Song Of The Slum holds my story and experiences- Jalal Poetry
Jalaludeen Shuaib Assayouti, with the pen-name Jalal Poetry, is a young talented upcoming Nigerian poet and playwright base in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. In this interaction with ABDULHAFEEZ T. OYEWOLE, he speaks about his upcoming anthology, "Song of the Slum" and other issues on poetry and writing.
Kindly take us through the journey of being Jalal?
Assayouti Jalaludeen Shuaib, born in the early nineties, is the third born of a family of eleven. I had my basic, post-basic and tertiary education all in Kwara State. An alumnus of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, where I bagged both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. I'm a lover of literary works, poetry in particular. My zeal to writing down my feelings and experiences gave birth to being the Jalal that I am.
What's with your moniker -Jalal Poetry- that people don't know about?
One of the greatest challenges with which young writers struggle hard to overcome is choosing a pen-name. Changing from a name to the other, since I started poetry in 2012, slowed me down from building a good brand for my works of art. I came by the moniker "Jalal Poetry" when my close friends started addressing me as "Poet Jalal". The spectacular view about it was that, I began to realize that poetry is the genre of literature that I'm better at. Thus, I adopted the moniker and, God's willing, it is getting bigger and bigger.
Do you even remember your first literary piece? If you remember, how were you mused to write it?
Yes, I do, a poem entitled "friendship to fiendishness". Growing up, I have always admired literary works. I never thought I would be a writer, until a fateful day of September 2012 when my closest friends on campus, same department same hostel room, were envious of my success; they faulted me and labeled me negatively. To my surprise, I couldn't find my sleep till midnight. I started feeling headache and when I was relieved, I had words in my head and behold; it turned out to be a literary piece -"friendship to fiendishness". Therefrom, I don't want to stop writing.
What are the poetry devices that you can't do without in your poems, and why?
I am fond of importing as many poetic devices as possible to my poems. Yet, I give preference to some like: Metaphor, Euphemism, Metonymy, Sarcasm, Personification and Rhetorical Question. This is because, I know I am responsible for my words, for that I try as much as I can to give room for both primary and inferred meanings so that a layman's understanding of my message would still not bring about a misconception.
Let's talk about your upcoming book: Song of the Slum. How did you come about- first, the title, and what should your audience be expecting in the book?
Choosing the title wasn't easy for me as choosing a pen name too. Something that is worthy of note is that; with every single piece of my poem comes a reason, I don't just write for fun. Some are ambiguous while some are self-explanatory, it all depends on my mood as I write.
It was very tough for me deciding what the title should be, as my editor was not convinced with the titles I had in mind. But, fortunately for me, I was engrossed in a feeling of telling my story with a poem, so I wrote "Son of the Slum". At the completion of that poem, I couldn't hold back my tears. I knew that happened for a reason, thus, I concluded on "Songs of the Slum" as the title of the book.
The book tells my story. There are happenings and heap of life challenges that can not be shared with anyone, but as a poet, one will be left with an option of letting them run through one's lines of poem. "Songs of the Slum" is the saddler's retrospect' of Jalalpoetry which holds my story and experiences. People I've met who have taught me lessons, and those who have benefited me with their wealth of wisdom, the truth about life I've understood and the heartbreaking I've unjustly suffered, are all in the "Songs of the Slum".
How do you intend to go about unveiling the compendium to the literary world, in E-Book or print? And are you self financing the project?
God's willing, the book is coming in the two formats (E-book and printed). Yes, I am financing the project myself, but I still look forward to seeing helping hands from well-to-do individual or group of individuals who would champion the publishing and republishing. It's a book of over 50 poems. It's a huge production.
Have your work ever been criticised before? If yes, which ones and how did you attend to the situation?
Of course! One is "The Accolade Paint of My People", a poem that took me over six months to complete. I was criticized of irregularities, so I took over my research again. Another one is "In the Afterlife", a senior colleague know as "The Penwarlord" once drew my attention to the complexity in my style of writing that, I needed to write to all the literary audience and not a handful of them, citing "In the Afterlife" as an example, I've learnt to keep it simple.
What are your current challenges as a young poet?
Every stage of life comes with its challenge. The challenge as a starter would be different from when you are growing, and that is also different from when you have grown to a full fledged poet.
