A State of Mental Dysfunction - A Poem

A state of mental dysfunction

We are on a mission to commit suicide:

So help us Lord.

Let us build mansions tall enough to hide our deficiencies,

And share pepper smeared with fresh faeces

As gold for the poor.

Let the people talk about how our fart smells

For a week;

While they are at it let us fill our paunches

And add an ounce of gold to the tip

Of our imported leather-made shoes.

When they almost see us,

Let us bathe our bodies in oil

As black as ourselves, and

Use dollar notes as stickers, so

We shall not be seen. When they look

Into our eyes in search of some truth,

Let it be that of a baby's – pitch black pupil

Reflecting our mildness and innocence, yet

Deep and white of uncertainties

Unspoken of.

When those of us as yet to announce

Battles with their conscience

Betray this esteemed group with their good, Lord

Let them carry the burden of the night soil

Till their necks break and then death.

We shall arrange a funeral

In one of the saintly churches

And sing foreign hymnals, alien

Enough for the tired lips of those of old

We attend with money taken with

The breath of night and a killed mind;

A chorus of adieus for you, and

Those like you

For our tongues have lost sounds of due!!!

We know when we pull down panties, and zips

The child playing at the corner will see

How rotten are our bottoms;

So let us swim in black oil, and hot gold.

Let our decayed tooth

Weak with sweets be changed into shapes of gold

So when we turn to smile

The toddler would giggle a while

And tap with her left hand the red earth.

Lord

You will know we have arrived

With offerings of suffering

From the people; and,

You must help us!

2 November, 2010. Legon at dawn

Long Distance: A Poem

lets see it as a journey on the waters,

balance ourselves with discomfort,

and let the smile dance on our foreheads

when we meet

Ama - A Story of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade

On Sunday at exactly 8.30 p.m. live on Citi 97.3 fm, Writers Project of Ghana will host Manu Heibstein - author of Ama, A Story of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. Manu is the winner of the 2002 Commonwealth Writers prize and was born in South Africa. Of course, he now has his home right here in Ghana. His book will be at the stands of Vidya's Bookstore at the Book Fair at the La Trade Fair, Accra. You can grab a copy there.

Ama is a touching story of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. I know many would say we have heard this narrative over and over; but, before you get to such a conclusion, let me inform you that you haven't heard enough. That what you have heard or read is only a paucity of the chunk; that what is in many of the history books in Africa (and so suspiciously, Europe too) are just no more than a few pages squeezing away what took centuries. Why it is so, or it remains so, still is befuddling. If we are to progress as a continent, or indeed as a global world where we all would not bother to look at the other fearfully because of their skin or language, we have to utterly embraced the gruesome shame of the past of which we all are guilty. This is what Manu brings to the table of the crumbs of history, to make a fuller meal - where he tells of the story of Ama so skillfully, sensibly and passionately with understanding.

As a student of History and a proud African, I fully endorse this. The opposers might have successfully expunged one of the most important aspect of Africa's history - indeed that of the Americas - to cover past sins, but we must all work at ensuring this is taught in our classrooms not for indoctrination against any colour, but as a reminder so that we shall never repeat the errors. Check out Ama here or read the Chapter One online. Or better still, tune in on Sunday to Writers Project on Citi 97.3 fm at 8.30 p.m. Below is a quote from Professor Akosua Perbi of the University of Ghana Department of History:

"I was part of the UNESCO Slave Route Project for a couple of years. In one of our workshops in Paris, we were looking at how the slave trade is taught in different African countries... And in fact there wasn’t much in the primary school, JSS, secondary only those who were in history and there wasn’t much, about 2-3 pages in the textbook. We realized there was a lot of work to be done. Interestingly, it was not only in Ghana; many of the African countries had the same experience. Apart from the U.S. where it was being taught seriously, many European countries didn’t either... So I think Manu Herbstein has done very well. It is a brave effort to bring this out and talk about the details which you don’t want to talk about."

[All emphasis mine].

A poem: 'Mask Me'

To stir the air around presently, I penned the words. Enjoy and offer suggestions as they are always akwaaba-ed. I called it Mask Me.

So I feel like I committed an abomination

I was angry so I didn’t care

I cut all of my hair

Against your wishes and the dictates of some sense

You who know all things

Making the Sahara your dry leisure

And the foot of Afadjato your sleep place

I committed an abomination under your shed

(You did nothing; you wretched soul

You looked on unconcerned; and the wind blows anyway)

I was angry so I didn’t care

23 September, 2010

Mathematics in Africa - Origins

I followed up on a link provided by a friend on facebook about one ethno-mathematician who delivered a talk on fractals in maths and how the patterns are all over Africa when one sees an aerial view of African villages. Knowing the quality with which TED Talks come with, I followed it. I was not too amazed about the fractals etc in Africa because I'm one African confident in my continent's history. Ron Eglsh studies how maths and culture intersect and has done a lot in this area.

I was, however, thrilled by how Ron Eglash delivered the whole thing in a very simple manner. He made the mathematics of it seem so simple and everyday so much so that I almost lost track of the politico-historical significance of what he was saying about the continent. After watching the video called 'Ron Eglash on African Fractals'  on ted.com I was convinced that the biases, prejudices against Africa - including the lack of credit given to the continent for it contribution to world civilisation - would change, even if gradually.

