Architects of a Cleaner Financial System
by Tolu A. Akinyemi
The Roaring Lion Newcastle


"The first line of defence is gathering facts."

In a clear, bold voice, the speaker in these poems challenges financial institutions, hiring practices, and capitalism’s reach into every corner of a person's everyday life. The speaker examines how the workforce erodes an individual’s free will and how “the job market is built / on a foundation of falsehood.” In the workforce, individuals are merely “building blocks of exaggerated lies,” and “the ownership chain is a long winding road.” Simultaneously, the speaker also makes great strides to understand their own levels of self-awareness, their place in the workforce and society, and the role of greed and finances in developing their identity.

The most interesting technique used in this collection is personification. For example, corporations and other financial elements are personified in order to make them more accessible. “Risk appetite” is the best example of this. Risk appetite, according to the definition provided in the book, is “the level of risk that an organization is prepared to accept in pursuit of its objectives before action is deemed necessary to reduce the risk.” In the poem, the speaker asserts, “My appetite for risk / is below sea level” and that their “appetite for risk hits imaginary roofs / and catapults into sinking sands.” The phrase “below sea level,” as well as the incorporation of words like “imaginary” and “sinking,” create a sense of resistance and reluctance to engage with any risky type of behavior or environment on the speaker’s part.

Risk is a common topic in this book. Poems like “Risk Mitigation” thematically echo “Risk appetite.” “Risk Mitigation” opens with clear advice: “Mitigate the risk, lest we become casualties / of this consuming fire.” The moral duality of the statement establishes an honorable tone, and the rest of the poem seems to be a clear warning about the destructive nature of regulatory fines, poor reputations, and potential litigations.

Other poems, like “Sanctions,” wax political. In this poem, the speaker contemplates whether or not sanctions are actually effective on those on which they are imposed. They equate sanctions with blowing “hot air,” resulting in a “shouting match.” Eventually, the speaker reaches the conclusion that imposing sanctions results in a “whole scene” that “has the look of a comedy show.” The poem is relevant since, in their daily lives, readers most likely hear the word “sanctions” tossed around in various headlines. “Compliance Poet” is an inspirational poem that encourages readers to look beyond their normal role in society and pursue their true passions: “Dare to fly on the wings of dreams. / Maybe, just maybe, your career pathway / will align like the stars.” This poem challenges readers to leave the spreadsheets, diagrams, and charts that dominate their work lives and live to their fullest, most creative potential.

This is a unique and thought-provoking collection. Readers looking for a new and intrepid voice in contemporary poetry will find it in this book. This collection is innovative, too, in its reimagining of financial and economic concepts that guide everyday financial decisions for individuals and businesses. Akinyemi's poems are powerful in their examination of selfhood, capitalism, and the role of both in a society where materialism and money influence nearly every hour of one’s day.

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