The variegated colours of love in Lanre Sonde’s ‘Mellexy’

By Don Kester Oshioreame

ONE of the words Greek philosophers used to describe love is ‘eros’, which is closely related to the modern concept of romantic love. Characteristics like sexual desire, passion, and euphoria are common in this unique bond often seen between lovers.

The description above aptly captures the overall ambiance of Lanre Sonde’s collection of 41 romantic poems published in the book titled Mellexy: The Colours of You. Sonde has shown himself as a gifted poet and has practised for over a decade and also writes both fiction and non-fiction. He effectively and creatively combines the words ‘Mellow’ and ‘Sexy’ to create ‘Mellexy’, reflecting his unpretentious intent to communicate his intimate romantic feelings in a book.

The 122-page poetry collection was printed and self-published in 2022 on Amazon. The book’s cover design is relevant, featuring a complementary image and carefully chosen colors. The author’s background as a graphic designer is evident throughout the book. It is perfectly bound, and the inner pages are printed on bond paper. The quality from cover to content exudes excellence.

Without equivocation, this collection reads like an intense and intentionally crafted love letter from the heart of an ‘incurable romantic’ obsessed with love. Through the first-person perspective, the poet portrays himself as both a dreamer and a committed adventurer, navigating the slippery terrain of love with the confidence of a conqueror. He explores this romantic depth through a rich tapestry of imagery, language, symbols, and figures of speech, akin to a cultured tour guide and painter. He generously splashes vivid and varied colours through diction, engaging the reader’s imagination and thereby sustaining their interest.

In terms of style, the author’s eclectic delivery is commendable and deserves praise. He skillfully employs poetic license, by breaking the ‘Fourth Wall’, at will. The poet’s used enjambment serves as a tool to achieve this effect. He moves freely like Cupid, refusing to be constrained by the traditional tenets of poetry. Sonde’s thoughts intertwine seamlessly, resembling free verse in an inexorable connection.

With lucid language infused with metaphors, similes, and puns, as seen in ‘Silhouette’, he writes, “I see you through your translucent frame. You’re like an art gallery with so much misery…” The rhyme of ‘gallery’ and ‘misery’ is striking. On deeper reflection, one might observe that being conflicted in the prism of love, the poet plays with the word ‘mystery’, using ‘misery’, because love can indeed be a source of sorrow as one seeks to understand its depths. The author acknowledges this pun in his consistent epigrammatic notes in prosaic form that follow each poem in Mellexy: “It is about love at first glance that you try to decipher, but you enjoy every moment of the mystery”.

Evidently, the poet assumes a variety of roles for the sake of love in Mellexy. One such role is that of a curator, guiding his reading audience like gallery-goers on a mental excursion into his imaginative narrative and unique love experience. This role is notably clear through the sustained tempo, pace, and tone throughout the book.

Structured like a well-crafted letter with a beginning, middle, and end, Sonde’s poetic love letter becomes more intense as his thoughts progress sustainably. In ‘Naked Thoughts’, the poet conjures images that transcend surface appearances, alluding to Genesis 2:25: “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (New King James Version). I draw attention to the poet’s words: “I just want to dance with you until dawn. Until we go to dust and our ashes are spread across the ocean or into the sky to become stars”. The imagery of intimacy is exemplified in the line about dancing “until dawn.” The poet openly also expresses his intimate self in ‘Serenade’.

Ultimately, the poet, like a visual artist, uses a palette of variegated colours to convey his fascination and adoration, emotions that have been nurtured and reserved in his imagination for the object of his love. In glowing and exuberant tones, he asserts:

It’s the way you painted the canvas of my heart,
With your magical brush. My mind has become
Colorful because of you. I’m swimming in every
Word you say.
You brought my imagination into existence. I don’t
Think about what it is like to be yours…
You are something different.
A beautiful creation, I must say.
These colors I exude are colors of you.

* Oshioreame is an author, culture reviewer and art critic