In this, our third Roundtable Discussion here at OGOV, we are focusing on the unique perspective brought to the writing community by African women writers. This discussion features Emma Akuffo, Vida Ayitah and Mariska Taylor-Darko, and was moderated by Edith Faalong. After you are done reading, please be sure to use the comment section to join the conversation yourself!
Do you feel there are certain attributes women writers bring to their craft that are unique and necessary for telling the story of Ghana, or is gender not a factor?
Edith Faalong:
Personally, I believe women bring more to the table in all spheres of life. Just this morning I was watching a North African movie where there was friction between men and women due to inequality. At the end of the day however, it ended by acknowledging the disparity between the role and status of women in society, but sounded that it will never change!
I say that the extent of this disparity is determined by society. Gender is and will always be determined by society. But in this writing field, the issue of gender does not matter much. Yet women have a broader and richer coverage of emotion than their male counterparts. Their writings especially when it comes to social issues, are hence denser and more specific.
Lets take a book like Une Si Longue Lettre by Mariama Bâ. It recounts the personal narrative of a recently widowed Senegalese woman, Ramatoulaye, in the form of a letter to her best friend from childhood. Following the death of her husband, Ramatoulaye writes to her friend during the period of mourning mandated by her Islamic faith. It goes on to expose the trials of women in the typical African society. I say that a man would not have done as much justice to this story. As a woman born and raised in such a society, Mariama Bâ is able to pull readers to feel what the main characters feel.
Lets also consider the works of Ama Ata Aidoo, Efua Sutherland, or our very own Mariska Taylor-Darko and Emma Akuffo, and we will understand that women bring certain attributes to writing that are unique and indispensable in telling the African and for that matter, the Ghanaian story.
Emma Akuffo:
I agree with Edith. Women are generally more intuitive, more sensitive and more inquisitive than men. We tend to focus on detail whilst men tend to look at the bigger picture. It's nice to see on OGOV that we have captured and blended these gender differences quite nicely!
Edith:
Exactly. The emotions women bring to writing are dense and run too deep to ignore.
Mariska Taylor-Darko:
I also agree. Men tend to focus on the technical side of writing, whereas women tend to write what is in their hearts and I think that tends to have a greater impact on the reader. Sometimes I find it difficult to understand a poem after the first reading because of the elaborate and technical language used by the writer and these often seem to happen when reading male poetry (sorry guys!). I even heard one man comment that I did not have symbolism in my poems and that I was too direct and he went on and on about stanzas and all that. Excuse me, but poetry is an affair of the heart. It is to be read and understood at a glance, not to be analysed and theorised about.
Vida Ayitah:
Good point there, Mariska! A man once commented that I tend to be too "moralistic" in my poems. A kind of executioner thing, he said. But come on! If men can write about cars and call it a genuine "boy thing" why cant women write flowery, flowing girl-poems that speak of and defend their sisters? And yes, poetry is meant to be beautiful and easy, not some math equation to be analysed and brooded over for weeks. Without female writers, this whole world will be one sad grey slate.
Why has Ghanaian writing historically been so male dominated?
Edith:
Honestly I do not have a definite conclusion on this. I however think that Ghanaian writing has been historically male dominated because, in earlier years, the African writer was reacting to strong and sometimes violent social issues which our women were not encouraged to meddle in. It's in actuality a world phenomenon as it applies to early Rome and other modern countries, as well.
Education and socialisation also plays a role in writing and our women were well inadequately prepared in both areas. How then could they put their natural intelligence and sentiments into words? We realise that the advent of gender development and equality coincided with the emergence of the most well known female writers in our world today. I believe men dominated the writing scene because women were not given the opportunity to break in.
Mariska:
Ghanaian writing has been male dominated in the past because to be honest women were relegated to the kitchen and bringing up kids and learning home science, etc. The woman's voice was and is powerful and yet was stifled. Instead of listening to it, people concentrated on what the "learned" men had to say. There is a group in London called "Find your Voice" and I think that is what Ghanaian women are doing today.
Vida:
Honestly, I do not know why Ghanaian writing has been historically so male dominated. Maybe writing had been considered as some kind of "sport" that only the men could participate in. Or it was deemed unfit for women to venture out of the kitchen and waste valuable time on something like that. Don't forget though, that girl-child education had also been strongly opposed around that time, and even the most talented and gifted women do need some form of formal education to express their thoughts.
But I agree with Edith that in earlier times the African writer was reacting rather strongly and violently to social issues and women, as I suppose we all know, are said to be the demure type. But then again, maybe the world just never expected women to be so darn intelligent.
Emma:
We should encourage our girls, through word and deed to aim higher than is expected culturally. They should grow up with the mindset that nothing is impossible if they work hard and are determined. I think it is also a social class issue. The poorer, less literate, families will not prioritise education and may actively discourage girls from pursuing education to a significant level. Therefore, we must not forget to reach out/communicate to these less visible parts of our society. Certain traditions remain but there should me some means of compromise.
Edith:
True talking, Emma. It's all about what we put into the spirit from infancy. Encouragement always goes a long way. Nothing beats the gift planted in the mind, so that should be the target. We can infuse this into our writings from time to time.
Vida:
While I agree with both Emma and Edith, I must also say that from infancy, children should be taught self-reliance. I do not speak for everyone, but from my own family and close friends, I realize that we tend to believe and expect too many miracles. The old saying still rules: that God helps those who help themselves.
We have to, as a people, learn to fight and stay focused on what we want. We must learn to invest the appropriate time and effort into achieving our goals, not spend nights and nights in churches praying and thinking that things are going to happen just because we believe.
Life is no bed of roses, anyone who dreams of being successful must accept the plain fact that opposition is all around. It may come from within or outside. All I am saying is, childhood, for many, is difficult, but this does not mean we're bound to fail. Let us believe that as a people with abilities, we are meant to succeed no matter our background or history. All it takes is hard work. Then more hard work.
Showing posts with label Vida Ayitah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vida Ayitah. Show all posts
OGOV Roundtable Discussion #3 - About the Participants
Emma Akuffo: The daughter of a Ghanaian diplomat, Emma Akuffo was born in Russia in 1965. Her childhood years were spent in a number of countries including India, Italy and Ghana, finally settling in Britain with her parents, two brothers and two sisters, at the ripe old age of 11.
Emma holds a PhD in biochemistry and works as a Research Scientist. She lives in England with her husband and two children. When she is not pushing back the frontiers of medical science or engaged in a mad rush after her children, she enjoys cycling into the sunset, swimming in moonlit waters and creative writing, particularly from an inspirational perspective.
A number of Emma’s poems have been included in anthologies from Dogma Publications and Forward Press. Her work is also featured at, amongst other places, brightlightmultimedia.com.
