One Ghana, One Voice

The Phoenix - George Amoah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Up it goes.
Soaring to heights unscaled
Spreading its gallant wings
So it cuts through the winds
Like knife through butter
Immaculate!!!
It lands on a trunk
With neck straightened and stretched to the sky
As if to say “WHO IS THE MAN”!
Hmmm...
Now it has gone frail
Its feathers that glitter
Now looks like they have gone through a shredder
Tattered!
Are its feathers.
Awful the feathers make it look.
And they stare!
Yes they stare and very well at that!
They stare at the bird they once admired or detested.
The admirers could not hide their disappointment at its becoming
Whilst those that detest it smile and laugh in a jubilant and sarcastic manner,
As if to say "Thank God for your becoming!"
Alas!
It looks straight ahead.
As if luck did prompt it to.
What did it see?!
A Pyre!!
It saw a Pyre!
So it gathers all strength there is to gather
With a determined look,
A flight it took.
Towards the Pyre
Stand, it does on the Pyre
Its feathers start to smoke
Then it glows
Red!
Then its darkens,
Dark till it becomes ash
A powdery ash
The admirers mourn and detractors jubilate.
Ah! Wait a minute
What do I see!?
I see the ashes rise
And as if the magic word “Abra ka Dabra” is says,
Skeletons form and flesh covers them.
Feathers, beautiful ones at that, cover the flesh.
It once again looks as beautiful as ever.
The admirers and detractors exchange the emotions they held.
Now,
Once more, with wings spread, it flaps and flies.
Looking back one last time with a gaze that says "thanks for all your thoughts."
Then it disappears into the atmosphere.

"The Phoenix" is part one of our four-part series of poems on soccer.

Author Profile - George Amoah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:40:00 +0000

Biography:

George is a Ghanaian in his 20s. He lives in Accra, and is a graduate of the University of Ghana with a BA(Maths/Economics). He is currently working with one of the Government Agencies in Ghana. He reads and sometimes does some writing during his free periods.

Five Questions with George Amoah:

1. You likened the game of soccer to the rejuvenation of the phoenix, a mythical bird. As a player of soccer, can you elaborate on that feeling?

I don't remember the last time I kicked a ball but I am a strong follower of the Black Stars of Ghana. The Black Stars peaked months before the 2006 World Cup and months after, they found themselves down and losing matches and this came with criticisms and trauma for the players and everybody. Then lo and behold, they came back with a 'bang'.

I tell you the feeling was and is still great!!!

2. The use of words such as ‘powdery ash’ and ‘Abra ka Dabra’ suggests evidence of the supernatural in the game of soccer. Can you tell us how the use of black magic impacts soccer in Ghana?

I dont know if it really works but what I know is it gives one team a psychological edge over the other and it also motivates the players themselves. I think it's the 'you can beat anyone because you have something extra' feeling. Some choose to call it the feel-good factor.

3. In the line, ‘The admirers and detractors exchange the emotions they held.’, you captured the sychronization of opposites in soccer. Do you think the same can be said of life in general?

Yes I do. Sometimes when you seem to be down and out, some people just won't help but laugh at you. They become very shocked and even sad, though, when you finally make your way out of the problem.

4. Being a Ghanaian, do you think the love of soccer is a patriotic duty or is it an acquired taste?

I strong think its both. You acquire the taste and cant help but support your country or play for your country. We all love the game of soccer.

5. As a promising poet, do you think poetry can become a force in Ghana the way soccer is? If so, how?

Yes. In fact it was once a force. It went into hibernation and is on the rise as depicted in my poem.

Contact George:

papadexte(at)yahoo.com

Death and Mike - Prince Mensah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:34:00 +0000


We are the world/we are the children…
  
Death and Mike are now one 
One name        one fame        one flame 
One song        one thought     one word 
One                  one             once and for all 
  
Mike, You Got To Be There and there was Ben 
Before Music and Me, signed, Forever, Michael 
You were Off The Wall and you Thrilled us 
You were Bad, Dangerous and made HIStory 
You were Invincible Michael Jackson 
That human mystery, that vocal miracle 
That sound that summed our struggles 
  
These strings of music were long enough 
To knit black, white, brown and red 
And Jackson was the one who sung 
Songs of our pain and pleasure 
  
Seventh child, one of Jackson Five 
You made us proud to be alive 
To witness your aura, the aural paradise 
We lived in whenever you sang 
  
Among your billion admirers was an icy 
Stalker by name of Death 
And he had his way on Thursday 
On this shocking day in June 
  
He abducted you and we still wonder why 
The best are always taken first 
Our tears are full of memories and music 
Of how we felt when we heard your voice 
  
But you are victorious in death for it holds 
No more its power over you 
Your legend is written in stone 
Your songs are soundtracks 
To love and life and loss 
You shall always be King of Pop 
For posterity will hail your posters, 
Your perfection, your persona 
  
And Death is a loser after all 
For it only sets us free 
Free to become birds that sing 
At golden dusks by silent seas 
  
Death and Mike are now one 
One name        one fame        one flame 
One song        one thought     one word 
One                  one             once and for all 
  
We are the world/we are the children...

Artist Tribute - Prince Mensah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Prince Mensah on Michael Jackson:

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The child is father of the man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

- "My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold", William Wordsworth

Michael Joseph Jackson was a mystery, miracle and maestro rolled into one package. From his days as the lead vocalist for Jackson Five to his extremely successful career as a solo artist, Jackson had the power to connect people from all persuasions. He ignited that tender part of our humanity which usually got imprisoned under the tyranny of emergency and deadlines. His songs evoked the noblest response from the most unlikely and became his tool to ask the world of his time to look past fickleness into the eyes of the future. No artist, and I dare to say, not even the Beatles and Elvis, has had such a global pop appeal, transcending race, culture and nationality. From America to Africa, from Asia to Australia, from Europe to Antarctica, the music of Michael Jackson resonated with the wants and wishes of the human soul. With dance and dexterity, with clarity and charm, with voice and verve, he walked this earth as a human being. An imperfect human being in the elusive chase after perfection. He loved and cried like us. He lived and crooned to love like us. He genuinely wanted to help people, to pay his dues in this great theater of life. He was the us we forget amidst life’s many demands and distractions.

We have lost someone iconic. Actually, an iconoclast. Michael Jackson is gone and the void can never be filled. Not in this lifetime.

