EDISINE NKPO PURPLE

 EDISINE NKPO PURPLE 

A drop of this, a drop of that

Oh, how beautiful the colour purple!

On royal immortal skin

From whose fellow's side the free heart dangles

And the voluntary echo of ''Yes'', or a still ''No'' unquestion. 

A little red, a little blue!

Don't worry, keep your observation.

It goes just this way

A little drop of “Yes”, a little drop of “No”

A more determined ''I do!'', or the adamant ''Ne'er''.

A sympathetic sorry, and the mocking "You've-not-seen-anything''

A man is made, or a beast is built.

You can b' more of a saint, and worse a beast.

Just a little red, a little blue.

But wait!

Do you know you can b' mad but not tattered,

Or a saint but not good?

Yes, what a cub at birth in the sight of Ant-elope!

So dear a deer.

You need a little more Red for Reddish-Purple,

Or even a little more Blue for Indigo.

If indeed you see it more honourable to b' noble,

Then make it a noble quest.

And if so to say it tastes you to b' wild

Then ne'er wear a sheep, ne'er fear the whip.

Just b' the you!

 A drop of this, a drop of that

Oh, how beautiful the colour purple!

INSPIRATION TO WRITE

Like every other genre of literature, poetry is often born out of inspiration, a sudden moment that stirs the soul of the poet. On the 26th of October, 2025, while returning from church, I encountered a striking sight that ignited my poetic spirit. I passed by a grassland where a particular shrub stood out, crowned with clusters of purple flowers. Their beauty was so natural, so radiant, as though they were deliberately planted, tended, and nurtured by a skilled gardener. The captivating sight arrested my attention, and immediately, a flow of thoughts and words began to form, running through my poetic veins, words that eventually gave birth to this poem.

CONTENT ANALYSIS 

The poem: Edisine-nkpo Purple- that is, “Purple Rope”(Efik Language), delves deeply into human nature, the conflict between good and evil, discipline and recklessness. The poet employs symbolism through the color purple, formed by the mixture of red and blue.

Red is projected and symbolizes a corrupt or destructive tendency, a bad attitude that, if not restrained, can produce a wicked personality capable of polluting society and posing a lasting threat to humanity/mankind. Blue, on the other hand, signifies purity, self-discipline, and an admirable lifestyle that nurtures peace and moral balance.

It is of a surety that both good and evil often begin as small, unnoticed actions, “a mere drop,” as the poet calls it, that grows into full realities, depending on how one nurtures or neglects them. The duo mirrors the inner battles within every human heart, where one still holds the power to choose to say “yes,” no matter how appealing the wrong appears, or “no,” no matter how difficult the right may seem. This could be seen in the line: “on Royal Immortal’s skin, from whose fellow’s side the free heart dangles,” where there is a reflection on the concept of freedom and moral choice, the power to affirm, “yes”, or to resist, “no”, without external compulsion.

The poet traces the beginning of this moral journey often portrayed as irrelevant, yet profoundly significant to the simple words we utter as shown in stanza 3: “yes,” “no,” “I do,” “ne'er,” “sorry”, "you've-not-seen-anything" 

Finally, in stanza five, the poem challenges perceptions: good and evil are not always revealed by outward appearance. As the poet writes in lines 18–19, “Yes, what a cub in the sight of an Ant-elope! So dear a deer. The interpretation: "Ant", is an insect. The word "Elope", means to run away with someone or something.... These two-part words are only separated for emphasis. And when returned to its original state will form the Word, "Antelope". ANT + ELOPE = ANTELOPE(the number one prey of Big cats: Lions). That is to say, "if Antelope should see a cub "so dear, so innocent" at birth would not believe it would grow to become so wicked a Lion. 

The readers are reminded never to judge by what is seen. An evil man may appear noble, and a good man may appear scary.

Hence, through such, the poet left us with a message from the Scripture (Rev.22:12), paraphrased/represented by the line, “If indeed you see it more honourable to be noble, then make it a noble quest. And if so to say it tastes you to be wild, then ne'er wear a sheep, ne'er fear the whip, just b' the you!"

Form / Structure

'Edisine-nkpo Purple' is an eight-stanza poem comprising of four quatrains, a four couplets of free verse. Hence, a 28-line poem.

Setting

Even though some statements like, "A little red/blue", or word like, "observation", tries to define laboratory (experiment), this poem has no physical setting that one could hold on to; rather, it relies solely on the psychological setting (world of mind/soul), which in reality transcends and overlaps all physical setting one could think of as the matter so discussed is universal.

Theme(s)

1. The transaction of good and evil: This theme explains how the things we do or the life we live make a greater effect on whether we are, or will be, good or bad (evil), tracing to the origin of man's character.

2. The great yield: This theme points directly to the reader as well as lovers of poetry: “If you must be good, be good to the fullest. If you must be bad, then the world should know you for that.”

3. Camouflage: “…because it looks like good may not necessarily mean it’s good. And because it’s scary, that doesn’t mean it’s evil.”

LANGUAGE AND STYLE/ FIGURES OF SPEECH

Diction

The poem “Edisine-nkpo Purple, which translates to "Purple Rope" in Efik Language, is written in simple and straight forward language. However, the poet also employs some inventive and rebranded expressions, such as “ANT-ELOPE,” which has already been explained under the content analysis. This blend of simplicity and creativity makes the poem both accessible and intellectually engaging.

Figures of Speech

1. Symbolism: The poem uses colors as powerful symbols. Red and Blue symbolize evil and good respectively.

Purple signifies royalty and nobility, as seen in stanzas one and seven.

2. Oxymoron: In line 18, the phrase “saints and beasts” presents two contrasting ideas: good and evil, placed side by side. This figure of speech heightens the poem’s exploration of human contradiction.

3. Assonance: Assonance is used in “So dear a deer” (line 19). This repetition of vowel sounds found in the middle of line(s), creates a smooth rhythm and musicality, enhancing the poem’s internal harmony.

4. Alliteration: The same phrase: "So dear a deer" (line 19), also demonstrates alliteration. That is, the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words as in 'd', in "dear", and 'd', in "deer". This device gives the poem a lyrical and memorable quality.

5. Repetition: Repetition in poetry is used for emphasis and rhythm. In this poem, it appears several times to strengthen meaning and draw attention to key ideas: “A drop of this, a drop of that," (line 1 and 27); "Oh! How beautiful the color purple” (in line 2 and 28); “A little red, a little blue” (line 6 and 14). These repeated phrases underline the poem’s central theme:The transition of good and evil. 

6. Biblical Allusion: The poem also contains allusions to the Bible, particularly in stanza seven, which indirectly refers to a biblical statement or moral event. This adds depth and spiritual resonance to the poem, aligning its message with divine wisdom and human morality.

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