At this point of my career as a poet, the challenges I'm faced with is; the pressure of not stopping what I am known for -poetry, low turnout of audience who understand and appreciate poetry, little or no publishing cost, and lastly poetry does not promise to put food on the poet's table, therefore, portraying it as a talent that is sellable with commendation as its price.
How do you intend to overcome them?
Firstly having positive impression towards poetry and making people understand its importance, then looking forward to the immortality of one's name as the most important gain in the world of Art.
Have you won literary prize as a poet?
No. None of my works have been put up for contest.
What's your view about poets putting their works for literary contests within and outside the country?
It isn't a bad idea. Who wouldn't want recognitions? But, we are poised to do things by different forces. I don't write poems primarily for prices and honours. Of course, I accept such an offer. But, what I want in return of my works is for people to hear Jalal and say "Yes! I know what he does- poetry" and for people to remember me when I'm gone. To be worth knowing is better than to be well known. Good luck to poets who write basically for literary contest.
Can you share with us your thoughts on the distinction between poetry and spoken word?
In my understanding, the two are closely related because poetry gives birth to spoken word, it (spoken word) carries poetic devices and more often than not, rhythm. The thin line of difference between a poet and a spoken word artiste is the ability of the former to memorize his works and voice them eloquently. This implies that, the inability of a poet to memorize his poems and leap through them will confine him to being a poet and not spoken word artiste. "All spoken word artistes are poets, but not all poets can do spoken word".
What draws you to reading and finishing a poem?
A catchy title/topic catches my sight, short-lined poems too. I often view enjambment as error. The usage of poetry devices will make me read a poem to its very end. I prefer rhythm to rhyme. If a poem pays attention to sense than sound, it gets me.
How far do you intend to go with your writing? Do you plan taking it as full time or quitting in a later time?
God's willing, I may forsake writing drama after I complete my ongoing project on drama (The Hidden Passion). But, poetry is not just what I do, poetry is who I am. I will be separated from poetry only when my body and soul go apart.
Can you share one poem with our audience from your upcoming collection: Song of the Slum?
What else would be a mystery
Than this picture in my memory
Giving my mind an imagery
Of the fairy tales of the ancestors
In my childhood under the moonlight
In those days they said
Tortoise sang to the crowd
And for that he was crowned
Then betrothed with puppy
As his queen and begot
Princes and Princesses
Now that my wrongs are wrong
And my rights are right,
With beards and mustache
Around my cheek and chin,
Why would the horse cry?
Is it for his lover, journeyed
And lost in the ridges
Or of a race he lost
To a crawling mouse?
Would he cry for the rocky paths
He failed to smash with his hoof
Or the roses trampled on
By his majestic moves?
If it be for love or torrent
Of torment by tyranny,
This picture in my memory
Is still to me a mystery.
Which writer(s)- poet or not- do you enjoy reading anyday any time and why?
In the medieval works, I enjoy reading William Shakespeare due to his complex and technical style of writing. But, since I've learned to keep my works simple, Niyi Osundare is a writer I look up to, and Abubakar Othman, author of "Blood Stream in the Desert", likewise Adebayo Lawal. These are writers whose works I would read over and over for their simplicity and promotion of African culture.
What are your favourite books of poetry or other genres of literature?
I read poems with my mind closed. I avoid having them in my head to avoid having their similar wordings in my own poem. Nonetheless, my favorites are: The Oil Stained Eyes of Delta, Blood Stream in the Desert, Songs of the Ancestors, Naija Blues, Music of the Muezzin, Voices from the Minaret, and Extracts from the Hourglass. Other genres of literature I favour are: "The Joys of Motherhood", "Half of a Yellow Sun", "Othello", "Harvest of Corruption" and "The Blood of a Stranger".
What are your advice for young poets and other writers like you?
Young poets and writers should avoid plagiarism, stay original, redefine your perception and impression on the works of art.
At times, being angered or misjudged inspire me to write very good poems, while on the other hand, I get inspired through the willingness to inspiring others. Know what inspires you and don't wait till you feel like writing before you write.
Don't be scared of people plagiarizing your work, know how to use the law instead, it can fetch you money.
Join a "writing house" for regular motivation. While you write for public consumption, learn from your works.
Nice one bro.. Success awaits you . Shine on and keep the good work going.
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