My Message - Julian Adomako-Gyimah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:19:00 +0000

This world is full of injustice
Injustice is all we hear and see
Despite the sea being just to all its inhabitants
Injustice engulfs us and beckons at our door each day

We are ignorant of the past
And yet pretend to walk into the future
How is it possible when we have no knowledge of the past?
My message to the world is for mankind to be conscious of the past

I am a man of the past living in the present to guide my people into the future
Certainly the message from where I belong
We have been in the wilderness for far too long
All because we rise up against injustice anytime it shows its head

We have been killed far too many times but we refuse to die
We have a message that needs to be told
To both the old and young
Ying and Yang

Hear my message and my loud cry
We refuse to settle for chauvinism
We refuse to settle for anything short of quality
Birds are crying from afar

The air blows the message my way
Arise and fight chauvinism
Arise and fight against maltreatment of women
Stand up and fight against wars in Africa and Asia

Stand up and kick against child labour
Arise and fight against imperialism and corruption
My message is so long
But time isn't on our side

As I need to hide my voice
Hide my voice because we're not safe
Tribal and political killings all around us
The ass is running for shelter and so are humans

Ants are even fighting for cover
My message is clear as the air
We detest all the wars and hatred around us
My message is long and must continue in your minds

As you picture all the violence we face in your mind's eye
I am for peace but when I talk, I am for war
Or maybe my voice pierces the heart of the heartless

Author Profile - Julian Adomako-Gyimah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:02:00 +0000

Biography:

Julian is an alum of Presby Boys Secondary School, Legon. He holds a B.A. in Business Studies at the Kensington College of Business, London, a Diploma in Journalism at the Writers Bureau College of Journalism, Manchester, UK, Executive Diplomas in Strategic Management and Management, a Diploma in Management Studies and an Executive MBA at the Huddersfield University, UK.

He has worked in several management positions in the UK and Africa and wants to see Africans do a lot more for themselves rather than relying on the IMF and other donor agencies by developing their human capital. He speaks three languages with a rudimentary knowledge of German and has traveled extensively around the globe spreading his poetry messages and helping out with business solutions.

Julian is also the proud author of two bestsellers, namely Smile Africa and Recall, which are both available on amazon.com, bn.com, borders.com, and in major retail outlets around the globe.

Julian is a co-founder of One Ghana, One Voice.

Five Questions with Julian Adomako-Gyimah:

1. Your "message" is obviously for the whole world, not just Africa. Still, do you aim for it to have a particular resonance with African readers over others?

My message is surely for the whole world with particular interest to Africa where ignorance and hatred is causing wars all over the continent. Take a look at Iraq, Afghanistan and other troubled zones around the world. The wars are partly due to greed or one person or nation's quest for more control and power.

My message talks against child labour in Africa and Asia and also condemns nepotism and ethnocentrism, as we are all witnesses to the effect of these two deadly qualities in Rwanda and Burundi. There must certainly not be a repeat of these inhumane atrocities meted on mankind, regardless of their colour or creed. My message outlines by strong desire to see justice in the world because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, as Martin Luther King of Blessed Memory proclaimed.

My message is certainly to all mankind, but Africans and Asians in particular because for so long these continents have allowed imperialists to use nepotism, greed and wars to divide their front. My message is clear.

2. Likewise, is your message coming from an African voice, or an international / universal one?

My message is coming from a universal voice because it positively affects all mankind regardless of their geographical location.

3. Your writing style is very direct - you often state your points far more clearly and directly than most poets. Is this a natural style of yours or do you do it intentionally to serve a purpose? If so, what purpose?

I have the ability to change my style depending on the message I intend to carry across. "The Biggest Fool" was one of my indirect pieces as you must have noticed and in that poem, I got the reader thinking about what I wanted to carry across. In "My Message," I chose a more direct approach which doesn't keep the reader thinking but instead has them appreciating and going with the flow. I intentionally decided to go with the direct approach in this one to make the message as clear as possible even to the man who doesn't appreciate poetry and the complexities that it could come with. Agoo!

4. You often utilize animals as metaphors in your poems, such as "Birds are crying from afar" and "The deer never stops running" in your last profiled poem, "Crying Mama". What is it that draws you to animal metaphors?

I personally believe that mankind have a lot to learn from animals. We are higher animals who often indulge in the wrong things such as wars, when animals live in peace - maybe we can learn from them. I have been a big fan of Maya Angelou and maybe my use of such metaphors is as a result of her influence on my writing in recent times.

5. How is Zion Publishing coming along?

Zion Publishing has only receive a few manuscripts from writers so far. We are currently reviewing them for future publications, and looking for more submissions. The future is bright I must say.

Contact Julian:

jlnadom(at)gmail.com

Virgin Liberty - Nana Agyemang Ofosu

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:46:00 +0000

She loved me
when everything I had
was for taking
Coming, she winked
when I knew not her sort

My coast blooming
Her eyes running wide
I was blind
and her treachery eluded me
and I ran into her clasp and there
felt warmth never before experienced

The beginning of my misery
I gave my all
Days passed and I gradually got to know
I have loved wrong
Divorce I sought but it had to be bought
with flesh and blood

The many that fell in the chase of the spouse
An honour due them in my house
Sons and daughters of the home torn apart
Sins of the fathers,
the agonies of the now,
the reason why we bow

But where we stand is fresh
as the milk of a cow
fed on dark rooted beets
untapped, the bursting of the teats
Passers-by’s interest, the duping of the native,
But to save him is our prerogative.

Author Profile - Nana Agyemang Ofosu

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Biography:

Nana Agyemang Ofosu, born on February 3rd, 1985 in Kumasi, Ghana, is a young poet. He holds a degree in civil engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of science and technology and is currently honoring his national service at the Department of Urban Roads, Kumasi. As a student of science, he accidentally discovered his interest in poetry when he made a bad comment about a poetry piece of his younger brother. He is a member of an open mic poetry team in Kumasi and also a founding member of Unified Talents, the organizers of Open Mic Poetry.

Five Questions with Nana Agyemang Ofosu:

1. How long have you been writing poetry?

I started writing in first semester of my final year in the university in 2007 with the title "Rose Remembered." A piece put together after reading excerpts of works of Lord Byron and John Donne.

2. Who are your favorite poets? Which poets have most informed and inspired your work?

It is no doubt Lord Byron and John Donne.

3. What do you hope to accomplish with your poetry?

I think I am already seeing what I expected from my work. Poetry has helped me meet people who share dreams like I do. This dream has carried us to a point of realizing the project Open Mic Poetry in July.

4. What do you think of the state of poetry in Ghana today?

With my current tour, I think there is hope for a better tomorrow. People have the interest but do not have the opportunity to show what they have. What is needed is the platform to give them the due advantage. I think people should work harder to provide for others the chance to be heard.

5. Are you working on any new projects or poems that your think our readers might be interested in?

I am part of a team embarking on a project dubbed Open Mic Poetry. The project is far advanced but we are expecting help from everyone interested in live performance.

