Conversations At Arkore: An Interview With Taiwo Ayomide

WHAT FIRST INSPIRED YOUR POETRY? WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT POETRY WAS AN IDEAL MEANS OF EXPRESSION FOR YOU?

Marcel: Your poetry seems to walk a very fine line between entertainment and endurance. It’s like you stand on the edge of a cliff, prepared to fall and fly at the same time, grappling with haunting existential themes while maintaining a subtle musical flow. What first inspired your poetry? When did you realize that poetry was an ideal means of expression for you?

Taiwo Ayomide: Well, that is a nice observation. Writing started as a habit—an escape for me. But poetry feels more like a fraction of life. What inspires my lines is the beauty of expressing too much in too little. I am not a person of many words, and poetry sure provides that. Above all, my view of life has always been shaped by the unpredictable, up-and-down nature of existence, and I have just come to realize that, in the long run, not everything is worth chasing. "Not so worth it" doesn’t mean survival and the hustle aren’t necessary—they are, at least for as long as one is alive. But it also "isn’t so worth it" because, someday, the thirst for survival, though still present in man, will have to be quenched one way or another. Most of my poems are just reminders of this.

IS YOUR POETRY DIRECTED AT YOURSELF? WHAT SHAPES YOUR WRITING PROCESS?

Marcel: This makes for an easy segue into our next question. I’d like to know—and I’m sure your readers would too—is your poetry directed at yourself? Naturally, poetry is complex, but it’s also a universal language that speaks to anyone. What shapes your writing process? Is it borne of deep introspection and then release, or do your themes find you along the lines?

Taiwo Ayomide: At first, my poems were a product of introspection. For example, in 2020, I wrote a lot as I reflected on a mistake I made the previous year that almost cost me my life. In recent times, though, my poetry has become a message born out of my observation of people’s lifestyles and, more importantly, their ideas and orientations. An example is a poem I wrote to address people who easily shift blame for their mistakes. Speaking of introspection, reflecting on one’s rights and wrongs is the key to growth, so my early poems were children of that process. And about people’s ideologies—I have found many popular opinions on relationships, religion, achievement, and other aspects of life quite uncomfortable. So I write to express my own perspective in my own way. Recently, I wrote a poem about single folks who reject Valentine’s Day, claiming that Jesus is their Valentine.

IS THERE A LINE OR WORK OF YOURS THAT STILL SURPRISES YOU?

Marcel: Well, speaking of things you’ve written, has there ever been a line—or even an entire work—that made you stop and think, Where did that come from? A line that still surprises and speaks to you as both a poet and a person?

Taiwo Ayomide: Yes, I have a couple of them. They are mostly lines that challenge me and my own beliefs. These are the lines that scream, He who is without sin should cast the first stone, and while I’m still in the process of examining them, they turn around and shout, You are guilty yourself! at me. I just wonder what I was thinking when writing them. 

Not until we are the ones seated before the camera,

Its light fracturing into voices that crash against us,

And the man behind the lens mutters,

“Your photograph is ruined.”

Only then will we know

The sting of mockery,

And temper the scales with which we measure others.

That’s an excerpt from a poem titled The Camera-man. I only copied the whole stanza for context, but the first two lines are an example of what we’re discussing.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A PIECE IS GOOD ENOUGH?

Marcel: That’s a powerful piece about the importance of recognizing human limitations. People often judge others harshly until they’re placed in the same situation. You never know how human you are until you hold yourself accountable to the same standards you expect from others. Speaking of standards, I think every writer has an editor in their head. Are there times when it just feels impossible to satisfy your inner publisher? And how do you know when a piece is good enough?

Taiwo Ayomide: Exactly. It happens often. I guess that’s why every writer I know has more than one draft of their pieces. One of the things I look for in my work is understanding. It’s one thing for me to feel like I’ve written something great, but for me, it goes beyond that. Every piece is meant to carry a message, and I don’t stop editing until I feel that almost all (if not all) of my potential readers will definitely understand it. I try to write so that even the laziest reader can grasp my message. But, like I said, that only happens once in a while.

WHICH WRITERS, PHILOSOPHERS, OR EXPERIENCES HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR TONE?