Emma’s poem ‘Love spoke’ was awarded a diploma in the UK section of the Scottish International Open Poetry Competition, 2004.
Emma is currently leading a project to anthologise poems previously published here on One Ghana, One Voice.
Vida Ayitah: Vida was born on July 19th, 1978 in a small farming community in the Volta Region. She has three sisters and one brother. She is currently living and working in Accra. She enjoys music and dancing as much as she does writing.
Vida is OGOV's head of Ghanaian Promotions.
Edith Faalong: Edith was born on January 12th, 1986 to Mr. Joseph Y Faalong and Madame Hellen Tanye in the Upper West Region of Ghana. She currently lives in Accra, reading economics and geography as a third-year student at the University of Ghana.
Mariska Taylor-Darko:
Born in Manchester, England in 1956, Mariska attended Holy Child Secondary School in Cape Coast and St. Mary's Secondary School, Mamprobi. She then returned to the UK and attended Beresford College of English and Commerce, Margate, Kent and later Harrow College of Further Education, Harrow, Middlesex.
Mariska currently resides in Accra. She has two sons, one married and living in London, the other attending Golden Sunbeam Montessori School, Adenta, Accra in JSS1. She is a motivational speaker, poet, writer, beautician, fire walker and lover of jazz, blues, reggae and old time highlife.
Politics on the Pavement - Vida Ayitah
Their backs are scorched,
darkened by the sun falling on them.
Their hands are bruised
so badly they refrain from shaking hands.
When they get home,
afraid even to hug their little ones and
touch their wives in bed,
they are too tired, in fact,
to even enjoy their evening meal.
But there they are
barebacked, sweaty, toiling under the
mid-day sun,
digging this long trench at the roadside.
Someone said new telephone wires would be passing through
all the way to that new tall building in the far distance
home to the foreign nationals coming to
dwell in their country,
eat their food,
look at their women,
refine their gold and take their resources to
enrich other countries.
So they dig this long, seemingly endless trench for
the telephone wires,
earning three Ghana Cedis a day
the worth of their toils, their dreams.
And nobody says a thing about the promises of
that last politician who stood on the podium
delivering speeches that said this and that
of how the young men would be taken off the streets into factories
of how shovels would be replaced by power-drills
and of how this country would be home
to its citizens,
offering better chances to everybody:
affordable education, health, food, jobs and shade from
the midday sun.
But nobody says a thing,
so they break their backs digging the pavement,
making way for the telephone wires
all the way to that new building in the far distance,
home to foreigners who know very little about
Ghana and her common people whose dreams were killed by
the politicians on the podium
saying this and that
promising everything.
darkened by the sun falling on them.
Their hands are bruised
so badly they refrain from shaking hands.
When they get home,
afraid even to hug their little ones and
touch their wives in bed,
they are too tired, in fact,
to even enjoy their evening meal.
But there they are
barebacked, sweaty, toiling under the
mid-day sun,
digging this long trench at the roadside.
Someone said new telephone wires would be passing through
all the way to that new tall building in the far distance
home to the foreign nationals coming to
dwell in their country,
eat their food,
look at their women,
refine their gold and take their resources to
enrich other countries.
So they dig this long, seemingly endless trench for
the telephone wires,
earning three Ghana Cedis a day
the worth of their toils, their dreams.
And nobody says a thing about the promises of
that last politician who stood on the podium
delivering speeches that said this and that
of how the young men would be taken off the streets into factories
of how shovels would be replaced by power-drills
and of how this country would be home
to its citizens,
offering better chances to everybody:
affordable education, health, food, jobs and shade from
the midday sun.
But nobody says a thing,
so they break their backs digging the pavement,
making way for the telephone wires
all the way to that new building in the far distance,
home to foreigners who know very little about
Ghana and her common people whose dreams were killed by
the politicians on the podium
saying this and that
promising everything.
Author Profile - Vida Ayitah
Biography:
Five Questions with Vida Ayitah:
Contact Vida:
Vida's Past Profiles:
December 8th - 14th, 2007
May 12th - 18th, 2007
March 31st-April 6th, 2007
Vida is OGOV's head of Ghanaian Promotions.
Five Questions with Vida Ayitah:
1. More than any poet on this site, you seem to be a poet of witness - you look to tell the stories of the people of Ghana, especially those whose voices are least often heard. Is this an intentional focus of your writing?
When I see people doing what they do for a living I sometimes stop to watch their faces. The thing is, the people themselves are telling their stories by the look they wear. I feel that no man’s story must ever go untold. After all, the laborers who work on our roads, on our farms, and on our houses are the ones building this nation. They, with their strength and sweat, are the ones the world needs to know about. Their silent voices are begging to be heard and recognized; therefore we should stop and listen. You cannot know any nation; its past and achievements, without first knowing the people who make all that possible.
2. Similar to the last question, do you usually have politically driven motives for your poems, or do the political overtones emerge simply by exploring people and their stories?
No political motives at all. As I tell people, I would do anything to avoid a political discussion; I even try not to entertain such thoughts. Funny enough, such overtones just sneak their ways into the poems. As I see it, one can’t really avoid such confrontations. Every single move that we make in this country, as with other people in other countries, is determined and directed by our politicians and their policies. It is interesting to note how the lives and behavior of people, even the most ordinary, are subject to change (improvement or deterioration), by global policies.
3. The comparison of the workers who don't "say a thing" with the foreign company that depends on the workers in order to speak (through the telephone connection they are constructing) is striking. What made you think of this image? What were you hoping for readers to take away from it?
It is like the chain of input to production, to growth to sustainability. The common laborer who goes un-noticed is in fact the one who makes it possible for these foreigners to carry out their businesses. A person may not wear a suit in the office and act important, but this shouldn’t make him least in the society in which he lives. Everyone ought to be recognized and applauded for their contribution to the state, little as it may seem. No economy will survive, let alone thrive, without the common people who work in all the little places we ignore.
4. What role do you think foreign investment should play in the Ghanaian economy?
At the moment we are seeing some improvement from these foreign investors. Jobs are being created in factories and construction places. The youth are being employed. However, the image and respect of the Ghanaian ought to be upheld. Our laws and regulations should be recognized and the people that are employed in these work places ought to be treated with fairness. It is true that we need these foreigners and the jobs they bring, but we are not selling our country to them. Ghana still belongs to the Ghanaians.
5. You recently joined the OGOV team, and are helping to lead our promotions in Ghana. How has that been going for you, and what help could you use from interested readers?
Yes, I’ve been on the OGOV team for a little while now. It was, in the beginning, quite overwhelming to be taken on for the post, but just as the art itself, the prospect is exciting.
