Wild Poems

A rich, joyful collection of poems on living and loving from the Booker Prize–winning author.

Freedom is the most precious commodity in the world. In this powerful collection, the celebrated novelist, essayist, dramatist, and poet Ben Okri explores the beauty contained in each one of us—the freedom of our spirit, the child within. He recalls the death of his father, the sacrifices of his mother, the hidden river of Edinburgh, falling in love. He writes about Virgil and Mozambique, about ringing the bell for freedom, the dreams of Calliope and the full moon. He enters the fifth circle, sings of the roses of spring, and aligns the pyramids to the magic stars.

This is a gorgeous, exciting collection for everyone who loves Ben Okri’s vibrant style, and a perfect introduction to new readers of his poetry.

Ben Okri is a playwright, poet, novelist, essayist, short-story writer, anthologist, and aphorist. He has also written film scripts. His works have won numerous national and international prizes, including the Booker Prize for Fiction. His books include the eco-fable Every Leaf a Hallelujah, the play Changing Destiny, the genre-bending climate fiction Tiger Work, the poetry collections A Fire in My Head, Mental Fight, and An African Elegy, and the novels Astonishing the Gods, The Last Gift of the Master Artists, Dangerous Love, and The Age of Magic. In 2023 he received a knighthood for services to literature.