Contact Nana:

bunitslove(at)yahoo.com, unifiedtalents(at)hotmail.com

For my Husband, an Educated Fool - Nana Yeboaa

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:37:00 +0000

1

We lived in the village of Assesewa
We married after my bragro
(But) Babies, they didn’t come!
The oracles had said
Two you shall get
Later they will come
In the days of our fight for independence
I had my children

Egya Kofi came
From the white man's castle
He came
Around him we gathered
He told a tale of visit
A visit to the white mans land far and beyond
To see his world
All were proud of him

2

He went and came
Agya Kofi went and came with a white woman for a wife
His lawful wife he said
He signed papers and she was given to him
(Hm) Just a piece of paper for a wife
He built a mansion, away from the hut we lived
In the white mans language, they spoke
A sister I was presumed to be

I cook but he eats not
The grinding stone I use
The clay pot
He says when I cook its all dirt
I have not what the white woman uses
He complains when he eats my food
He says I over cook

When the moon blesses me at night
My husband comes to me
But my husband complains
He tells me I am dirty when he feels the shea butter on my skin
He says I smell like a shear butter factory

He says my hair is too thick
He can’t run his hands through them
My husband says that the flesh of my skin is fat
my breasts are too big
And my buttocks too much
He says I am too dark

When my husband comes to me at nights when he is denied
Hear him again! He says I am too rigid
I do not wiggle and giggle
That is why he doesn’t want to make love to me

My husband says I am too backward
Because I use herbs,
I am my own doctor
I have remedy for headaches
I have remedy for worm infestation
I have remedy for malaria
Remedy for impotence and bareness
All these are in the forest

3

My back aches
I till the land from dawn to dusk
The merciless sun beating on my back
the rains soothing and balming
The rewards of my hard work
Cattle, sheep, goats, and chicken
All that my husband knows is kill and eat with his white wife

To my house he points
The fruits of my labour are directed
To a wife who is my rival
Bought by a piece of paper
One who does not toil with her hands?
But paints them
Those shall be diner, servant I am not
The sultry taste of sweat produces food

My husband has turned into a hypocrite
My husband says a woman is not to talk back to her husband
But, I see his white wife raising her hand to him
I too am a woman, a mother of his children
A woman who cooked
A woman who washed
And warmed his bed
Gave him a pillow of breast
Now he doesn’t like me because I am black

4

In the old days, my husband, you were a proud man
You had the most beautiful woman
My hips were the jealousy of your friends
My eyes the emerald of light
The smoothest skin like polished stone
You adorned me with cowries, beads, and gold
Now you distinguish between colors
Because I am black, you do not like me any more
Two babies and the oranges are still strong
The stand with no support
These you say are not ideal
The little ones you cannot hold
The bones that grind against you
That, you love

Through rain and shine
Thin and thick
The star that led, protected and comforted you
In my bosom you found solace
Lovers we have been
Friends we were
I was a mother who breast-fed you
A sister who chided you
Now I am no good
To you an educated man
A fool lost in the world of his ancestors.

Author Profile - Nana Yeboaa

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Biography:

Nana Yeboaa is the pen name for Bernadette Poku. She is a spoken word artist and performance poet. Some of her poetry material have apperead in the Taj Mal anthology, T.dot griot: an anthology of toronto black story tellers.

Five Questions with Nana Yeboaa:

1. You've mentioned that this was one of the first poems you wrote after immigrating to Canada. Was this a coincidence, or do you think you could have only written it at that time, experiencing the changes induced by the move?

I really do believe that my immigration to Canada offered me the opportunity to look at my culture, to look at things that I had previously accepted as OK. I began to look at the sacrament/institution of marriage and my identity as a person (woman) of color differently. I began to be critical of the attitudes of men who traveled abroad to further their education, the changes in ideology that they brought with them, and the perceptions they held about the African women they left behind.

2. When you write a poem like this, who is your intended audience? Ghanaians? Canadians? A small group of readers or a wider audience?

When I write, it is with an innate feeling that it is directed to all of humanity, hence I do not write for a particular audience. It is the core truth of my feelings, hence I am not subject to mince words. So everyone is to read and form an opinion, learn a lesson perhaps or create an avenue for debate or discussion.

For instance, a black woman may agree with me, some black men may critique, vehemently disagree with the issue or condemn the piece, whilst some white women may feel insulted. But mind you, the talk's about some black women’s reality in a different age, time and growth of the African sub-continent.

3. How do you think the prejudices of the husband in this poem (racial stereotyping of spouses, dismissal of traditional medicines, etc.), which are so omnipresent in our world, be fought? How would tactics in fighting these prejudices be different in a country like Canada than in a country like Ghana?

This is when the notation "yea men of little brains" come to my mind. The husband as the poem portrays is a well read man, however he is a person lacking asense of tradition, like a duck that thought it was a goose. Such a person frowns upon tradition as being uncouth, uncivilized. Need I say that when we talk about native/traditional medicines, pharmaceutical companies have benefited a lot from what we frown upon as healing and living promoting roots, herbs and cures? Medicinal ‘discoveries” aren’t discoveries since they have been in use for centuries by people of African, South American and Asian decent.

Regarding racial stereotyping of spouses in the poem, I can speak to it within the context of loss of identity/fear of confronting one's own identity. Partly colonialism is to blame for the creation of the impression that anything/anyone who is not of the Caucasian race are inferior. Now this ideology is not impervious to the black woman who needs to compete by bleaching herself to become white in order to please the husband. Me broni (my white one). In order to fight such prejudice there needs to be self awareness, a sense of value in society, and an acknowledgement that we all bring something positive to the world.

Fighting this kind of prejudice is what the spoken word movement is all about in Toronto. Learning from each other the essence of being a person of color. What it means to be a person of color in Canada and an immigrated person of color? Both populations have our differences as well as our similarities. The core of the matter is identifying who we are, who we want to be and setting the course for achievement, the proclamation to the world of our need and purpose in society. Education and patience are invaluable tools in the fight.

Prejudice in Ghana is another subject altogether. I am unsure where to start but then it comes down to economics of living, the earning gap between men and women. It is difficult for women to be assertive in a society that is so patriarchal.

4. Of late, polygamy has been a hot-button issue here on OGOV. Do you think poetry can aid in the discussion of the merits of polygamy, or will it only inflame one side or the other (or both!) and not really help sway opinions?

Polygamy in a previous era, served its purpose, presently, it does more harm than good. There is a time for everything and certainly the age of polygamy is coming to an end in many countries (but there are exceptions).

5. Could you tell us a bit about the African poetry and spoken word community in Toronto - what's going on and how interested individuals could become involved?

I wouldn’t specifically say African poetry in Toronto, but the general spoken word scene in Toronto is comprised of dub poets of Jamaican decent, a few African (motherland) poets and other nationalities. I will list a few that I have had the pleasure of being onstage with: J. Nicole Noel, Al St. Louis, Motion, Rudyard Fearon, Queen Tiyessential, JD, Hajile, etc.

Trane Studio has open mics; the art bar is one of Canada’s longest running poetry bars in Toronto, and torontopoets.com is a great resource. Afro Fest in July also has a spot for poets to perform or enjoy poetry.

Contact Nana:

the-african-child(at)hotmail.com

excerpt from "Letter to Obama" - Mbizo Chirasha

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:28:00 +0000

the world is wanting for you

singers are waiting for you

drum beaters are waiting for you

propaganda is waiting for you

paparazzi are waiting for you

presidents are waiting for you

villagers are waiting for you

planters are waiting for you

street kids are waiting for you

vendors are waiting for you

the wounded sing of you

the dead sing of you

the poets sing of you

shadow of malcolm x

footprint of luther king

freedom is you

for africa and america to become one

for africa to sing good of america

for america to sing good of africa

Author Profile - Mbizo Chirasha

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:27:00 +0000

Biography:

Mbizo Chirasha was born in 1978 in Zvishavane District in Zimbabwe, and was inspired by his social surroundings at a young age. As a young man, Mbizo quickly gained prominence as a performing poet and writer both in Zimbabwe and internationally. His works are published regionally and around the world. He has turned to a career as a consultant/creative writing facilitator and arts entrepreneur. He is, amongst other things, the founder of the annual "This is Africa Poetry Night" and the founding director of the Young Writers Caravan of Zimbabwe.

