Christopher Okigbo (Elegy For Alto) Comments

Okigbo can been seen as a poet-prophet prophesying his own death. Elegy for Alto is a very haunting poem of wistfulness and beauty. Th first time I encountered the poem, I cried a stream. Okigbo is a very wonderful writer, his imagery speaks to the highest in us, it pokes the sleeping voice that has the power and resonance to speak against our inclination to war.

Okigbo's elegy is truly musical with haunting imagery. The imagery of eagles descending on us, the robbers robbing us of our laughter and Eagles having chosen their game all capture the impending doom of the fratricidal bloodletting of Nigeria's civil war. There is the ironic beauty of it's sad theme, like a Jeremiah lamenting the carnage to come including his own death

This poem shows the true greatness of Okigbo. The poems rhythm is like a cloud gathering before rains pour from the heavens. The imagery is deep and assonant warning of impending violence of the Nigerian civil war. The most painful, but poignant line for me is: O mother mother earth, unbind me; let this be my last testament. Some belief the poet prophesied his own death in that war.Chike Nzerue, MD