What is most significant in all the adventure - if I may say so - is that it's been led not only by continental African intellectuals, but by respected academics from the West. It's refreshing to see the current intellectuals in the West are able to rise above the many biases against Africa in and around them in their communities and come forth with their achievement, thereby showing light those communities. I was thrilled to read an article by Dr. Deutscher on language and how it limits thinking (actually there is no inherent capacity for language to do this save our experience plus language). He was addressing that old myth posited by Whorf who is the most under-qualified person to speak on the issue. My take was that Whorf's flimsy assertions led to - after many in the West believed it - the slaving and the righteousness with which the slavers acted (their mission to help those limited by language to think and develop). Eglash has joined the team too and I'm glad.

But things, as I have mentioned, are changing. And Africans must rise to join or lead that change. As it stands now, Africans have yet to do more for themselves.

A Poem Still Under Construction - 'The Day I Dumped God'

Well, below is a poem I worked on this while in the newsroom of Radio Univers. Occasionalyy, I feel like putting up one of my poems here. Otherwise, they are usually on my poetry blog. All the same, I hope you enjoy this one.

The Day I dumped God

That woman at the church corner

Forgot about her empty stomach

That spoke louder than her farting

And said I should get a haircut

It’s a sign of my coming madness



The day I dumped God

The nail that managed to drive itself

Into the side of my foot

Assumed an heavenly assault

With earthly men of god as commanders



The day I dumped God

The trotro told me my life was useless

Without the patriarchal Son of the almighty

Who in His infinite grace will turn

Away from me and mix my blessings with pepper

26 August, 2010. Legon

The Burt Awards Comes Off Today at the Ghana Book Trust

Somewhere last year, I announced on my literary show Open Air Theatre on Radio Univers that there was a new award for writers called the Burt Award for Excellence in African Young Adult Fiction. Well, those Ghanaians who heeded the message and sent in their scripts have earned their place.

Later today at 2.00 p.m. at the Ghana Book Trust premises, three prizes will be presented to those writers: Gold (GHc 16,000); Silver (GHc 8,000); Bronze (GHc 4,000). A while ago, I spoke to the coordinator at the Ghana Book Trust (GBT) who confirmed the award and said the monetary prizes will be given to the authors, while the publishers will win a contract to publish the books. The GBT/CODE will purchase 3000 copies of each title to be donated to some schools and libraries in Ghana.

The Burt Award is supported by a Canadian philanthropist and the award is a way of inspiring quality writing for young adults. The stories are targeted at people within the ages 12 and 16. So when you write, write well.

Book Reading of Collection of Short Stories

"Yet do you not know, that there are questions so beautiful, so sublime, that their aesthetic power alone requires they are not answered; because even to attempt an answer would be to sully their elegance."

Mr. Happy and the Hammer of God is a collection of short stories by Martin Egblewogbe 'in which different aspects of reality are explored.' Often writing in a style quite distinct from the usual, Martin weaves his way through the complex psychology of characters who appear trapped in personal quagmires.
In the end, the convoluted side of humankind--so often pushed away deep into the shadows of the unconsciousness, for fear of the probable threats they present to the unconfronted self--is brought so forcefully to the fore.
I love this book. One cannot help but identify on so many levels with this this book.

The collection is divided into 2: Part I holds 7 stories in total while Part II presents 3 stories featuring ''a 'demon-haunted' character involved in a desperate search for salvation...''

The Reading takes place tomorrow 28 July at the Niagara Hotal, near Koala at Osu. Time is 6 p.m.

A Poem: Poetry Workshop

So in case you missed the Poetry Workshop organised by the Writers of Ghana Project at the University of Ghana over the weekend, here is a sample of work which I produced for the workshop. Titled less appropriately as 'The Second Time,' it does what I didn't expect it to do at the time of composition! Enjoy



The Second Time


The possibilities lie in our hands.
We should not drop them when the winter
Sets in, when the sun scorches, and
Leaves us with slippery fingers
For on such many nights, your stomach—
It will knot screaming on a lonely mountain:

Fear is a strange visitor lurking at the back
Never courageous to come in full glare

When dusty winds blow into our eyes
We wait, weary, yet our oars remain strong
Touching the Atlantic, connecting our minds
Knowing full well that our paths
Shall dare to hug
Even if, for
A
Short
Space
Of
Breath

A Day and Half Poetry Workshop in Accra

Tomorrow, the Ghana Writers' Project will roll out yet another of its poetry/literary workshops. This is the third time this year alone that the group has put together a workshop of this nature. The two previous ones focused on poetry and fiction writing in general.

As has been the norm, patrons of the workshops have been mainly people already writing one thing or the other. This time around the organisers have dubbed the event Poetry Marathon which will ran for A Day and Half.

Although it would be very helpful if your're already writing before you attend, all are cordially invited to the University of Ghana Legon Hall Reading Room. The workshop commences at 9 a.m. and closes for the day at 4 p.m. to continue the following day at 1 p.m. Date is 26-27--tomorrow, Saturday to Sunday. For more information visit kpokplomaja.com or indicate to me here.