Five Questions with Mbizo Chirasha:

1. Can you tell us a bit about the reaction to Obama's victory in Zimbabwe?

Obama is a remnant with African roots. His election makes all minded Africans happy, including Zimbabweans.

2. Is there a sense in Zimbabwe that Obama's election will lead to a change in American policy towards Zimbabwe?

There's been no change to Zimbabwe at all. He endorses sanctions like the Bush administration, which ruffles feathers here.

3. More generally, what do you think Obama's victory does for the hopes of Africans?

Nothing of impact to Zimbabweans, though there was euphoria here when he came to power. It was supposed to big in in Kenya, Zimbabwe and other countries, and it was.

4. This excerpt is from a poem three to four times longer. What is the average length of your poems? Are you drawn to one length over another? Different lengths for different purposes?

My length depend on the messages I hope to send to society. This poem is a dedication, which generally is a longer form for me.

5. Do you have any new projects or poems that you are working on that you think our readers might be interested in?

I am guest lecturing in colleges on creative writing, poetry and literature. I am hoping to restart the African Poetry Chatroom, but the bad economy has been preventing it.

Contact Mbizo:

Email: mbizoc(at)yahoo.co.uk
Website: http://www.mbizopoetry.blogspot.com/

The Pause - Prince Mensah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Silent moment,
Perfect cover for madness
Within this troubled skull

Fear is nothing
But an army of worthless
Thoughts, poised to see me fall

Sight is blindness
In which I stagger, reckless,
Thinking I know it all

I look forward
Away from the present mess,
Still trapped, wall to wall

Author Profile - Prince Mensah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 23 May 2009 07:52:00 +0000

Biography:

An Old Boy of the famous Adisadel College in Cape Coast, Prince Kwasi Mensah lives by the motto, ‘Either the best or with the best’ (which is a variation of his Alma Mater’s motto, ‘Either the first or with the first’).

Born in Ghana, West Africa, Prince Mensah has been writing poetry, plays and short stories since the age of seven. He has twenty-five stage plays to his credit. Some of them have been acted at the Accra Arts Center and at several locations in Accra. His articles and stories have been published in the STEP magazine, P & P and the Free Press.

Prince has published eight books of poetry. They are Memoirs of A Native Son, I Shall, I Will, I Can (Poetry Inspired by Barack Obama), Afrocentric, ecclesiastes, State of An Abstract Mind, The Griot Metropolitan, The Land of Broken Mirrors and Coronation. Subsequent publications such as Enough is Enough and World War-Free are being expected later this year.

His poetry was featured on UNESCO’s Other Voices Poetry Project last year. His essay, ‘An African’s Epistle to the Mosquito’ will be featured in Dike Okoro’s Anthology of Emerging Writers in Africa 2009.

Prince is a Consultant in Workplace Mediation, an HIV/AID Treatment Advocate and an Eligible Translator/Interpreter in Twi & Fante for the Judicial Consortium of 40 American States. He lives in the United States with his wife, Charisse.

Prince is the head of North American promotions for One Ghana, One Voice.

Five questions with Prince Mensah:

1. This poem is quite different from others you've had published at OGOV, it is much more sparse and concise, and more introspective. Does this represent a general change in your writing? If so, what brought you to this change?

I attempt to use the poetic techniques that are at my disposal. This poem came to being after such an experiment. I must confess to a state of melancholy during the time I wrote this poem. I was going through a phase of disillusionment, which brought out these feelings in the poem. I realized that in life, no matter where we are, each person is at the very beginning of the beginning. No one has scratched the surface of their own potential. We always think we have but the variables points to a thousand possibilities, which is saddening because you tend to think it is all a waste of time. However, such introspection is good for the soul of any writer. It is the ability to understand the unseen suffering and the unuttered sorrow that makes the difference between a poet and a non-poet.

My writing has evolved as frequent exposure to new concepts occurs. I realize that I can be African as my source motivation and still express myself through foreign poetic devices. This does not diminish my delivery in any way. It rather enhances it and assists me to connect to a wider demographic of readers. Even though I cannot detach myself from my identity, I can retain everything essential to my on-going education as a student of life. This enables me to reach the maturity needed in the process of writing, the ability to master the various thoughts and concepts I espouse in my own writings. A poet must understand what he/she is talking about.

2. This poem seems to be channeling the haiku form. Was this intentionally done, or did it arise naturally?

It arose naturally. Honestly, I did not have haiku in mind but I think, subliminally, the poem demanded a haiku-like mood to convey its meaning. I used gist to capture grief.

3. How do you think African writers can best utilize non-African poetic forms (haikus, sonnets, etc.) without at the same time losing a sense of "Africanness" in their writing (if, of course, this is their goal)?

Oh yes! I am a big believer in learning something new. I think it was Winston Churchill who said, ‘Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.’ There is always something new for all of us to learn. The way people think and speak is always fascinating to me. The way other cultures tell their myths and legends. The way each individual talks about life through their unique perspectives. There is nothing wrong in using non-African poetic forms. I am into sonnets, sestets, limericks and tongue-twisters.

4. You've been an active participant in recent, sometimes heated, discussions on this site about polygamy, the chieftancy system, and more. How have you found these discussions? How do you think we can encourage more, and richer, conversations in the future?

I appreciate the fact that we have been very civil on this site. No swear words, no acrimony. We show the world that we can agree to disagree and be agreeable about it. The discussions have exposed the deep-seeded conviction each poet carries and the length each would take to make themselves clear. This is very good because our nations need that. I think the poems that prompted such discussions are superb and I want to use this medium to congratulate the poets. Obviously, I have my opinions about things and do use my writings to put them across. I also believe that having discussions, like the ones we have had in the past, will sharpen our persuasion skills, which is important in today’s world of divergent opinions.

One thing is for certain, each poet who has been featured on this site has the potential for greatness and we must use the feedback we receive to enhance our writing prowess. In the end, this will be a testament to our collective decision to elevate the importance of literature in our motherland.

5. This poem is from your new collection "Enough is Enough". Could you tell us more about the status of that project?

"Enough is Enough" shall be in print in June 2009. This book of poetry is about being fed up with one’s status in life. The intention is to galvanize people to awake from the stupor of settling for less or allowing things to remain as they are. I have realized that the more I write these poems, the more I realize that there is so much in life to be written about.

One Ghana, One Voice magazine has been, and shall always be, the incubator of talent. We must do our best, individually and collectively, to assist in the drive to make this magazine the most noticed website when it comes to African poetry. Tell a friend about this site. Call radio stations. Inform newspapers. We are in the forefront of something big, so let us work hard to make things happen.

I am ready to work with any college or university in the USA that wants to organize a program about African poetry.

Contact Prince:

Email: pryncemensah(at)yahoo.com
Website: http://www.freewebs.com/pryncemensah/

How long have we been writing poetry?

