Wole Adedoyin interviews Muheez Olawale: My Poems Mostly Revolve Around Self-Love, Grief, and Romance

WA: CAN YOU TELL US WHEN AND HOW YOU FIRST DISCOVERED POETRY?
MUHEEZ: I first discovered poetry after secondary school. I joined a community of writers on Facebook. I really enjoyed the poems shared there, and that spurred me to start writing my own.

WA: WHAT INSPIRES YOUR POETRY THE MOST—PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, SOCIAL ISSUES, OR SOMETHING ELSE?
MUHEEZ: My experiences, and those of people around me, mostly inspire my poetry. Sometimes, I’m influenced by social issues as well.

WA: WHO ARE SOME POETS OR WRITERS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AND STYLE?
MUHEEZ: I enjoy reading Michael Imossan, Rudy Francisco, and Niyi Osundare. Their works have influenced how I write.

WA: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR VOICE OR STYLE AS A POET?
MUHEEZ: I love telling stories, so my poems are mostly narrative. Every piece has a story behind it.

WA: DO YOU FOLLOW A PARTICULAR ROUTINE WHEN WRITING POETRY, OR DO YOU WRITE SPONTANEOUSLY?MUHEEZ: I wait for a clear, definite thought that can push a narrative. Once it comes, I write whatever flows from it. Later, I go back to edit or rewrite.

WA: WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR CULTURAL OR PERSONAL BACKGROUND PLAY IN YOUR POETRY?
MUHEEZ: I’m a Yoruba boy, raised on sarcasm and irony. These naturally seep into my writing, even when I’m not conscious of it.

WA: WHAT THEMES DO YOU FIND YOURSELF RETURNING TO IN YOUR POEMS?
MUHEEZ: My poems mostly revolve around self-love, grief, and romance.

WA: HOW DO YOU HANDLE WRITER’S BLOCK OR MOMENTS OF CREATIVE DROUGHT?
MUHEEZ: I step away from writing and look for things that can spark inspiration. I watch movies, scroll through social media, read others’ works, and most often, listen to music.

WA: DO YOU WRITE PRIMARILY FOR YOURSELF OR FOR AN AUDIENCE?
MUHEEZ: I write primarily for myself, then tailor the piece to suit my target audience. If it’s a love poem for social media, for instance, I might include elements of exaggeration and humor.

WA: HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTED THE WAY YOU SHARE AND PROMOTE YOUR POETRY?
MUHEEZ: Social media has been instrumental. It helps me reach people I’ve never met, especially through WhatsApp and Facebook communities. Knowing someone out there is reading keeps me going.

WA: HAVE YOU EVER PERFORMED YOUR POETRY? IF SO, HOW DOES IT FEEL COMPARED TO WRITING IT?
MUHEEZ: I’ve performed twice. I had stage fright, but the experience was worth it. I hope to improve with time.

WA: WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE ROLE OF POETRY IN TODAY’S WORLD?
MUHEEZ: Poetry is what the reader needs it to be. For some, it's a safe space to escape stress. For others, it’s a tool for reflection or a call to action.

WA: ARE THERE ANY CURRENT SOCIAL OR POLITICAL ISSUES THAT INFLUENCE YOUR POETRY?
MUHEEZ: Yes, issues like poverty, feminism, poor leadership, and wars have found their way into my recent works.

WA: HAVE YOU PUBLISHED ANY OF YOUR WORK OR PLAN TO DO SO SOON?
MUHEEZ: Yes, my poems have been published in Counting Down the Days: Brittle Paper Festive Anthology, Copihue Poetry, Akpata Magazine, The Kalahari Review, Afrocritik, The Muse, Arts Lounge, and more.

WA: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POEM YOU’VE WRITTEN SO FAR, AND WHY DOES IT STAND OUT TO YOU?
MUHEEZ: I really love Monkey No Fine, forthcoming in Corporeal Magazine. It’s about self-acceptance and pays tribute to my mother, who instilled that mindset in me.

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER YOUNG POETS JUST STARTING OUT?
MUHEEZ: From one young poet to another—comparison kills creativity before it blossoms. Learn from others, yes, but always find your own voice. You are you, and they are them.

WA: DO YOU THINK POETRY CAN DRIVE CHANGE OR START CONVERSATIONS? CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE FROM YOUR OWN WORK?
MUHEEZ: Yes. One of my poems, Dreams Are Descendants of Peace, published in Arts Lounge, addresses the genocide in Palestine and how children there have lost the right to dream. I believe it can start a conversation.

WA: HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH OTHER POETS OR ARTISTS BEFORE? HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE?
MUHEEZ: Not yet, but I look forward to doing so.

WA: WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS OR DREAMS AS A POET OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS?
MUHEEZ: In the next five years, I hope to win a major poetry prize and publish a book.

WA: CAN YOU SHARE A LINE OR STANZA FROM A POEM YOU’VE WRITTEN THAT MEANS A LOT TO YOU?
MUHEEZ: “a poor man's dream is a wingless bird.” (From SEEKING NIGHT LIGHTS on Afrocritik)

Muheez Olawale writes poetry and prose from Lagos, Nigeria. He currently studies English Language at Lagos State University. His poem won the 2024 Chief of Army Staff Literary Competition. His works have appeared or are forthcoming in Brittle Paper, The Kalahari, The Hooghly, Corporeal Magazine, African Writer, Akpata Magazine, Prosetrics, and elsewhere. Muheez enjoys humour, adventure, and mystery. He serves as the Social Media Director of the Hilltop Creative Arts Foundation, Lagos Chapter, and is also the President of the Ingenious WEPOLIT Society at LASU. He shares his thoughts on Twitter and Instagram via @_muheezolawale. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin, he discusses his literary journey and inspirations.