To the people who visit the OGOV site and those who see our posters in town or read about it in newspapers, I hope they can encourage their friends and families to have more interest in poetry, and reading in general. A lot of kids out there have talent for the art, but they need the guidance and encouragement from the adults around them.
If we really want to make Ghana a reading nation, it ought to start with the adults who are in charge of the little ones. We need to be open and embrace whatever talents we have without fear or rebuke from anyone.
And please, keep visiting us.
Contact Vida:
akusefako(at)yahoo.com
Vida's Past Profiles:
December 8th - 14th, 2007
May 12th - 18th, 2007
March 31st-April 6th, 2007
Favourite Poems of 2007
One Ghana, One Voice has had a great 2007. Founded in February and launched in March of this year, we have gone on to feature 39 poems by 27 poets. Our poets have been a diverse group, coming from all regions of Ghana (except Brong-Ahafo, a goal for 2008!). We have also featured poets from Europe and North America, as well as other parts of Africa.
In celebration of the writing produced this past year, over the last few weeks we have asked people to write in about their favourite poems they have read on this site thus far. Here are the results - click on the names to read the poems. We hope you enjoy this look back at 2007, and that you keep reading in 2008!
Readers' Picks:
Sankofa by Edith Faalong (Issue 1.26, September 15th - 21st, 2007)
Animal by Prince Mensah (Issue 1.18, July 21st - 27th)
Anthem of the Black Poet by Mbizo Chirasha (Issue 1.33, November 3rd - 9th, 2007)
Staff Picks (Rob and Julian):
Atonement by Vida Ayitah (Issue 1.8, May 12th - 18th, 2007)
Thoughts by Selorm Agbleze (Issue 1.14, June 23rd - 29th, 2007)
Beach by Prince Mensah (Issue 1.28, September 29th - October 5th, 2007)
Did we miss your favourite poem? Weigh in in our comments section.
See you in 2008!
In celebration of the writing produced this past year, over the last few weeks we have asked people to write in about their favourite poems they have read on this site thus far. Here are the results - click on the names to read the poems. We hope you enjoy this look back at 2007, and that you keep reading in 2008!
Readers' Picks:
Sankofa by Edith Faalong (Issue 1.26, September 15th - 21st, 2007)
Comments on Sankofa:
"What a beautiful poem. There is immense power behind these words, the power of the Ghanaian cultural heritage. Such powerful words, they made me shiver." - Elena
"Bravo! An incredibly enthralling piece from a promising poet. Call it contrast, the piece carefully plays with words in comparing true African Values with those of the West. This is indeed estimable. I am particularly proud of you. More grease to your elbows. Write on..." - Sulemana Iddisah
Animal by Prince Mensah (Issue 1.18, July 21st - 27th)
Comments on Animal:
"It says all most people living abroad want to say. I re-read it many times and enjoyed it." - Mariska Taylor-Darko
"I think that the poem, 'ANIMAL' deserves a lot of discussion. People who travel outside their countries of origins, especially Africans, face the envy and animosity of their fellow countrymen." - Anonymous
Anthem of the Black Poet by Mbizo Chirasha (Issue 1.33, November 3rd - 9th, 2007)
Comments on Anthem of the Black Poet:
"I like this guy's work because he is a natural, beautiful, completely African poet. His work is always very deep. He is true even if it means being a bit brutal; Mbizo never disappoints with his work. His descriptions are detailed and straight. He captures Africa with swift, sweeping words and lays it out in brilliance." - Edith Faalong
"This poem moves, it flies and take the reader with it. It is a masterpiece!! It does speak with Mother Africa on it's breath and I enjoyed it to the fullest!!!" - Mitzi Kay Jackson
Staff Picks (Rob and Julian):
Atonement by Vida Ayitah (Issue 1.8, May 12th - 18th, 2007)
Comment on Atonement:
"When we published Atonement, it was so topical, coming soon after the Ghana @ 50 celebrations. The way it blends the past and present, celebration and disillusionment, is very compelling. This poem really set the tone for some of the great poems that would follow on the site - and it stands as one of the best." - Rob Taylor
Thoughts by Selorm Agbleze (Issue 1.14, June 23rd - 29th, 2007)
Comment on Thoughts:
"Thoughts is deep and makes your emotions rise. It is a poem for people who understand and appreciate poetry; a deep poem which requires a lot of thinking." - Julian Adomako-Gyimah
Beach by Prince Mensah (Issue 1.28, September 29th - October 5th, 2007)
Comment on Beach:
"Beach is one of my favourites because of how it is so beautifully written - how it brings you right into that palpable moment at the shore, while still operating on intellectual levels." - Rob Taylor
Did we miss your favourite poem? Weigh in in our comments section.
See you in 2008!
Youngsters - Vida Ayitah
Drunk and loud
Was the course of our days
When nothing else was left to do
We desired all things forbidden
Led ourselves into traps that left us
Badly scarred
Yet the pain we suffered for every sick act
Was never enough to hold us back
Or give us a seed of wisdom
That we may mature and be
Responsible
What was the point of being young
If all it meant was being careful and reasonable?
So we lived
Laughed, drunk and held consult
With all the sick demons that we so willingly let in
Funny to think now we have grown
And have children of our own
Whose big ambition is to be all that we had been
Refusing to believe the stories we tell them
Refusing to believe that we too
Used to be young and silly
And paid dearly too, for all the wrong we did
Was the course of our days
When nothing else was left to do
We desired all things forbidden
Led ourselves into traps that left us
Badly scarred
Yet the pain we suffered for every sick act
Was never enough to hold us back
Or give us a seed of wisdom
That we may mature and be
Responsible
What was the point of being young
If all it meant was being careful and reasonable?
So we lived
Laughed, drunk and held consult
With all the sick demons that we so willingly let in
Funny to think now we have grown
And have children of our own
Whose big ambition is to be all that we had been
Refusing to believe the stories we tell them
Refusing to believe that we too
Used to be young and silly
And paid dearly too, for all the wrong we did
Author Profile - Vida Ayitah
Biography:
Five Questions with Vida Ayitah:
Contact Vida:
Vida's Past Profiles:
March 31st-April 6th, 2007
May 12th - 18th, 2007
Editor's note: Vida has recently released her first collection, Pieces of Myself. At this point it is only available in the U.S., so if you live there be sure to grab a copy! An excerpt from the book can be read here.
Five Questions with Vida Ayitah:
1. Do you think it is inevitable that young people will stray from a good path? If not, how can it be avoided? Or should it be seen not as something to be avoided, but instead as a necessary part of growing up?
Young people, even the ‘best’ kids will stray off the good path, if just a few times. It’s inevitable. The only thing adults and parents can to do to prevent total or fatal pitfalls is to set boundaries. Let the children know that no matter how bright they claim to be, the parents still know better.