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:19:00 +0000

As regular readers will know, one of the routine questions we ask new poets on this site is “How long have you been writing poetry?”. As we’ve done in the past with poets’ places of origin and residence, and their writing influences, we’ve decided to take a moment to look at how “experienced” our writers are. Hopefully this exercise will reveal something about the state of OGOV and possibly of Ghanaian poetry – we’ll see!

We’ve looked at the answers that fifty-three poets have given to the question “How long have you been writing poetry?” to compile the following statistics:

Writing experience of poets on OGOV:

Less than 1 year: 4%
1 – 2 years: 11%
3 – 5 years: 13%
5 – 10 years: 28%
10 - 20 years: 28%
20+ years: 15%

Five years or less: 28%
Ten years or less: 56%
More than ten years: 44%

The numbers don't show how active poets have been over the years - whether they have written consistently or have taken breaks from time to time. Nor do they show the depth of study undertaken by the poets. All that considered, there is still a good deal of experience out there - more than one might expect for a site that features so many young poets. If we break the numbers down a bit we learn a bit more:

Ghanaian born poets:

Less than 1 year: 6%
1 – 2 years: 12%
3 – 5 years: 15%
5 – 10 years: 29%
10 - 20 years: 26%
20+ years: 12%

Five years or less: 33%
Ten years or less: 62%
More than ten years: 38%

Non-Ghanaian born poets:

Less than 1 year: 5%
1 – 2 years: 0%
3 – 5 years: 11%
5 – 10 years: 37%
10 - 20 years: 37%
20+ years: 11%

Five years or less: 16%
Ten years or less: 52%
More than ten years: 48%

Surpising? Non-Ghanaian poets have more experience, but only somewhat. In fact, the only sub-group with notably different results was the following:

Ghanaian born poets, now residing internationally:

Less than 1 year: 0%
1 – 2 years: 0%
3 – 5 years: 22%
5 – 10 years: 11%
10 - 20 years: 56%
20+ years: 11%

Five years or less: 22%
Ten years or less: 33%
More than ten years: 67%

Ah, this is where our real experience lies: the ex-pat Ghanaian! If these numbers reflect the reality in the Ghanaian poetry community, then it suggests an interesting problem, one faced by so many sectors of the economy: if the most experienced Ghanaians have left the country, how can we ensure that their experience still gets passed on to up-and-coming writers? A question to mull over for the week!

In answering the initial question of "How long have you been writing poetry?", some poets replied with the age they wrote their first poem, while others replied with the age they started “seriously” writing poetry. For consistency, we looked only at post-secondary school experience (i.e. a poet who has written since they were five, and is now 24, would be considered to have 6-7 years experience, not 19).

Polygamy - Kathy FitzGerald

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:56:00 +0000

It is best to be the first wife
the first wife professes
sitting on her stool,
her full and rounded hips
mushrooming over the sides.
His first love,
she resembles a rock
that stands above a river bed
erupting memories of long ago
and smoothing them like
pillows of fufu.

I prefer being second
the second wife proclaims,
her youth still standing up
to the weight of motherhood
and water jugs and washing days.
She, a tree blowing in the wind
of yesterday and today,
still holds her branches
high and wide,
perpetually looking
back and forth.

And the third one
young and hardened by her power
remains silent. For she knows
she is the last one.
She knows the faucet
of his manhood
runs slower
as the hours coarse through his veins.
She leans against the cool cement wall
one slender leg tucked under her,
a black cloaked flamingo—
each feather
a soft propeller of freedom
she guards like an unhatched egg.

Author Profile - Kathy FitzGerald

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 09 May 2009 05:47:00 +0000

Biography:

Kathy was born in Yuma, Arizona and after six weeks there, moved around the country at frequent intervals as her father was an airplane mechanic and navigator in the Air Force (Maine, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts). She went to college at the University of Vermont and Burlington College, and earned her BA at Burlington College in 1996, in psychology.

She ran her own bakery for 10 years out of her home ("The Dessert Cart") while in school and taking courses, then worked with teens in state's custody in group homes for six years. She became director of admissions and PR at Burlington College in 1997, where she remained until 2003. In 2003, she left for Ghana to attend University of Ghana to earn an MA in English (Literature track), working closely with Kofi Awoonor.

In 2001, she got involved with the Vermont Global Village Project (VGVP), a tiny nonprofit that brings high school students to Ghana and India, as the volunteer fundraising coordinator and trip counselor. She is still active in that role to date. It is through VGVP that she initially entered the world of Ghana and fell in love with the country. She has now been to Ghana 9 times!

Currently, she is the office manager at a company called "NativeEnergy," which sells carbon offsets to folks who want to offset the pollution they "must" generate, and builds clean renewable energy projects with their money. She is married, and has a daughter and two sons. She's building a school in Amanase, in the eastern region of Ghana.

Five Questions with Kathy FitzGerald:

1. How long have you been writing poetry?

The beginnings of poetic language with line breaks began when I was twelve and my family had moved to a beautiful rural country setting in Vermont, where my grandparents had a farm and 800 acres of mountainside, woods, fields, brooks and a pond. I spent a lot of time in the woods, writing about the natural world around me. We moved from the country to a more suburban area two years later (my mother found country life too isolating and missed her 13 brothers and sisters terribly), and new poems came from the "trauma" of leaving my first home with roots (remember, I was raised in the Air Force). I had a wonderful poetry teacher my freshman year in high school when this move occurred and she brought us outside of the classroom time and again, which helped me, once again, connect with nature and away from what felt like oppressive personal experiences. I have been writing poetry since,and have taught it as well to teens in state's custody. I also used poetry as a group home counselor. I have a collection of poetry from teens that I hope to publish one day. I am still collecting it.

2. Who are your favorite poets? Which poets have most informed and inspired your work?

Rainer Maria Rilke, Tess Gallagher, Gregory Orr, Robert Creeley, William Carlos Williams, Susan Griffin, Jane Hirshfield, Rumi, Naomi Shihab Nye, Linda McCarriston, Mary Oliver, Eamon Grennan, Derek Walcott, Galway Kinnell, Robert Frost, Daniel Lusk, and others.

Robert Frost was my favorite poet throughout junior and senior high school. My grandmother worked at Vermont mountain resorts in Ripton and Killington on weekends while attending Castleton State College. She sat at the feet of Robert Frost as he read, more than once. I have a copy of his book that was hers. She loved his work, and exposed it to me. Perhaps the influential part was that Frost wrote the "home poems" of my youth (he brought me to Vermont through and beyond the transient years, I suppose).

I fell in love with Tess Gallagher here in Vermont at a weekend workshop in Lincoln, Vermont. (Ethridge Knight was there, too!) She read her work, sang Irish ballads and told fantastic stories. Her poem "Refusing Silence" is a constant friend:

...On the sacred branch
of my only voice - I insist.
Insist for us all,
which is the job
of the voice, and especially
of the poet. Else
what am I for, what use
am I if I don't
insist?
There are messages to send.
Gatherings and songs.
Because we need
to insist. Else what are we
for? What use
are we?

3. What do you hope to accomplish with your poetry?

Poetry for me is permission to speak. It's testimony. Which is why I believe it has been such a useful tool in my past work with troubled teens.

