETICS IN OKINBA LAUNKO’S ELEGIAC POETRY IN COMMEMORATIONS

ABSTRACT

The main thrust of this essay is the artistic expression or evocation of elegiac poetry as a means of consolation, especially the bereaved. In this essay efforts are committed into displaying how the poet presents the various ideas. This essay has explored the poet’s evocation of the dead mother’s remarkable qualities as a method of consolation and to inspire them to imbibe her sterling qualities. The speaker used in evoking the above qualities present their mother as a resilient fighter in the face of daunting economic challenges. By enduring harsh economic realities, she is able to shelter her children from want and pain. This should be understood against the fact that the children have lost their respective fathers. Hence, their mother took care of them all by herself. Also, presented is the mother’s selfless quality of an invaluable treasure: priceless and worthy motherhood. She is equally evoked as a protector who keeps her children safe from the blade of envy. The main argument in this essay is that the speaker evokes the dead mother in the poems in order to console the bereaved through celebrating her remarkable qualities of being a resilient fighter, protector and invaluable treasure.