On The Train To Hell

In On the Train to Hell, Tolu A. Akinyemi delivers a collection that is as gorgeous as it is exquisite, expertly exploring grief, loss, and existential despair. The collection features fifty-three poems, most of which treat very dark themes and are infused with pathos and compelling imagery. From the outset, Akinyemi's lyrical utterances and rich imagery draw readers into a visceral exploration of universally resonating issues. The poet castigates beliefs that lead to violence and terrorism, revealing a haunted psyche struggling with the catastrophic loss of a loved one. Lines such as “Your gruesome demise on the burning train was a bitter pill to swallow” illustrate the heartbreak of bereavement while also offering a powerful indictment of a society beset by brutality.

Akinyemi's exploration of grief is multifaceted, often deconstructing societal responses to loss. In the opening poem, ''Dust to Dust,'' the narrator expresses anguish over the cold finality of death with resonant lines: “Colder than ice / we wear our pain until our hearts become a sorrow bed.” Here, the author reflects on how grief permeates individual and collective consciousness. Yet, while Akinyemi highlights despair, he also invites readers to engage with the absurdities and contradictions of life. In “Mountain of Fire,” the poet employs humor to critique the performative nature of certain religious rituals and humanity's complex relationship with the supernatural. The ''frenetic mode of the spirits'' summarizes the dissonance between belief and reality, challenging readers to question what lies behind the veneer of piety.

Equally stirring is the poem ''Eerie Silence,'' where Akinyemi addresses the chilling consequences of religious intolerance, as seen in the murder of a young Christian girl who is burned, her body becoming: “an effigy of ashes...” The same somber tone is observed in “Black Friday,” in which the author captures the imagination of readers with disturbing imagery of “smoke plumes, / black bodies / burnt —” While these poems are universal, Tolu A. Akinyemi infuses them with something intimate, personal, and gripping, an emotion that carries readers from one poem to the next. It is filled with bursts of insights like when the persona exclaims, tragically: “I no longer have a heart — / It has been swallowed by a mighty / groundswell of evil.” This collection is unique, a compendium of different styles — observant, narrative, and lyrical. On the Train to Hell features compelling metaphors, and the imagery is intelligently used to excite readers' minds.