An Anthology of Contemporary Ghanaian Poems

John Sackey, Woeli A. Dektsey

Description

This book of poetry by established and younger writers from Ghana represents a rare effort to compile and publish an anthology of contemporary Ghanaian poems. Some of the writers included are Kobena Eyi Acquah, Ama Ata Aidoo, Kofi Awoonor, Kwesi Brew, Gifty Selorn Odoom, Doris Adabasu Kuwornu, Rex Quarterly and Lade Wosornu.

Sujets

• Ghana

Informations

• Publié par: Woeli Dekutsey
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 2
• EAN13: 9789964978863
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

An Antology of Contemporary Ganaian Poems

Edited by Woeî A. Dekusey Jon Sackey

WOEï PUBïSHïNG SERVïCES ACCRA 2004

To ADÉ WOSORNU wo sowed e seeds

Editors Mr Woeî A. Dekusey Dr Jon Sackey

Annotations Pro Aber Sackey Dr Jon Sackey Dr Edward Sackey Dr Gordon S. K. Adîka Mrs Caroe Akyeampong

Published by Woeî Pubîsîng Servîces P. O. Box NT 601 Accra New Town Gana Te.: [phone] Emaî: woeî@îcoud.com

© Woeî Pubîsîng Servîces, 2004 ïSBN 9789964978863 A RïGHTS RESERVED ï wî be an înrîngemen o copyrîg o reproduce îs work în par or în îs enîrey wîou e wrîen permîssîon o e pubîser.

Typese by Woeî Pubîsîng Servîces

Contents

Preface 5 AAKYE, V. B.: he Coour o God 7  he Drunk 8  he Bus Sop 9 ABU, Jon K.: Vîcîm 10  Dîrge or Our Pa 11  Devoees o Dîsonesy 13 ACQUAH, Kobena Eyî: ïn e Nave o e Sou 14  Borrowed Aîrs 16  A Wrea o Tears 17 ADïKA, Gordon: os în Oxbrîdge 18  My Toem 19 ADïKA, Prînce: he Heroes 20  egacy o e Ages 21  Waîîng 23 AïDOO, Ama Aa: A Pa în e Sky 24  A Young Woman’s Voîce Doesn’ Break. ï Ges Fîrmer 26  ïn Memorîam: he Gana Drama Sudîo 28 AKOï-JACKSON, Bernard: Eerna înk 31 AMOAKO, A. A.: Dear Ancesors 34  Seep Wîou Wake 35 ANDERSON, Ernîe: he Word Beyond 37 ANïAGYEï, Peer D.: To Hîs Faîr ady 38  he Journey 40 ASïEDU, W. K.: Savanna Wînds 43  Smoer No My ove 44  A Coî în e Fîre 45  ïnerude on Hearsrîngs 46 AWOONOR, KoI: he Anvî and e Hammer 47  On Beîng Tod o Torure 48 BïNGAH, Pau: Peraps hey Woud Have To Be Tod 50 BREW, Kwesî: Grace 52  Come Tomorrow 53  A Good Bye To Arms 54 BUSïA, Abena: Caîban 56  îberaîon 57  Sîver Weddîng 58 DAKE, G.: Evangeîsm 60 DANKWAH, Oene: he Bîy Goa 62

DEKUTSEY, Woeî Asu: eavîng 63  Daybreak 64  he Prîce o Freedom 65 EGBEWOGBE, Marîn: An Od Fe Ha 66 ENNïN, heresa: Makoa 67 JUANTOH Kwadwo: Evî Has Beaen e and 68 KESSEY, K. 0.: he Borrowed eaves 69  îe Fower 70 KOOMSON, Nana Ebo: e e Raîns Come 71 KUWABONG Dannabang: he Exîe’s Reurn 72 KUWORNU, D. Adabasu: Maame Ekua 73 AïNG, Kojo: Arîca Sky 75 ODOOM, Gîty Seorm: Once Upon e Beac 76 OKEME, S. K.: Woe o Man 77  îveabe îves 78 OPPONG, Aba: Freedom 79 OSEï-BOAHENE, Kwabena: hîs Sîde o Town 80  he Runnîng Man 82 QUARTEY, Rex: hougs o You 84 SODZï-TETTEY, Sodzî: Roos 86 SOSU, Oîvîa S. K.: ove’s Anxîey 88 TEEH, ove on a Canvas 89 TETTEH, Crysa: îke a Tîme Gone (Forgîve Me) 91 TETTEH, Davîd: On Sayîng Goodbye 93 TUUROSONG, Damasus: he Mournîng Conînen 94  ï Don’ Beong Here 96 WOSORNU, adé: Deser Rîvers 98  he Wîper 99  Bîr o e Fîrsborn 100 YANKSON, KoI: Our Wounded Parîmony 102

