‘Flower Blooms’ by Esther Eriwayo is a coming of age poetry book that documents familial challenges and subsequent breakthroughs. The book tells a single compelling story through fifty different, descriptive and connected poems that aims to hold the reader’s hand through the experience. While most books of poetry will aim to tell separate fragmented stories of their own world, Esther’s decision to craft a cohesive experience is what makes the work of art stand on its own.

In the book’s Preface, Esther makes it clear that the story is autobiographical and is her own way of documenting her upbringing and experiences. “I wanted to convey a story of greatness, a narrative that unfolds gradually, navigating through life’s highs and lows. Rather than penning a novel, I chose the format of a narrative poem to encapsulate my message.” She cites narrative poets like Aurora Leigh and Samuel Taylor as her creative inspirations when executing this style of poetry.

‘Flower Blooms’ starts out with a poem titled ‘Love’s Embrace’, Esther Eriwayo explores the warmth and security of a loving family, highlighting the bonds formed within a home filled with love and laughter. The theme is clearly centered on familial love here and the kind of strength it provides. There is an emphasis on ‘love’ as a repeated element throughout the poem, establishing the connection that they had and its profound influence on the family’s life. This theme also carries on into the second chapter.

In chapter 3, the Quest for Legacy, the narrative takes a turn, introducing the father’s desire for a son to carry on the family name, which brings about conflict and tension. The theme shifts to the cultural expectations and the strains they can place on family dynamics. There is tension and uncertainty here, contrasting the warmth of the earlier chapters. Esther employs imagery like “a burning flame” and “a fragile thread” to convey the brewing conflict and the potential for rupture within the family. The emotional impact is significant as it introduces a sense of vulnerability and the potential for loss.

Subsequent chapters explore the separation of this family and eventual fallout that comes with the reality of single parenthood– citing emotional and financial struggles. Esther views this loss as something that extends beyond the family to the broader community, she talks about forced evictions and communal living. She dotes upon her mother through the book, celebrating her show of strength, and sheer love.

The progression through ‘Flower Blooms’ is compelling, Esther talks about how her personal life contrasted the one her mates in school had. She crams her worries and insecurities into these pages and shoulders it all in hope. These poems do an excellent job of capturing the emotional highs and lows of the family’s experience, with a strong emphasis on the power of love and resilience.

Through Flower Blooms, Esther tells us about her journey through school, finding and falling in love with arts. She cuts through the dark days with words of light– she pens her expectations, disappointments and achievements. Esther displays strength in the face of challenges. All these factors come together to create a relatable story that captures Esther Eriwayo’s experiences and general disposition to challenges.

Overall, in this book, the poems are effective in creating a narrative arc that moves from a place of warmth and security to one of conflict, loss, and ultimately, a broader societal critique. The consistent structure across the chapters ties the poems together, while the gradual shift in tone and imagery helps to underscore the themes of love, conflict, and loss.

However, some areas for improvement could include more varied sentence structure to avoid monotony, especially in the earlier chapters. Additionally, the poems could benefit from deeper exploration of the characters’ internal emotions, providing more insight into their individual perspectives. The thematic progression is clear, but adding more complexity to the emotional landscape could enhance the overall impact.

Esther Eriwayo’s Flower Blooms serves as an introductory project to a budding poet, and a promise of greater things to come.

Buy Flower Blooms here.