Specifically, my analysis of these texts will focus on the construction and location of
home; the mode of apprehension and the acknowledgement of exile; the battle for
survival in a condition of dislocation; the strategies of reaction and return; and the
techniques for location and dislocation. These aspects are so considered because they are
veritable areas of concern and critical strategies in the study of exile. The study does not,
however, include African female poets. Nevertheless, this is not to deny that female poets
have been oustading in the area of reflection on exile. Again, the study does not include
works from the north of the Sahara due to the difficulty in accessing materials from this
part of the continent as a result of language barriers. Similarly, other works of French and
Portuguese-speaking African poets will not be considered owing to the unavailability of
recently translated collections on the theme of exile.
The Authors
The authors whose works constitute the primary texts of this study have one thing in common:
they belong to the second generation of modern African poets. This generational patrimony has
equally placed on them the responsibility of considering the issues that typify their age in their
poetry. Interestingly, exile and the general question of migrancy have also engaged their creative
attention. They have all, however, adopted different approaches both thematically and structurally
in their response to this social phenomenon.
Odia Ofeimun is easily tipped, especially in the West African sub-region as the voice that blazed
the trail for his generation with his first collection The Poet Lied (1980). The debates generated by
this singular collection in the West African sub-region have significantly contributed to the
shaping of the literary tradition that evolved with the publication. The other works of this Nigerian
literary journalist and scholar are A Handle for the Flutist (1986), Dreams at Work (2000), A Feast
of Return under African Skies (2000), and London Letter and Other Poems (2000), which is the
collection for study in this research.