Resuscitating the Earth: A Linguistic Analysis of Selected Poems in Niyi Osundare’s The Eye of the Earth

Abstract

This study analyzed three of Niyi Osundare’s poems in the ‘Eye of the Earth’. We considered the syntactic patterns and semantic applications used in the selected poems to drive home the thematic pre-occupation of the poet. Hassan (1985) asserts that linguistic stylistics has its major purpose of relating language use in literary texts to its artistic function. The selected poems are Let Earth’s Pain Be Soothed, First Rain and Meet me at Okeruku.  Linguistic Stylistic Analytical Framework is used for the analysis. Use of diction, meanings and figurative expressions of the poems were the focus. Result of the analysis revealed that to discuss the language of poetry is to reveal those stylistic features which conform to and deviate from the norms of the language of poetry.  The analysis indicated that linguistic stylistics operates on some key concepts like deviation or foregrounding.