2. Do you feel that your generation has been a success thus far? In other words, do you think you have overcome the struggles and pitfalls of youth, or have they dragged you down?
I think that two decades ago, children had more respect for the adults. We knew what boundaries were and were content enough to have what our parents provided us with. Sure we had struggles and did in fact rebel in various ways but we knew not to overdo it. What today’s youth lack is a total sense of fear for parents. There used to be a voice of authority in the house, which was observed without complaint. Punishment was given for wrong deeds. And our parents were able to keep us in line. What they taught us to be wrong, we observed as such. No questions asked. So I can say that the painful rod was our saving grace. Which cannot be said for today’s youth. I can’t really say if the problem with today’s youth is their supposed intelligence, or if parents have become too soft in dealing with them.
3. More generally, where do you think Ghana, as a country, is in its own maturation process?
Ghana, as a country, is also struggling with its own maturity, what with outside influence and internal strife. But if the people continue to seek for the truth and fairness from the leaders, I believe that we would grow into a state our forefathers would be proud of. The road to this dream is rough and not pleasant (for some). But if the majority embarks and stays on the right path, we will, eventually, become a nation that the outside world will see as having come a long way from where we are at present. And we ourselves can be sure of a better future that we look forward to with joy and peace, not fear.
4. In our first Roundtable Discussion you made this sharp observation: "Personally, the only way I think poetry can be used as a medium to reach politicians is to feed it to them before they go into serious politics." In practice, how do you think this can be done? And how does it connect to the problems explored in "Youngsters"?
We have to go back to when parents were parents and educated their children the right way. The sense of right and wrong has to be instilled into young minds so that they grow up into respectable, honest adults. The rod wasn’t spared two decades ago. Children didn’t know better than their parents. Just as our parents didn’t claim superior knowledge to their parents. For the already grown-up, corrupt minds, the only hope for positive change is for them to see the rest of the country changing around them. I don’t think anybody wants to be left standing alone, holding on to bourgeois claims when no one is listening or watching or even supporting.
Ok, maybe some of our present leaders and parents don’t know how to teach the young ones better than they know, in which case it is up to the youth to stand up for themselves and demand change. After all, today’s youth are the leaders of the future. It is up to us to determine what kind of future we want for ourselves and for our country, Ghana.
5. You were one of One Ghana, One Voice's first featured poets. Has your writing changed at all in the months since then? If so, how?
Well, I certainly write more, daring to go into areas I had previously been too unstable to attempt. I have learned to let go my work to be viewed by the public, and have come out with my first published book. I think the biggest thing to have happened to me since I came to One Ghana, One Voice is the belief in myself and in my work. Because OGOV provides an avenue for the readers to criticize and offer their views on the written word, I have the back-up assurance that I can, indeed, write.
Contact Vida:
akusefako(at)yahoo.com
Vida's Past Profiles:
March 31st-April 6th, 2007
May 12th - 18th, 2007
OGOV Roundtable Discussion #1 - Politics and the Power of Poetry
In what will hopefully become a quarterly feature for One Ghana, One Voice (please let us know what you think of it, and whether we should do it more or less often), in lieu of a poem this week we will receive the privilege of "listening in" on a conversation on poetry held between some of Ghana's brightest up and coming poets, lead by One Ghana, One Voice's own Julian Adomako-Gyimah, and featuring Prince Mensah, Vida Ayitah and Edith Faalong. Thank you to the amazing texts of the past that featured African writers in discussion (such as African Writers Talking [Heinemann, 1972]), and to the "Virtual Roundtables" at OutsiderWriters.org for inspiring this project. So please have a read, and be sure to use the comment section to join the conversation yourself!
Julian Adomako-Gyimah: Politicians are killing millions with their lack of respect for rule of law and the suffering masses. How can we fight this via poetry?
Prince Mensah: The internet has made it easier to expose such acts of brutality. For a long time it has been journalists who have been in the forefront of this fight. I must add that writers, like Ken Saro-Wiwa, Wole Soyinka and Dennis Brutus, have been in this cause as well. Yet, it is imperative for any holder of the pen, poets in this case, not to sit down and write nothing about the realities that gaze at them. We may write about history, but let’s talk about the present. We may talk about the beauty, but let’s contrast it with the ugliness. It is our role to write about and educate our people about freedom. Poets are socio-political beings, but we can never be politicians. As poets, we must be careful of not allowing our biases to poison the beauty of our poetry. We are supposed to present the problem and question the conscience of our people. We are catalysts, not instigators.
We can use international poetry or literary organizations to bring attention or send aid to a country that has a repressive government. What we can do is to feature countries under repressive governments and give audience to poets from that country. We can write books of poetry that benefit such countries. We can create a YouTube-themed website that allows poets to visualize their experiences. Recent events in Myanmar have added credence to the fact that an outlet for outcry like the internet helps the world to understand how people suffer under their governments. Let us use the internet in fighting this archaic notion held by this bunch of miscreants who rape their countries’ resources.
Vida Ayitah: I doubt very much politicians read poetry or even appreciate the art. If they did, we wouldn’t have corrupt politicians in our countries. Because the soul of a poet is so transparent, to lie to his fellow man would be next to impossible. Our politicians have somehow devised of a way of hiding themselves, and nothing can reach them. Certainly not pity or compassion or even common respect for other people's needs. So how do you make someone like that understand the value of something when he’s not even aware of its existence? For as long as our leaders stay in their ‘self-centered’ worlds, no voice can reach them. All the poet can do is write his piece. Personally, the only way I think poetry can be used as a medium to reach politicians is to feed it to them before they go into serious politics.
Julian: Great answers from you and Prince, but as poets we need to make sure politicians live up to our expectations and do not amass wealth at the expense of the populace, as Kufuor is currently doing. Rawlings was bad and I wrote so many political poems and articles about him but Kufuor's government is worst, hence my poem "This Is The Time."
As a poet, the only way I can fight these idiots is to write political poems such as "This Is The Time" and books such as the one I am currently working on called "The Graveyard".
As Wole Soyinka said, "the pen scares liars like politicians", so we need to write more revolutionary and controversial poems to fight these people because they are creating graveyards all around us.
Join this revolution my fellow poets but never be politicians. Because the synonym for that word is liar. God bless us all. If they don't read their compatriots will read and carry the message to them.
Bush, Blair, Musharraf and Kufuor, to mention but a few, can be 'killed' with poetry.
