Description

For decades, Vanessa has searched for her missing son. A poor mother, she does everything in her fragile power: sleepless nights, desperate prayers, consultations with seers and African gods, even sacrifices despite her Christian faith.

Meanwhile, Kwame and his friend Jide are on a perilous journey in search of a greener pasture that becomes a mirage at every turn. Where has he been all these years? Was he truly under a curse, as his family fears, or driven by a mission of his own?

As Vanessa endures mockery and unending grief, Kwame is caught in the misery of the crossing, haunted by the possibility that he may never reach Europe or return home. Will mother and son ever be reunited?

This collection is a beautifully written work of narrative and prose poetry, a two-part series that captures a mother’s dirge, the wailing of motherhood, and the stark horrors of displacement and forced migration. Find out in this beautifully written narrative and prose poetry work that reads like a stage play.

Reviews

Peter Okonkwo’s literary work, in the form of an epic poem, of Kwame’s quest for a better life
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2025
Format: Paperback
Oh, my heavens, I just finished the last page of “Kwame Come Home,” by Peter Okonkwo, part 1. My tears fell like rain as I became each character of this tragic and wonderful literary work. In “Kwame Come Home,” Peter not only tells the story of Kwame and his family, but also the story of tens of thousands of immigrants who have felt compelled to leave their homes, their families, their culture, and everything familiar, in search of a better life. “Kwame Come Home” is not the didactic writing of a point of view article, or even a fictional story written in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person. Peter chooses the epic poem format, forcing the reader to assume the different roles of each of his characters, from Kwame’s mother and other family members to Kwame himself. In the middle of the desert, Kwame is stopped, and so are we, left breathlessly waiting for “Kwame Come Home, Part 2.”

Stefan Scheuermann
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
The Scope of Human Emotions
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2025
Format: Paperback
Kwame Come Home is a poignant display of the intensity of devotion and the depths of despair that can only be known by the hearts of mothers. It also shows how suddenly and dramatically life can change directions. The story is largely epistolary and contains the very raw emotions of its main characters. By the end of the first page, my compassion was already fully engaged. Plan to have your heart tugged and you gut wrenched. Beautifully written portrait of raw humanity!