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The Mystic of Small Dreams chronicles the movement of migrants as they navigate borders both internal and external. At the heart of these poems of vulnerability and sharp intelligence, the poet himself is the perpetual migrant embarked on forced journeys that take him across nations in West and North Africa, through Europe, and through American cities as he navigates the challenges of living through terror and loss and wrestles with the meaning of home.

In The Mystic of Small Dreams, Oriogun, one of Africa’s most important contemporary poets have written a book that is heavy with lyrical beauty and profound emotions. In his third collection of poems, he has continued his deep engagement with the African diaspora, capturing the heartache, hope, and resilience of those who traverse lands far from their ancestral home. Oriogun’s journeys through diverse cities form the backbone of this collection, and each poem is a melodic exploration of identity, belonging, and the quest of finding home in the lonely conditions of exile.

This collection stands as a testament of his continuous devotion to the craft of poetry, offering readers a poignant glimpse into the life and heart of a poet whose work continues to shape and define the poetic landscape of Africa and beyond.

In 1840, the lives of former lovers’ Ẹfúnṣetán and Efunporonye take divergent paths amid personal and social turmoil. Ẹfúnṣetán faces trial for murder in Ibadan, while Efunporonye copes with loss and business struggles in Abeokuta, seeking solace in a new lover.

Meanwhile, Yoruba kingdoms brace for internal and external conflict, with feudal chiefs, warlords, and colonial forces vying for power. Ẹfúnṣetán’s brother, Kúmúyǐló, and his companions journey to England, encountering magic and racism. Atoke, Ẹfúnṣetán’s cousin, delves into wartime espionage with magical herbs. Despite their divergent paths, their journeys intersect in the crucible of war, fostering new alliances and testing their character.

Swallow Book two chronicles the birth of a new world amidst chaos, highlighting the resilience of women and warriors in the face of war, witchery, love, and loss.

It is the early 1830’s, the countries of the global north are mired in internecine wars and poverty. The British Empire has set themselves up as the world power through the trans-atlantic slave trade and has started its long-term goal of sequestering and colonising the West Coast of Africa ahead of Germany and France. In their designs for Oduduwa nations, independent city-states in the south-west, they had factored in greed and the use of force, but what they hadn’t bargained for was resistance from the powerful women living in these areas.

These women with intertwined lives will learn of love and betrayal in the fight for survival. Efunsetan Aniwura fights to keep her family’s power. Efunporonye craves a place for herself in a world that is unforgiving to timid women. In trying to make their mark in a society dominated by men and their wars, these women will rise up against the incursions of The British Empire. Swallow is a vivid reimagining of ancient Yoruba history that tells a sweeping tale of tradition and culture, family, legacy and love.