Prince: Vida, I definitely do agree with your assertion. Politics demands an alteration of character. Poetry cannot suffer hypocrisy. The two are incompatible. Our politicians are mostly opportunists who take their posts to gain proper grooming for the positions they aspire to. The sad aspect is that they never learn, and, if they do, it is to learn more ingenious ways to fool the people. Politics is indeed the occupation for the self-indulgent. It is supposed to be an arena of service to a nation. Instead it has become a coliseum of non-sensical, ravaging beasts who have little regard for national benefit or social consequence.
A lady once told me "Read a book. It is your visa to other people's minds and countries." I cannot dispute that. We are who we are as poets because of our curiousity to learn what was hidden behind book covers. It is up to us to stir our nation to literacy, for, especially in Africa, an educated citizen is a threat to every form of tyranny.
Julian, I have had the same misgivings about the present government. It seems power is more than an aphrodisiac; it is an anesthetic that gives promising politicians the excuse to forget about the reason why the people chose them in the first place. We must find a way to get accountability and probity from our leaders. You cannot gain power through popular sentiment and transmogrify into a monster that haunts the existence of the very people you were supposed to liberate. This story has been told over and over again, with few modifications, from Nkrumah to Kufuor. It is time that our generation of Ghanaians sits up and finds ways not to repeat the sorrowful mistakes of our fathers. We cannot afford mediocrity as a way of life, corruption as a means of justice, and tyranny as the cloud over our land. Our poetry must stir; it must reach places in people's hearts that have never been reached before.
Julian: Good point and unfortunately there is always an atavism in the life of every politician and as poets I agree with the fact that we need to sit up and stop them and their aficionado who wish to see others suffer. Once we get on the international platform, we have to tell the truth about our callous leaders and collectively liberate the oppressed.
Those of you who are still on campus, I think we need to collectively put up a show which combines poetry with drumming, choreography or music. I've tried these abroad and they really leave an indelible mark on the hearts of listeners.
"On n'a jamais riens sans mal," and surely one gets nothing without trying, so let's get it moving because there are so many questions for us to answer. We can be the voice for the speechless and the light in this darkened world so let's not rest until we liberate the masses from the hands of the beasts called politicians.
Edith Faalong: I am very excited about this, especially our union. Politicians these days are rubbing our faces in mud. More amusing is their style which indirectly goes to insult our intelligence. It's like they assume we are all ignorant of their antics. Like masters of a puppet show...the ordinary people: the puppets. Every day they roll out fantastic shenanigans. It's got to stop. How do we do it? We start by gently shaking the people awake with the pen. We cannot reach the politicians, let's sensitize the people and they can on their own resist deceit.
Vida: Hola Edith, glad you're in now. This does feel exciting. It's like a secret army of poets plotting against our bad bad politicians! Together as we raise our voices someone will listen. Because to just sit down doing nothing will not bring about any change. I just hope that we're able to stick it out; in time many more people will join. And then we will have the poetry club that no one in Ghana has been able to organize.
I have always wanted to be a part of a group with shared interests and passion for the same thing. And this feels so right.
Prince: The stench of ineptitude can never be hidden for long. Our leaders forget that he who has a cotton tail cannot cross a trail of fire. We as poets must also not forget that as a man stoops to criticize the holes in his neighbour's trousers, the holes in his own trousers are open to the next man.
We must render our poetry with utmost integrity because that gives us the attention we need to propel our visions of a free and fair country. People might say we are building a tower of words with our words but we must buttress our convictions with action. There is so much promise in what we are doing now and we cannot afford the luxury of falling down on our words.
Julian: Interesting. We need to keep this fire burning and learn other languages if we can because we need to reach out to all and sundry every nook and cranny. Soldiers of the word arise!
Now, let's talk more about some of the ways we can make these changes we want to see happen: How do we touch the lives of the poor and help raise money for the underprivileged poets?
Edith: Because most efforts of helping the poor are geared towards giving them already caught "fish", why don't we teach them to fish, starting with the little ones who will tomorrow be the big ones?
I have visited my village so often, my face has become very familiar. The worst problem I have identified is ignorance. There is no worse road to deprivation and poverty than ignorance.
The books I read as a child have taken me so far. They opened up my mind and introduced me to the need for freedom of thought. I remember there was a library a little way from the house I spent my earliest years in at Tamale. I rode a bicycle with my big sister every weekend to this library. Though it was far away, we went even if we had to walk, because there I found an awesome place, a spring of knowledge.
And now my dream is that one day, when I can, I will go to my village, set up a reading room for children, and make the environment friendly enough to attract them. Because I know, that the only way to liberate a person and free him/her from poverty and the gnarled hands of ignorance is through a book. It worked for me. The only way we can help is to work on their minds through books.
What I am trying to say is that donations of money, food, or clothes will only work in the short run. Let's make a donation for the long run, a donation of knowledge!
Julian: You hit the nail right on the head. We need to train them or teach them a skill to enable them to fish for themselves.
Vida: The idea is a good one. You can't feed someone for a day and think that's it. They need to know to do that for themselves. But what approach do you guys have in mind?
Julian: We can teach them how to fund raise, put proposals together, draw up business plans and how to use basic ECDL. They can earn a lot doing these things. For business plans for example, they can earn a minimum of $2000 doing one.
We can also pay for them to learn a trade or teach them how to earn money from poetry, short stories and features, I guess. There are organisations in the writers handbook who pay for these. We can also raise money by putting up spoken word sessions and put them in school or give them grants to do something.
Another thing I do is to develop businesses as a financial and management consultant, so combining both skills will put bread on their tables.
For those who are already writing, I guess we can help get them publishing deals and that way, they can get royalties on sales.
Agoo!
Edith: Agoo Julian!
Prince: I love hearing knowledge bouncing off deep minds. It's cool.
Poverty is definitely a circumstance that embalms the potential of any gifted person. It is up to the person in that circumstance to accept or reject that. The "Fa ma Nyame" syndrome that has plagued our country is eating away our ability to soar above our circumstances. It seems we are at the zenith of our talents when we are outside our own country, which is understandable due to the stagnant nature of our home institutions. Bureaucracy, "the PhD (Pull Him Down) Syndrome," corruption, nepotism and cronyism are reasons why we are not seeing any excellence coming out of the land that produced Kofi Annan, Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Abrefa Busia. How can we erase this anomaly of human conduct? How can we change our people's mentality so that we believe that when everybody has a shot at life, it ends up benefiting everybody else?
We can raise money. We can create fundraisers. We can bring home a billion dollars and more. However, the core issue at stake is the mentality. "As a man thinketh, so is he." This is where we come in. We must ensure that there is always a horizon of positivity in every poem we write. We must instill hope, faith and love in our people through our poetry. We must show them ways, as Julian proposed, to make not only tommorrow's wage but also to secure their grand children's financial security. We need to instill a futuristic essence to our way of life because greediness comes from the here-and-now way of mind. I do not mind doing a programme that raises funds. It is absolutely necessary to do so. Ghana is us and we are Ghana.