Marcel: "Lazy readers" are everywhere, but your poetry cuts across different aspects of life—biblical allusions, societal critiques, existential dilemmas—so almost everyone can find something they connect with. Which writers, philosophers, or personal experiences have influenced your tone? And is there something non-poetry-related that unexpectedly fuels your creativity?

Taiwo Ayomide: I don’t have a specific writer in mind, but the writers of Psalms, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, and some other books of the Bible have really shaped my writing style and tone. In addition, the message of my pieces also influences my tone, because I want the reader to see life as not so worth chasing. So, most times, I employ a calm yourself down tone. As for a non-poetry influence, that would be my upbringing. I mentioned earlier that writing was a form of escape for me because, in my household, we learned to be self-reliant from a very young age. Not financially, of course, but we were trained to be accountable for ourselves early on.

This influences my creativity a lot because many things people overemphasize as problems might not even look like problems to me at all. So, my writing often takes a slightly “ungeneric” stance. And I must mention—the doses of heartbreak I’ve had also played a role. I was chasing a love life in 2019/2020, and it went south... I wrote more in 2020 than I ever had in any year.

A FEW FUN QUESTIONS...

Marcel: Well, someone at the forge should be grateful for heat.

Marcel: And speaking of heat, let’s cool it down a bit with some fun, shall we?

Taiwo Ayomide: Let’s, please.

Marcel: If you could sit down and have a conversation with any of your poems, which would it be and what would you discuss?

Taiwo Ayomide: Eiiiiii! Let’s say... First Love. It was a duet by myself and an old acquaintance of mine, but it's tucked away in my diary. 

We would discuss the vulnerability of men—how humans often find themselves returning to things that once hurt them. How we somehow always end up back on a boat we’ve already broken. Just the cycle of man and the past, in summary.

Marcel: If the only way you could use a word was to buy it before using it, what word would you spend all your money on, and which would you never waste a dime on?

Taiwo Ayomide: I wish I could pick one word for both.

Marcel: Go on.

Taiwo Ayomide: Life. It’s a concept that should be cherished, held on to, kept with so much reverence… but it will end someday. All the efforts, everything we do, will eventually fade. As much as I love to use the word life in my poems, it also reminds me that I am a hypocrite—celebrating something so fleeting. So, I try to limit my use of it and avoid it as much as I can.

Marcel: Interesting. You’re ascetic.

Taiwo Ayomide: Not in some cases, though.

Marcel: The Bible says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply wisdom.”

Taiwo Ayomide: Yeah.

TAIWO AYOMIDE'S CONVICTION 

Marcel: Has there been a time, a moment, or an encounter that reinforced your convictions as a writer?

Taiwo Ayomide: When people ask why I write, I tell them it is part of my life. I grew up writing to pass time and to express myself, especially since my siblings were always looking out for themselves too.

Taiwo Ayomide: So, in general, I think my conviction gets reinforced anytime there is something to say and no one to say it to… which is almost every time.

Marcel: A life of solitude?

Taiwo Ayomide: Yeah. I’ve only started relating with people more in recent years.

FROM THE WRITER'S DESK

Marcel: Is there any work of yours you’d like to share?

Taiwo Ayomide: Yes. Here’s one:

CUP AND GRIEF! WHICH?

Don't say you never knew!

There were whispers and noises

Calling on the empty street,

To warn.

Don't claim they weren't enough!

You were the one who sought

Answer in silence.

Your ears were pricked, but you kept deafened.

So, take your cup like a man!

Even if you will die.

You asked for music,

And you must dance to it.

Or, you could grieve,

Like the weak you were;

From the beginning

Even till the end.

But nothing changes,

Your karma is here, Hypocrite!

To drink the cup or grieve,

Your judgment is made.

By your hands,

You have wielded the sword,

By your hands,

You have written the verdict.

Though you have no more choices,

Decide which would be your escape;

The Cup of Consequence,

Or, the grief of regrets.

© Olufayo Taiwo Ayomide (Poet Phynerwrites, Feb '25)

Taiwo Ayomide: It was meant to challenge people—to either wallow in regret or own up to their faults . Anything aside from that is not humane. There’s no need to shift blame or play the innocent card. In all, I hope it advises admitting one’s errors more.

AND THAT'S A WRAP!

Marcel: Thank you for your time, Taiwo! Pleasure having you here.

Taiwo Ayomide: The pleasure was mine. I had a great time.

Marcel: Ciao!