4. Could you tell us a bit about the Vermont Global Village project? And about your status as a queen mother?

I became involved with Vermont Global Village Project (VGVP) in the fall of 2000 when my teenage niece came to live with us for a while. She wanted to go to Ghana with VGVP but did not believe it was possible. I took her doubt on as a challenge and began helping her raise the money for the one month trip to Ghana. I helped all the kids who were signed up for the trip in fact, and to date, am still doing this. I was asked to go as a trip counselor in 2001 and have helped run several trips since.

I became a queen mother in March of 2003 in the eastern region village called Amanase, in Ghana. We have begun to build a school with the help of many generous kind supporters.

5. What motivated you to attain your MA in Literature from the University of Ghana? How did you find that experience?

I was loving every moment of my time spent in Ghana, even what I found difficult. I wanted "an excuse" to extend my stay, and I had always wanted to study literature. I felt that if I did not do it soon, I might never (I was in my mid forties by then). It was a fantastic experience. I was far behind because my first degree is in psychology (though my senior thesis combined literature and psychology, two areas of equal pasison for me), so I had to spend more time reading in my room then I had anticipated. That was isolating.

You know, when I applied at UG, my application to the English Dept was denied and I was given admission to the sociology program (though this request was nowhere in my application). A dear UG professor and friend told me to "come to Ghana" with my acceptance letter and my senior thesis (an 80 page paper called "Poetry and Trauma"). So I went to Ghana. I bought a few sociology books at the University bookstore and waited for the teachers’ strike to end. August and early September passed. During this period of waiting for classes to start, I decided to act on what was becoming an ultimatum. I did not want to study sociology in Ghana! It was literature or else back to Vermont for me. I went to a department head at the time and told him I would leave Ghana if I was not accepted into the English MA program. He took the thesis and my writing samples and passed them around the dept, and I was accepted.

It was a very challenging program and I feel good about how well I did. I was asked to apply to the PH.D program but I was afraid that if I continued to do research, I would be distracted from my creative writing practice (because I find research/writing very satisfying and in some ways, “easier” than creative writing).

So I am home in Vermont, working for a great little company called "NativeEnergy," still volunteering for VGVP (we just got back from a one month trip in mid March), trying to get that school built in Amanase, and working on a novel based in Ghana. And of course, writing poetry.

Contact Kathy:

kfitzpoet(at)yahoo.com

Lay Me Here - Mutombo

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 02 May 2009 06:46:00 +0000

Coastal breezes fondle the individual
filaments of hair on my skin,
causing them to sway back and forth
and this feeling leaves me with a grin.

Sights of very old infants clasping
on day old branches just to harvest fruits
and sounds of the Atumpan echoes
rhythms that remind me of my roots.

These celibate eyes enjoy devouring the images
of beads cuffed around the waists of females,
and my discerning ears love to scoop
the intricate plots of Ananse tales.

So when I embrace my demise,
lay me here.

My soul will still love to sponsor
the parching breeze of the Harmattan,
whilst my dusty feet will unceasingly look forward
to play and run with children who are fast like Ramadan.

So this throat vies to be the channel
for water fetched from earthenware pots,
so do I want to synchronize the deafening clichés
hooted by hawkers so their petty items can be bought.

Oh! I don’t want to long
for my Daughters and Sons,
for without them, my death
will witness no yearly ritual dance.

So when the bucket arrives for me to kick,
lay me here.

Inter me in the earth
next to my ancestors,
so my putrefying flesh
sticks to their bones like a poster.

I want to be a shelter
to their bones
because the overwhelming strength
of the weather defeated their tombstones.

You should remember me
when you pass by each passing day,
for with your memory,
I know I will forever stay.

So when I expire,
please lay me here.

Author Profile - Mutombo

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 02 May 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Biography:

Mutombo is a multi-talented artist who specializes in spoken word poetry.

He has blessed several stages since he started his beautiful art form. The list of major shows he has performed includes Portrait of an Excellent Woman 2008, which took place at the National Theatre. He has also performed live twice on TV3 at the Mentor 3 reality show in June and August 2007. Apart from these, he was also a guest performer at the Face of Legon 2006, which was held at the Conference Centre in Accra. His performance as a guest artist at the just passed Miss Legon 2009 was one to remember. He is a resident poet at Bless da Mic which takes place every Thursdays at Baze Lounge, Osu.

Apart from these numerous shows, Mutombo has also written for several artists and has also performed at graduation ceremonies and the likes. The journey is not ending soon.

Five Questions with Mutombo:

1. How long have you been writing poetry?

I have been writing poetry for a couple of years now. At first, I had a whole book that I titled, "My Thoughts". It basically contained things that occurred to me daily. I would just pick up a pen, open "My Thoughts" and jot down things that come to me. I would write about my Mum's funeral, my friends and sometimes about what I think my soul looks like. Yes, I wrote about weird stuff and I don't want to talk about some of the eerie things I wrote about. I started writing poetry when I got to Secondary School. I did literature and also wrote some rap songs. This was in 1997. I tried rapping what I wrote but I sounded weak with the way I flowed my lines. This was when I fell in love with poetry. At first I was writing poems just for fun and just for my books. Somewhere in 2006, I started performing them. What I do is Spoken Word!! So from 2006 I started taking this art form seriously.

2.Who are your favorite poets? Which poets have most informed and inspired your work?

The first poet I ever listened to is Maya Angelou. At that time the internet wasn't so popular like it is now so we would dwell on books and other magazines for information. Luckily, Maya was the only poet I came across and I saw her on TV performing, too. She inspired me in a great way even though I describe her style as the 'classical' form of poetry. The internet came around and I discovered so many poets who have inspired me in so many ways. Some of my favourite poets now are Saul Williams, Black Ice, Taalam Acey, Gil Scott-Heron, J Ivy and Mahogany Browne. All of these spoken word artist have helped me in so many ways.

3.What do you hope to accomplish with your poetry?

I want to journey with this art form God has given me until my death. I want to change the minds of the people of this world through poetry.I am already performing at shows. My 'big' performance was the Miss Legon 2009 that took place at the National Theatre and people came to me after my performance just to encourage me with what I am doing because of the truth in my words. I try to right a wrong with every poem that I write and I know that gradually,I am changing the minds of people by letting them know how special it is to be an African, making them aware of the right social and moral behaviours, and other subjects. I am also preparing to release a poetry album this year.

4.Could you tell us a bit about your involvement with NT1 poetry?

I was involved in so many way with NT1 Poetry, a poetry show that was running on TV Africa some months back. It has been off the air for some time because we are re-structuring that whole show to be better and bigger. We are also planning on moving it to another station. I was one of the organizers and concept developers, and I also performed on the show. I was also in charge of auditioning some poets.

5. You sparked our last Roundtable Discussion with a note about "bare" poems that "lack [the] qualities of what a poem is supposed to entail." This type of criticism is rare in Ghanaian poetry circles these days. What can we do to strengthen the voice of Ghanaian critics? Do critics need encouragement to find their voice, or do you think critics will naturally emerge as Ghanaian poetry grows in popularity?

