The Illusion of Absence

Authors

• Abraham K. Ali, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Hope Wabuke

Committee Members

Saddiq Dzukogi, Ng’ang’a Wahu-Mũchiri, Jeannette Eileen Jones

Date of this Version

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts

Major: English

Under the supervision of Professor Hope Wabuke

Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2026

Comments

Copyright 2026, Abraham K. Ali. Used by permission

Abstract

The Illusion of Absence is a collection of thirty poems with a critical introduction that examines the poetic legacy of paternal absence and the reconfiguration of family in Africa and diasporic narratives. I grew up in Nigeria without my father. His absence has shaped my understanding of love, silence, manhood, and home. This manuscript is an exploration of the lasting legacy of my father’s absence and its place within an exploration of masculinity within the broader context of the African and diasporic experience. My mother became the focal point within the home as she brought cohesion and unity within the home, as it was marked by poverty, fear, and uncertainty. The family is thus not just defined by the absent members, but also the ones who stayed. This has thus influenced my research interests on the exploration of masculinity within the broader context of the African and diasporic experience. The poems within the pages of this work have been influenced by the homes that I have come to identify as my own, Nigeria, where I sought to explore my home and the implications of my father’s absence on the structure of my family, and Lincoln, Nebraska, within the United States of America, where I am presently. This dissertation work seeks to explore the implications of absence as it leaves its mark and becomes the guide within the process of becoming.

Advisor: Hope Wabuke