Au revoir!
Julian: Great vision, Prince. I am glad we are all thinking right and willing to help liberate people.
I guess we should embark on a project dubbed "Poets Against Poverty and Mediocrity," walk to every bank, hotel, market and every nook and cranny to raise money via poetry.
Edith: You have a point there about the mentality thing Prince. "As a man thinketh, so is he." So lets think the sky for our people and us and so we will be.
Julian Adomako-Gyimah: Politicians are killing millions with their lack of respect for rule of law and the suffering masses. How can we fight this via poetry?
Prince Mensah: The internet has made it easier to expose such acts of brutality. For a long time it has been journalists who have been in the forefront of this fight. I must add that writers, like Ken Saro-Wiwa, Wole Soyinka and Dennis Brutus, have been in this cause as well. Yet, it is imperative for any holder of the pen, poets in this case, not to sit down and write nothing about the realities that gaze at them. We may write about history, but let’s talk about the present. We may talk about the beauty, but let’s contrast it with the ugliness. It is our role to write about and educate our people about freedom. Poets are socio-political beings, but we can never be politicians. As poets, we must be careful of not allowing our biases to poison the beauty of our poetry. We are supposed to present the problem and question the conscience of our people. We are catalysts, not instigators.
We can use international poetry or literary organizations to bring attention or send aid to a country that has a repressive government. What we can do is to feature countries under repressive governments and give audience to poets from that country. We can write books of poetry that benefit such countries. We can create a YouTube-themed website that allows poets to visualize their experiences. Recent events in Myanmar have added credence to the fact that an outlet for outcry like the internet helps the world to understand how people suffer under their governments. Let us use the internet in fighting this archaic notion held by this bunch of miscreants who rape their countries’ resources.
Vida Ayitah: I doubt very much politicians read poetry or even appreciate the art. If they did, we wouldn’t have corrupt politicians in our countries. Because the soul of a poet is so transparent, to lie to his fellow man would be next to impossible. Our politicians have somehow devised of a way of hiding themselves, and nothing can reach them. Certainly not pity or compassion or even common respect for other people's needs. So how do you make someone like that understand the value of something when he’s not even aware of its existence? For as long as our leaders stay in their ‘self-centered’ worlds, no voice can reach them. All the poet can do is write his piece. Personally, the only way I think poetry can be used as a medium to reach politicians is to feed it to them before they go into serious politics.
Julian: Great answers from you and Prince, but as poets we need to make sure politicians live up to our expectations and do not amass wealth at the expense of the populace, as Kufuor is currently doing. Rawlings was bad and I wrote so many political poems and articles about him but Kufuor's government is worst, hence my poem "This Is The Time."
As a poet, the only way I can fight these idiots is to write political poems such as "This Is The Time" and books such as the one I am currently working on called "The Graveyard".
As Wole Soyinka said, "the pen scares liars like politicians", so we need to write more revolutionary and controversial poems to fight these people because they are creating graveyards all around us.
Join this revolution my fellow poets but never be politicians. Because the synonym for that word is liar. God bless us all. If they don't read their compatriots will read and carry the message to them.
Bush, Blair, Musharraf and Kufuor, to mention but a few, can be 'killed' with poetry.
Prince: Vida, I definitely do agree with your assertion. Politics demands an alteration of character. Poetry cannot suffer hypocrisy. The two are incompatible. Our politicians are mostly opportunists who take their posts to gain proper grooming for the positions they aspire to. The sad aspect is that they never learn, and, if they do, it is to learn more ingenious ways to fool the people. Politics is indeed the occupation for the self-indulgent. It is supposed to be an arena of service to a nation. Instead it has become a coliseum of non-sensical, ravaging beasts who have little regard for national benefit or social consequence.
A lady once told me "Read a book. It is your visa to other people's minds and countries." I cannot dispute that. We are who we are as poets because of our curiousity to learn what was hidden behind book covers. It is up to us to stir our nation to literacy, for, especially in Africa, an educated citizen is a threat to every form of tyranny.
Julian, I have had the same misgivings about the present government. It seems power is more than an aphrodisiac; it is an anesthetic that gives promising politicians the excuse to forget about the reason why the people chose them in the first place. We must find a way to get accountability and probity from our leaders. You cannot gain power through popular sentiment and transmogrify into a monster that haunts the existence of the very people you were supposed to liberate. This story has been told over and over again, with few modifications, from Nkrumah to Kufuor. It is time that our generation of Ghanaians sits up and finds ways not to repeat the sorrowful mistakes of our fathers. We cannot afford mediocrity as a way of life, corruption as a means of justice, and tyranny as the cloud over our land. Our poetry must stir; it must reach places in people's hearts that have never been reached before.
Julian: Good point and unfortunately there is always an atavism in the life of every politician and as poets I agree with the fact that we need to sit up and stop them and their aficionado who wish to see others suffer. Once we get on the international platform, we have to tell the truth about our callous leaders and collectively liberate the oppressed.
Those of you who are still on campus, I think we need to collectively put up a show which combines poetry with drumming, choreography or music. I've tried these abroad and they really leave an indelible mark on the hearts of listeners.
"On n'a jamais riens sans mal," and surely one gets nothing without trying, so let's get it moving because there are so many questions for us to answer. We can be the voice for the speechless and the light in this darkened world so let's not rest until we liberate the masses from the hands of the beasts called politicians.
Edith Faalong: I am very excited about this, especially our union. Politicians these days are rubbing our faces in mud. More amusing is their style which indirectly goes to insult our intelligence. It's like they assume we are all ignorant of their antics. Like masters of a puppet show...the ordinary people: the puppets. Every day they roll out fantastic shenanigans. It's got to stop. How do we do it? We start by gently shaking the people awake with the pen. We cannot reach the politicians, let's sensitize the people and they can on their own resist deceit.
Vida: Hola Edith, glad you're in now. This does feel exciting. It's like a secret army of poets plotting against our bad bad politicians! Together as we raise our voices someone will listen. Because to just sit down doing nothing will not bring about any change. I just hope that we're able to stick it out; in time many more people will join. And then we will have the poetry club that no one in Ghana has been able to organize.
I have always wanted to be a part of a group with shared interests and passion for the same thing. And this feels so right.
Prince: The stench of ineptitude can never be hidden for long. Our leaders forget that he who has a cotton tail cannot cross a trail of fire. We as poets must also not forget that as a man stoops to criticize the holes in his neighbour's trousers, the holes in his own trousers are open to the next man.
