Wow, just wow. My life changed immeasurably after consuming this book whole. Abu Bakr Sadiq is a true mastermind.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this collection, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm generally quite subjective when I look at poetry. I examine it more with how it left me feeling and less with how well it was constructed. I find myself usually full praise for collections that fall into the "poetry of witness" realm and I assumed that this collection would be no different. It touches on some really difficult topics while mixed with speculative and experimental techniques. There are some really interesting and powerful pieces in this collection, one of my "favorites" being Post Massacre Psyche Evaluation. I'll be keeping an eye out for more by this poet in the future.

Thank you to University of Nebraska and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available Nov 2024.

In his essay, "What Does It Mean To Look At This?", Teju Cole asks us what it means to look at scenes of violence from wars, at destroyed bodies, at distant brutality through our screens.

In Leaked Footages, Abu Bakr Saqid asks the same question. Told through a series of conversations with a cyborg, Sadiq explores the bloody history of Nigeria, including Boko Haram's kidnapping of women and senseless killing of men. Faith, nation, and technology are intertwined, as the book struggles to make meaning of it all.

One of the most incredible combinations of "poetry as witness" combined with speculative poetry that I've ever read. Very brilliant and beautiful collection. Incredible.

Incredible collection! I finished reading it and immediately preordered a copy for my person poetry collection. The African Poetry Book Series consistently publishes some of the best contemporary poetry I’ve read and introduces me to writers that I adore! The entire collection is full of outstanding poems but some of my favorites were: “Ars Poetica with a Broken Shahada”, “ my god swears / by the fig, by the olive, by the brightest star, by the prophet who penned no ghazal”, “ Everything I've Lost Returns to Me as Wind”, and “ POST MASSACRE PSYCH EVALUATION”. Deeply touching poems about death, trauma, and grief. Will be recommending this to everyone I know!