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ABSTRACT
Nigerian poets in the World on the Brinks Anthology employ semiotic cues – words functioning as symbols or signs – to metaphorically depict the COVID-19 pandemic as a battlefield. Health workers are portrayed as courageous combatants fighting the formidable enemy of the virus, and humanity is cast as the embattled populace. Hence, this study analyzes how the poets utilize vivid imagery and metaphorical language to capture the trauma, loss, and crisis experienced in Nigeria during this health emergency. The study adopt a qualitative research method while employing Ferdinand de Saussure’s Theory of Semiotics. The findings reveal that the poets skillfully use war imagery, weapon metaphors, and depictions of combatants to convey the intensity of the struggle against the pandemic. This semiotic signs thereby evoke a sense of resilience, sacrifice, and determination in the face of adversity. The study concludes that these poetic representations serve as powerful testimonies to the resilience of the human spirit and the courage of those who stood at the forefront of this unprecedented global challenge.
