Abstract-This paper analyses selected poems in the poetry collection of Joe Ushie entitled Hill Songs and those of Unimna Angrey's collection entitled Drought (Ubuang). It is an investigation of the linguistic choices that the selected writers have made in order to establish their connections with their environment and the representation of the effects of the negative and unfavourable conduct and destructive activities of man on it (the environment). The paper uses a conflation of three theories-ecofeminism, modification in grammar and conceptual theory of metaphor. In this respect, focus is mainly on the use of lexical items, verses, the imagery and certain literary devices, such as metaphor and simile, that the poets deploy in their works to establish that connection and the attack that the environment, which man is inextricably a part of, has undergone in man's quest for development. The aim is to draw attention to the poetic discourse on the effects of the man's interactions with the environment as expressed by these new poets. The paper concludes that the poets' concern for, and conviction about the symbiosis between man and the environment have constrained the deployment of anthropomorphic and anthropocentric idiom and the style of their poetry.Index Terms-man, anthropomorphic and anthropocentric idiom and style

This essay argues for the potential of children’s literature in Nigeria as a genre serving as a means of building nationhood in the minds of children growing up in the country. It posits that because of the greed of the ruling elites, the potential in terms of both human and natural resources was frittered away after independence, thereby vitiating the function of children’s literature in helping reinforce Nigeria’s presence in the comity of nations. It is still possible to retrace our steps as a country by progressively deploying such literature, through its themes and character delineation, to inculcating in children a sense of nationhood and patriotism so they can relate across both ethnic and religious divisions to espouse ideals as a people with a common destiny. The literature that is the focus here is that written in English as the language of interaction among the different ethnic groups in the country, and as the language of instruction in our schools.

This essay proceeds from the consideration of literature as a medium of disseminating information to society at large, and argues that poetry, being a branch of literature, lends its resources and compact form to this function of information dissemination. It goes further to argue that Niyi Osundare in Village Voices, like the town-crier in our traditional societies, clearly brings to the attention of the leaders and the led important developments within society. However, he does not stop at informing society of those developments, especially the negative conduct of its leaders, but goes further to warn the latter of the consequences of persisting in their negative ways, and, addressing the mass of the people, calls for the necessary action that would extricate and free them from their bad leaders.