Naturally,there is this notion that poetry is for the elites and is only written by the brainy so anytime we come across a poem, we automatically see it as a masterpiece because of our mindset about poetry. I think the first thing we have to do is to make poetry acceptable to all manner of people, then they can start criticizing. I can also say for a fact that people are beginning to accept poetry, that is based on my own research and as it expands and grows, people will start speaking.

Contact Mutombo:

dialoh(at)yahoo.com

Ashanti - Adjei Agyei-Baah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:32:00 +0000

The edenic garden
On a desert of gold
Ashanti!

The empire whose boundaries were only penetrated
With treaties, never cannons
Ashanti!

The kingdom whose monarchy was furiously fissured
Yet could not be humbled into crumbles
Ashanti!

The people whose culture and tradition
Is a feast of smiling stars in their sparkling splendor
Ashanti!

The kingdom whose majestic steps always tame the troubled waters
Ashanti!

The empire whose gold has given the world a stool
Ashanti!

The kingdom whose installation of kings
Make the whole world walk to Manhyia
Ashanti!

The people whose hospitality
Turns strangers into natives
Ashanti!

The master weavers of kente
Tutored by no one but the legendary Ananse the spider
Ashanti!

The only people on earth united by a golden stool
Ashanti!

The porcupine warriors
Who never knows retreat or surrender
Ashanti!

The porcupine warriors
Who never run out of quills!

Author Profile - Adjei Agyei-Baah

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:14:00 +0000

Biography:

Adjei Agyei-Baah is a 31-year old Ghanaian living in Ghana. He holds a Masters of Business Administration degree in Strategic Management and Consultancy Service from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology School of Business, Kumasi. Some of his poems have been published in www.modernghana.com and www.kpokplomaja.com. He accidentally discovered his talent of writing when undertaking a research work on children’s rhymes and was asked by his supervisor create his own poems after selecting already existing rhymes from foreign poets. Some of his award winning poems include Mother Is Supreme (Luv FM Mothers’ Day Poetry Promo, 2008) and Similes of Love (Hello FM Valentine's Day Poetry Competition, 2009).

Five Questions with Adjei Agyei-Baah:

1. April 26th, 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of Asantahene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II's ascendancy to the Golden Stool. What significance does this event hold for you personally?

The event signifies the unity among the Ashantis which has consecrated and dignified the Golden Stool of which its occupant Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II can celebrate such a day. This event is going to bring people from all over the world to Kumasi and as such Kumasi will be opened to people with ideas that can help develop the city. The event also shows the contributions of our traditional rulers to the socio-economic development of our country.

2. Do you think poetry can help keep Akan culture alive and thriving? If so, what role do you think contemporary English-language poetry can play?

Yes! Poetry has been part and parcel of the Akan culture dating back to time immemorial. I believe poetry can keep Akan culture alive and thriving if given the needed attention. The sad story is that poetry is only given the needed attention on great occasions like this. I think it is hard time a platform is created for it as a form of weekend entertainment for people to express themselves in divergent ways before society moves out of control. I will say yes because it is an avenue for Akan and Africa in general to define themselves before someone else does.

I will say contemporary English-language poetry has helped take Akan culture to a higher pedestal. It had been the medium to spread the Akan culture (specifically through poetry) to other people who could not read and understand our native language (Twi). Language becomes more meaningful and beneficial when it helps communicate and bridge the gap between various cultures. And I think contemporary English-language poetry has performed that role.

3. Your poem seems to be bridging the gap between oral traditions and written traditions. When writing it poem, did you intend for it to be read on the page, or to be performed?

This poem was actually written to perform at 10th Anniversary of Asantahene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II scheduled on April 26th, 2009. I wrote it as an appellation which is an oral literature but later decided to get it published. Hence its styles of constant repetition which makes it appear more oral in its outlook.

4. Occasional poetry (poetry written for an occasion) is a rather obscure genre of poetry in many parts of the world. What relevance do you think occasional poetry has in Ghana? How do you think Ghanaian poets can harness occasional poetry to better reach their audience?

Occasional poetry is relevant, as it give the chance to audience to appreciate the subject matter better. There is a direct appreciation of poetry by the listener as he can relate the lines of the poem to the actual event. Besides, occasional poetry can stimulate people to write poems when their thoughts are provoked on such days like Mother's Day, Valentine’s Day etc. On such occasion, people who do not often write are compelled to write some lines for their loved ones.

5. Do you have any new projects or poems that you are working on that you would like to share with our readers?

Currently I am a part of a trio running a poetry recital competition dubbed Open Mic Poetry - Bringing Poetry to Life for students in Ghana. This program will come off in July 2009 and any form of assistance from your readers would be welcomed. Besides this, I’m almost done with some poems with the titles: "Letter to God," "Walking Asset" and others which I hope to share with others in the days to come.

Contact Adjei:

kwakubaa(at)yahoo.com

Religion is Sick - Hilary Richard Sam

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:30:00 +0000

O Religion, you are very sick!
Filled to the brim with deceit and greed,
You lend yourself the umbilical cord
For the poor, the frustrated and the ailing.
Aren’t we all under the weather?

An invisible entrepreneur, you are.
In the howling storm, you offer relief,
Intangible products, displayed on your shelves
At prices that leave our pockets empty,
And yours full. It’s your little secret.

You are in bed with politicians!
The very virus causing our ailment?
Irony is a shaggy dog story.
No wonder your profits are not taxed.
A charity? The richest industry, I say.

You make more money in a day
Than weekly transactions on the stock market.
Through sermonization of prosperity
Your congregation question not your objectives
For fear of offending God.

You shout your goodness from the roof tops.
Materialism and consumerism has replaced your love;
You seek and ask for respect amongst men do.
Compassion has lost its place in your heart,
Dining and wining amidst the suffering of the feeble?

The old way of worship is no longer fitting,
'Tis the season when we enjoy the fruits
Of our fathers’ labour, your homily delivered.
Give, believe and you will receive;
Truth twisted to outfit a selfish generation.

O Religion! A miracle we implore for thee.
You no longer trod the long narrow road,
Because you are so fat, partially blind and lame.
Your celebrity status is costumed by arrogance,
You have found solace on earth.

O Religion, in your affliction, you forgot
The very canon you preached for centuries,
The miracles you demand from Onyankopon -
How sick you are, testing the Lord God?
Implore His mercy, and turn away from your sins.

Author Profile - Hilary Richard Sam

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Biography:

Hilary Richard Sam is a management consultant, a motivational speaker and a visionary. He has a passion that centres on personal and societal transformation and his writings reflect these. He writes a blog – http://kodwobrumpon.blogspot.com. He has a collection of poems.

He believes in people as assets, and that their good can be uncovered for the overall good of society. He draws many of his ideas from systems thinking and nature’s ability to organize in an organic and evolutionary mode.

Hilary earned his MBA (Financial Management) from the University of Hull, UK and his bachelors in Archaeology form the University of Ghana. He lives and works in Accra.

Five Questions with Hilary Richard Sam:

1. How long have you been writing poetry?

Not very long, it all started on the 1st of August 2008. I decided to do something new in my life and poetry sounded the most challenging, so I started.