We must render our poetry with utmost integrity because that gives us the attention we need to propel our visions of a free and fair country. People might say we are building a tower of words with our words but we must buttress our convictions with action. There is so much promise in what we are doing now and we cannot afford the luxury of falling down on our words.
Julian: Interesting. We need to keep this fire burning and learn other languages if we can because we need to reach out to all and sundry every nook and cranny. Soldiers of the word arise!
Now, let's talk more about some of the ways we can make these changes we want to see happen: How do we touch the lives of the poor and help raise money for the underprivileged poets?
Edith: Because most efforts of helping the poor are geared towards giving them already caught "fish", why don't we teach them to fish, starting with the little ones who will tomorrow be the big ones?
I have visited my village so often, my face has become very familiar. The worst problem I have identified is ignorance. There is no worse road to deprivation and poverty than ignorance.
The books I read as a child have taken me so far. They opened up my mind and introduced me to the need for freedom of thought. I remember there was a library a little way from the house I spent my earliest years in at Tamale. I rode a bicycle with my big sister every weekend to this library. Though it was far away, we went even if we had to walk, because there I found an awesome place, a spring of knowledge.
And now my dream is that one day, when I can, I will go to my village, set up a reading room for children, and make the environment friendly enough to attract them. Because I know, that the only way to liberate a person and free him/her from poverty and the gnarled hands of ignorance is through a book. It worked for me. The only way we can help is to work on their minds through books.
What I am trying to say is that donations of money, food, or clothes will only work in the short run. Let's make a donation for the long run, a donation of knowledge!
Julian: You hit the nail right on the head. We need to train them or teach them a skill to enable them to fish for themselves.
Vida: The idea is a good one. You can't feed someone for a day and think that's it. They need to know to do that for themselves. But what approach do you guys have in mind?
Julian: We can teach them how to fund raise, put proposals together, draw up business plans and how to use basic ECDL. They can earn a lot doing these things. For business plans for example, they can earn a minimum of $2000 doing one.
We can also pay for them to learn a trade or teach them how to earn money from poetry, short stories and features, I guess. There are organisations in the writers handbook who pay for these. We can also raise money by putting up spoken word sessions and put them in school or give them grants to do something.
Another thing I do is to develop businesses as a financial and management consultant, so combining both skills will put bread on their tables.
For those who are already writing, I guess we can help get them publishing deals and that way, they can get royalties on sales.
Agoo!
Edith: Agoo Julian!
Prince: I love hearing knowledge bouncing off deep minds. It's cool.
Poverty is definitely a circumstance that embalms the potential of any gifted person. It is up to the person in that circumstance to accept or reject that. The "Fa ma Nyame" syndrome that has plagued our country is eating away our ability to soar above our circumstances. It seems we are at the zenith of our talents when we are outside our own country, which is understandable due to the stagnant nature of our home institutions. Bureaucracy, "the PhD (Pull Him Down) Syndrome," corruption, nepotism and cronyism are reasons why we are not seeing any excellence coming out of the land that produced Kofi Annan, Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Abrefa Busia. How can we erase this anomaly of human conduct? How can we change our people's mentality so that we believe that when everybody has a shot at life, it ends up benefiting everybody else?
We can raise money. We can create fundraisers. We can bring home a billion dollars and more. However, the core issue at stake is the mentality. "As a man thinketh, so is he." This is where we come in. We must ensure that there is always a horizon of positivity in every poem we write. We must instill hope, faith and love in our people through our poetry. We must show them ways, as Julian proposed, to make not only tommorrow's wage but also to secure their grand children's financial security. We need to instill a futuristic essence to our way of life because greediness comes from the here-and-now way of mind. I do not mind doing a programme that raises funds. It is absolutely necessary to do so. Ghana is us and we are Ghana.
Au revoir!
Julian: Great vision, Prince. I am glad we are all thinking right and willing to help liberate people.
I guess we should embark on a project dubbed "Poets Against Poverty and Mediocrity," walk to every bank, hotel, market and every nook and cranny to raise money via poetry.
Edith: You have a point there about the mentality thing Prince. "As a man thinketh, so is he." So lets think the sky for our people and us and so we will be.
OGOV Roundtable Discussion #1 - About the Participants
Julian Adomako-Gyimah: 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 as a Financial Controller at Brook & Whittle, after working as an Accounts Manager at Ryder Plc, both in the UK. Additionally, he is a Chartered Manager and a member of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), also in the UK.
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.
Some of Julian's poetry: The Beautiful Child, This Is The Time
Some of Vida's poetry: Atonement, Mama
Some of Edith's poetry: Sankofa
Prince Mensah: Prince was born in August 1977 to Dr. Louis and Rose Mensah. He attended Adisadel College, Extra Mural Academy, African-American HIV University(USA) and Mediation Training Institute(USA). He has written an extensive body of work including plays that have been staged at the Arts Center in Accra.
Some of Prince's poetry: Animal, Beach
Atonement - Vida Ayitah
They will bring our gold back
Our timber shall return on ships
Having been transformed into fine furniture
They will, they pledge solemnly
Erect statues and monuments
One each for the men who died
In the struggle for freedom
Our freedom
My freedom
The crowd cheers
Clapping wildly
Stumping stocky feet in the sand
The sands of our lands, of our blood
Go up in the air
But I wait
My eyes fixed on the stage
I wait for more
But no one says a thing
About bringing back
The thousand and one men and women
Who died
No one says
"I'll bring back your fathers and mothers
Your sons and daughters"
They say it's a national reconciliation
They smile and shake hands
But I
I call it something else
As quietly I leave the cheering crowd
Our timber shall return on ships
Having been transformed into fine furniture
They will, they pledge solemnly
Erect statues and monuments
One each for the men who died
In the struggle for freedom
Our freedom
My freedom
The crowd cheers
Clapping wildly
Stumping stocky feet in the sand
The sands of our lands, of our blood
Go up in the air
But I wait
My eyes fixed on the stage
I wait for more
But no one says a thing
About bringing back
The thousand and one men and women
Who died
No one says
"I'll bring back your fathers and mothers
Your sons and daughters"
They say it's a national reconciliation
They smile and shake hands
But I
I call it something else
As quietly I leave the cheering crowd
Author Profile - Vida Ayitah
Biography:
Five Questions with Vida Ayitah:
Contact Vida:
Vida's Past Profiles:
Five Questions with Vida Ayitah:
1. What do you think is the role of poetry in modern Ghanaian politics?
People listen to speeches delivered by their leaders. They also believe them. Sadly most of the promises made during the heat of desiring power never come to fruition. That is why people say politicians are liars. Hopefully, poetry can both give hope and awareness, and serve as a reminder of what our leaders are supposed to deliver to their people and the country they swore to serve and protect.
