Foreword
By Oyin Bimbo, Founder & Head Editor, ArtingArena
When we announced the ArtingArena Poetry Chapbook Contest in 2023, it was more than a call for poems — it was a call to voices. Voices that could echo across boundaries, tell our stories, and remind the world that African art still breathes, boldly and beautifully.
The journey since then has been far from simple. Through 2024, we went quiet — not gone, but growing in silence. Behind the pause was reflection, rebuilding, and a deeper commitment to the purpose that started it all: to create a space where African creativity stands without apology.
And now, we return with renewed energy, proud to present the fruits of that vision — two remarkable chapbooks born from that very contest:
Beyond Blood and Flesh by Stephen Oladayo Oladokun, and
Portraits of Broken Metaphors by Abubakar Auwal.
Each work stands as proof that great art waits for no perfect moment; it finds light even after silence. These collections capture resilience, memory, and emotion — the true heartbeat of contemporary African poetry.
As ArtingArena steps forward once again, these books mark not just a publication milestone, but a promise: that our mission continues — to bring African art, literature, and performance to the world.
Welcome back to the Arena. The art lives on.
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…this collection is a challenge to the reader, demanding empathy, introspection, and a willingness to confront the often-uncomfortable truths of our shared human experience. It is a testament to the power of poetry as a language of hope, resilience, and the enduring search for home, even amidst the most profound adversity.
It is a book that will stay with you long after the final page is turned. So, don’t stop turning…
Oyin Bimbo
Editor-in-Chief
…this chapbook is a testament to the power of poetry to illuminate the human condition in all its complexity and contradiction. It’s a journey into the depths of the self, a journey that demands attention, reflection, and ultimately, a renewed appreciation for the profound beauty and enduring strength of the human heart.
Prepare to be moved, challenged, and ultimately, profoundly touched by the raw, unflinching honesty of ‘An Idly Beyond Flesh and Blood.’
Editor-in-Chief
Oyin Bimbo
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