From one of Africa's most acclaimed writers, poetry about the Nigeria-Biafra war
Everyone carries a piece of the war within them: what happens when we neglect to consider each individual's story? The Nigeria-Biafra War (1967–70) erupted when the southeastern region of Nigeria, known as Biafra, declared independence. It was a major conflict; however, this war remains largely absent from official historical accounts. While victims have passed down their experiences across generations, the official silence and the dominance of narratives from larger ethnic groups have perpetuated stereotypes that diminish the suffering of some victims. The differing narratives that are absent from history books continue to divide and polarize social groups within Nigeria and beyond.
Weaving together cut-ups and redactions from personal narratives, historical accounts, and reflections on the enduring impact of war, and with raw language and searing imagery, the poems in Circumtrauma grapple with loss, resilience, and the search for healing amidst the fractures of deep-seated divisions.
This collection compels readers to confront the profound and often-silenced complexities of history, the intergenerational weight of inherited suffering, and the urgent need to acknowledge the diverse experiences and perspectives of all those impacted by the tragedy of war. It is a testament to the enduring power of art to bear witness to the human condition, offering a path towards healing and reconciliation.
One of CBC Books's Best Canadian Poetry Books of 2025
"Through Verissimo, her lyrics hold together precisely because of the way she pulls them apart, focusing on individual moments, elements and parts of speech, collecting together to form a far wider and complex tapestry." – rob mclennan's blog
"Circumtrauma works the threshold of language as it rears up against the crude arithmetic of war and the regimes of ruin that saturate memory, history, and the body. Verissimo's gift is the making of another atlas for becoming where past, present, and future are clarified in the ties that bind us despite such fissures. Richly observed and felt." – Canisia Lubrin, author of Code Noir
"Not just a book of poems, but a beautiful and devastating monument to Nigerian history. Verissimo harnesses the power of repetition and reimagination to capture a past that lives on in the psyche, the body, and collective memory. CIRCUMTRAUMA sings with astonishing sentences and images; it is vital, breath-taking work." – Billy-Ray Belcourt, author of The Idea of an Entire Life and Coexistence
Praise for A Small Silence:
"An intriguing…intimate debut" – Leila Aboulela, author of River Spirit
"A compelling and compulsive story" – Helon Habila, author of Travelers: A Novel
"A Small Silence feels like an act of literary disruption. Hypnotic, expertly crafted and full of subtle power, it challenges cultural norms around silence, darkness and solitude, leaving the reader changed in ways that are hard to define." – Irenosen Okojie, The Guardian