2. Why do you think Ghanaian poetry appears to be so dominated by men? Is it that men are writing more, or that women don't receive the same exposure, or something else? What do you think can be done to promote Ghanaian poetry written by women?
For ages, the Ghanaian woman has been known as the silent voice at home, meekly following in the husband’s steps. This has somehow created a situation where women in our society still expect our men to take the lead in just about every aspect of our lives. It’s not that men write more than women. It’s simply that we expect the men to be out there on top. But I think we’re breaking out of this dormant circle.
On the subject of promoting Ghanaian poetry written by women, I think every individual can contribute to this. We can set up support groups, by women for women, in our various communities to discuss and advise. In this regard, any woman interested in this idea should kindly contact me. We have to help ourselves if we expect help from outside. Gradually, I know the female voice will be just as loud and strong as that of our male counterparts.
3. Your poetry, like that of Kobena Eyi Acquah, seems to be strongly influenced by contemporary American and European writing, and perhaps less influenced by more "traditional" writing styles, as practiced by Atukwei Okai and others. Do you feel this is true? If so, why do you think you have developed this style?
I grew up reading Robert Browning. Hard as it was to understand him then, his way of expressing himself somehow stuck with me. I suppose this is because his was the first book of poems I laid hands on. Later I discovered Mr. Kobena Eyi Acquah and instantly fell in love with his writing. Basically I think every writer has his/her way of expressing thoughts and emotions. Sure we are influenced by what we see and read, especially at a young age. So yes, I can say I’m not very traditional in this regard. But my hope is that I am still able to convey the right message no matter which form it takes.
4. Would you consider "Atonement" as being primarily "historical" in focus, or as dealing with problems in current day Africa/Ghana?
"Atonement"... I really don’t know how the reader sees this. But it feels good – very good – to be freed from oppression and slavery. But our fight shouldn’t end with one group of people (outside) only to start with another (amongst ourselves). Leaders throughout Africa need to take a closer look at their people and do the best for them. Not just deliver big colorful speeches. Work must be done as well. Good work must be done.
5. "Atonement", with its mentions of wild crowds, "statues and monuments" and bringing back gold and timber "transformed into fine furniture" brings to mind the state in Ghana today during the "Ghana @ 50" celebrations. What is your view on these celebrations? Is it in line with your general criticisms presented in the poem?
I know that people all over the world deal with tragedy the best way they can. You don’t hang onto the past. But my feeling here, as expressed in "Atonement" is that we easily get blinded by what we see and forget the cost of our freedom. We all know what Nkrumah did for Ghanaians. His hopes and aspirations for this country. But do we see his dreams coming true? Who speaks for the men and women who lost their lives in the struggle for our freedom? Those people didn’t die just for some corrupt and greedy individuals to come to power and mock what they bled for. What did they die for? There is so much more to be desired of the people we trust and put into power.
Contact Vida:
akusefako(at)yahoo.com
Vida's Past Profiles:
March 31st-April 6th, 2007
Mama - Vida Ayitah
My Mama said to me
Go out and find a man
And bring me grandkids
I went to the marketplace
They sell everything
But no man was for sale
I took the bus
To the next town; where I heard men were in abundance
But alas! Each one was already taken
So I came home to Mama
And said: I didn’t find any man
She said I didn’t look hard enough
So I went out one night
To the nightclub; where lights go amber and glitzy
My eyes danced and danced!
So many men!
I wonder why I never came here
Why nobody told me…
So I brought the gentleman home
And gave Mama two grandkids
Which indeed made her happy
Mama said to bring her grandkids
She didn’t ask that I find true love... a nice man
Who wouldn’t leave after a few years
So many cold nights I’ve known now
So many empty mornings... spent alone in gloom
Who wants to love a dry, withered old woman
Who has two ugly bastards?
Poor Mama, who needed grandkids
And thought
Thought I met the father in a church!
Go out and find a man
And bring me grandkids
I went to the marketplace
They sell everything
But no man was for sale
I took the bus
To the next town; where I heard men were in abundance
But alas! Each one was already taken
So I came home to Mama
And said: I didn’t find any man
She said I didn’t look hard enough
So I went out one night
To the nightclub; where lights go amber and glitzy
My eyes danced and danced!
So many men!
I wonder why I never came here
Why nobody told me…
So I brought the gentleman home
And gave Mama two grandkids
Which indeed made her happy
Mama said to bring her grandkids
She didn’t ask that I find true love... a nice man
Who wouldn’t leave after a few years
So many cold nights I’ve known now
So many empty mornings... spent alone in gloom
Who wants to love a dry, withered old woman
Who has two ugly bastards?
Poor Mama, who needed grandkids
And thought
Thought I met the father in a church!
Author Profile - Vida Ayitah
Biography:
Five (Six) Questions with Vida Ayitah:
Contact Vida:
Since the age of 15, Vida has written a lot of poetry and also short fictional stories which she dearly hopes will be published. In this way, she hopes to get the chance to share her passion with the reading public.
Five (Six) Questions with Vida Ayitah:
1. Who are your favourite poets? Which poets have most inspired you and informed your work?
Mr. Kobena Eyi Acquah (Ghana), Ms. Erica Jong (USA).
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your poetry?
To inspire people to get in touch with their inner beings. Poetry is such a sensual and emotional thing. We live each day on emotions and senses and it’s my hope that my work can make people identify something within themselves.
3. What is your opinion on the state of African poetry today?
Well, I think more markets should be created for African poetry. There are so many unknown poets in Ghana today, for instance, young people with great talents who have no avenues to showcase their work. The beauty of African poetry is that it tells a great deal about the African culture, our hopes and dreams. Reading just one poem is like reading a bit of history. The African mind is rich with the voices of the past.
4. What do you think needs to be done to promote and strengthen poetry in Africa?
The following steps can be taken to promote and strengthen poetry in Africa: organize workshops for writers, starting from the local scene, create a platform where writers meet and discuss their work, establish poetry magazines to feature new poets (like One Ghana, One Voice) and perhaps a market should me made available to sell and promote our work, thus encouraging us to be more passionate and dedicated to our work.
5. "Mama" can be read as being very critical of the perceived role of women in Ghanaian society. In this sense, do you consider it to be a political poem?
I never thought that ‘Mama’ could be seen as being political in regards to women in our society. The whole idea of the poem was to put across the fact that maybe our mothers should focus on the happiness and welfare of their children rather than on expanding the family tree.
6. Any other comments?
I think that One Ghana, One Voice is a giant step towards promoting Ghanaian poetry, giving the otherwise hopeless writers a chance to believe in their work and in themselves. May this dream become bigger and may all Ghanaians benefit from this good gesture.
Contact Vida:
akusefako(at)yahoo.com
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