2. Who are your favourite poets? Which poets have most informed and inspired your work?

I am not the favourite type, I guess that makes me a bit odd. And to be truthful, I did not read a lot of poems before I started writing. Thus, I cannot say with certainty whose work has informed or inspired my work.

My writings in general has been influenced by the strive of humanity, both great and small to make this world a better place. I am inspired by their thoughts, action, tears and their smiles.

3. What do you hope to accomplish with your poetry?

I want to communicate with the world, to share what I have inside of me. I want to be understood by expressing my perceptions of events and issues. I visualise my poetry as the vehicular apparatus through which I can inform and/or persuade my fellow humans to share in my understanding.

In all I want to ignite the good in people, I want create a positive awareness of the self and how we can all contribute to creating the paradise we all daydream about.

4. From this poem it seems you think organized religion plays too important a role in Ghanaian society. Do you think organized religion has a place in modern Ghanaian society? If so, what role should it play and how important should it be?

The Ghanaian is very religious, his/her very existence is centred on a belief in Onyankopon. The influence of religion on the society cannot be equaled by any other. To say that it plays too important a role in the society is an understatement, I would argue that it is the very spine of our society. It is indistinguishably intertwined in all our words and deeds.

I think religion is still sacrosanct in modern Ghana. Its contribution to the development of Ghana is very significant – provision of schools, hospitals and homes among other things.

Unfortunately, religion has not been able to eradicate greed and selfishness, the seamless disease that has engulfed our society. I believe religion should endeavour to exterminate this virus; it should be their utmost priority.

5. How has undertaking schooling abroad influenced your writing? Your perception of Ghana?

Schooling abroad actually inspired me to start writing. I found the biggest difference between our societies was availability of data and information. In our part of the world we do not take the time to write down our thoughts, our dreams and aspirations, and as such most of it has been lost. We feel like a lost people and so act like a lost people.

I understood the essence of writing and the development of society. They go hand in hand. What is in the head and heart stays there unless it is written and passed on to the next generation. Passing it on orally distorts the message, plus there is the tendency on the part of individuals to be selfish with information that did not originate from them. They hold on to it. That I believe has been our biggest disadvantage in history. As a nation, we should encourage our people to write. Writing in any form is better than no writing at all.

I just love my country, the nation that reside at the centre of the earth – Ghana is the heart of the earth.

Contact Hilary:

kodwobrumpon(at)hotmail.com

Under the Harmattan Sky - Rob Taylor

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:24:00 +0000

Dust blows in from the Sahara,
blanketing the town.
We can hardly see each other
so we take no photos,
write no poems.

Under the Harmattan sky
we barely notice the fishing boats
lined with thin men whose
thick fingers haul the seabed
up and onto the deck
to rummage and pry,
turn over in calloused hands,
save the best parts for the market,
send the rest drifting back
down into the sea.

Author Profile - Rob Taylor

roblucastaylor@gmail.com (Rob Taylor) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:16:00 +0000

Biography:

Rob Taylor lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is a graduate of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. His poetry has appeared in over thirty print and online magazines, and he has published two chapbooks, entitled splattered earth and Child of Saturday. He is the poetry editor at Red Fez.

He lived in Ghana with his wife, Marta, from September 2006 until March 2007.

Rob is a co-founder and editor of One Ghana, One Voice.

Five Questions with Rob Taylor:

1.What made you write about the Harmattan and of what significance is it to the reader?

I wrote this poem in early 2007, after the Harmattan had been in effect for quite some time. My wife and I had travelled to Takoradi to see the town and, because of the Harmattan, visibility was very limited. At the time, I was writing a lot of descriptive poems on the things that I saw, and on that visit to Takoradi I was hardly able to see anything! So I was frustrated by that, which inspired the poem.

As for the effect on the reader, of course I cannot know. My guess though is that it depends upon the reader’s knowledge of the Harmattan. I think if you’ve never experienced the Harmattan it may seem in this poem to be only an irritant – a “mask” or “veil” over a world you wish to see clearly. If you’ve lived with the Harmattan, though, I think the significance is more nuanced: it is still an irritant, but you know also that the Harmattan brings with it cooler weather, which makes it pleasing at the same time. I think this adds an element of pleasure to the image: that there is something strangely satisfying about the “mask.”

2. What is the link you see between fishing and the Harmattan?

For me this goes back to the theme of the last answer: mystery. In a sense, the Harmattan makes the land as murky as the churning sea. The land, obviously, is something that we have spent more time exploring as a species, while the sea still contains many great unknowns. I think the Harmattan levels the playing field a bit between the two, making it as hard for a poet to spot something to write about as it is for a fisherman to nab a fish in the sea, maybe harder...

3. Do you think Ghanaian poetry has a future on the international scene?

Of course, and a present too! I have no concerns about that at all. Ghana, like most countries, can, and I'm sure will, produce a few breakout poetry stars (like Awoonor, Anyidoho, etc. of old) that will keep Ghana in the international eye.

Personally, though, I think that’s the easy part. More important than Ghanaian poetry’s place on the international cultural scene is poetry’s place on the Ghanaian cultural scene. Having a few successful writers internationally, but little infrastructure domestically to support and nourish new poets is a recipe for an eventual collapse.

If Ghana is going to become the permanent hotbed of poetry talent that we all know it can be, we need a vibrant internal community of writers and readers. We need networks of educators, magazines, and active audiences if the poetry movement is going to grow, maintain itself and prosper. To me, that is the priority.

4. What informs your writing style?

I believe in poetry as a form of communication which comes into play when our other modes of communication fail. When a list or essay or prose piece of some other sort simply can’t touch upon the ideas or feelings we are trying to communicate, we turn to poetry to try and fill in the gap.

Because poetry is, for me, at heart a form a communication, I believe it should be as clear and direct as possible. Obviously, it can’t be completely plain like a list or an instruction manual. No, it has to be complicated or mysterious to some extent in order for it to stretch the mind of the reader – to take the reader to a place they wouldn’t have gone if they’d read an essay on the topic, for instance. But it shouldn’t be so complicated or mysterious that it loses its ability to communicate.

In secondary school, my teachers would often attempt to explain what a poem meant by saying: “X poem is saying Y and Z”. Well, if that is true, then it would be much more efficient to write “Y and Z” instead of bothering with the poem at all, no? Of course, most of the time, it’s not true – the poem can’t really be reduced to a simple statement or even a complex list of statements – but occasionally it is. Sometimes I find poems, especially very complicated poems, are more like math problems than art. They are jumbles of ideas that need to be untangled, but once they are untangled, you see that there is no magic there, no leaping, no stretching of the reader’s mind.

From all of this I take the following notion to inform my writing style: be as clear and direct as possible without losing the mystery. I struggle with this as much as any other writer, but I try to return to the idea as much as possible. Many poets on OGOV do this wonderfully, and help keep me focused and grounded in my task.

5. What inspired you to come up with this poem?

Well, as mentioned above, the Harmattan and my frustrations over the writer’s block that it produced were a big part of it. Also, watching fishermen work over many months. Their knowledge and skill in their craft were often mesmerizing – another type of magic to behold!

Contact Rob:

Email: roblucastaylor(at)gmail.com
Websites: RobLucasTaylor.com, spread it like a roll of nickels