4

Preface

Ever sînce e pubîcaîon oMessages: Poems from Ghana edîed by Koî Awoonor and G. AdaîMory, no serîous aemp as been made by any pubîser o compîe an anoogy o conemporary Ganaîan poems. Meanwîe Ganaîan poes ave been sîngîng usîy bu în e wîderness; ey ony became drîed seeds srewn on e ear, waîîng or raîn o make em germînae. Tîs presen voume îs o expose o e word e remendous creaîve energy among conemporary Ganaîan wrîers. he nîneeen sevenîes and eîgîes ad seen a vîbran wrîers’ ron wî e resuscîaîon o e Gana Wrîers Assocîaîon (GAW). he efors o îs body and ose by Een Sangser (noed or er “Taen or Tomorrow” programme), resued în e openîng o wrîers’ cubs (or capers, as GAW cose o ca em) în scoos and coeges counrywîde. ïn ose days, î was usua o eaure poes în eneraînmen packages îke “Anansekrom” and “Kubekrom” organîsed by e Ars Councî o Gana, wîc drew arge audîences rom ar and near. Bu wa promped us o embark on îs anoogy projec was e dear o poery books în e sysem. hîs pubîcaîon îs an aemp o înroduce quaîy Ganaîan poery o poery overs bo însîde and ousîde Gana. he seecîon or îs voume as been wîde and rîgorous. ïn compîîng îs voume, e pubîsers, roug e newspapers, învîed wrîers rougou Gana o submî eîr poems or consîderaîon îno îs voume. he response was asoundîng. Consequeny, e pubîsers se up a pane o judges, made up o Pro Aber Sackey (Kwame Nkruma Unîversîy o Scîence and Tecnoogy, Kumasî), Dr Jon Sackey (Unîversîy o Cape Coas, Cape Coas), Mrs Caroe Akyeampong (Presbyerîan Senîor Hîg Scoo, egon) and Woeî Asu Dekusey (Woeî

Pubîsîng Servîces), o sît roug and seec e bes. ï was no easy ask. he pane was aer srengened by e încusîon o Dr Gordon Adîka and Dr Edward Sackey, bo o Unîversîy o Gana. he poes wo ave made î îno îs voume ave every reason o be proud. hey represen e gems, wîc sone roug e pannîng and e reInîng process. To make e anoogy a îe more represenaîve and enance quaîy, e pane o judges ound î wîse o încude some poes o subsance wo ave aready been pubîsed. Consequeny, îs voume as no ony been enrîced by e încusîon o poes îke Kojo aîng, KoI Awoonor, Kwesî Brew, Kobena Eyî Acqua, Ama Aa Aîdoo, Abena Busîa, adé Wosornu, and Dannabang Kuwabong — wo ave aready made names or emseves roug eîr own coecîons — bu aso new poes îke Dorîs A. Kuwornu, KoI Yankson, Ernîe Anderson, Rex Quarey, Jon K. Abu, Prînce Adîka, A. A. Amoako, Pau Bînga, S. K. Okeme, Aba Oppong, Kwabena OseîBoaene, Damasus Tuurosong, Davîd Tee, and Gîty Seorm Odoom (wo was ony oureen years od and în secondary scoo wen se wroe er poem) — a wose voîces e word îs ye o ear. he pubîser wîses o use îs opporunîy o sîncerey ank a members o e pane o judges as we as e îndîvîdua poes wose conrîbuîons ave made îs anoogy possîbe. ï îs e ope o e pubîser a îs voume wî endure and undergo perîodîc updaîng o make î as represenaîve o conemporary Ganaîan poery as possîbe. We wîs readers an enjoyabe readîng! PUBïSHER

6

V. B. AAKYE

he Colour of God

Wo ever paîned God wîe He mus be back, says e back man O course no! He’s go o be green, quîpped e green man Bu a canno be. He mus be red, assured e red one How wrong you a are He sure îs bue, vows e bue one How sîy man îs, augs e rose Wy soud He be back or wîe Or green or yeow or even red? O course He îs a ese and more Can’ you see? He îs Even rose and emerad, yea, And damask and aquamarîne ï you doub me ask e raînbow!

7

he Drunk

Now e drunk seps ou swep by couds o ume and as îno e ceers o cîdren payîng and waîîng în e sree o see îm pass îs momen o rîump în encîdîng îmse o sare eîr ease and grow agaîn e umes coud îs musy ead g  r  r  r  r  r  r  r  r  r! ougs rîde rodeo on e yîedîng back o zîgzag umes e rîoous mînd’s unîngîng aws so parae înes can now mee and weîgs a up Dîsney sye doors and wîndows mîxîng în muîpîcaîon games wî men and was marcîng o Loaîng caîrs în wîrwînd ease e wîpes îs ace o cear e smudge ods e ead o say e wîrr sî ye objecs Ly and dronîng curns în muîpe orce e wîrîng în and e wîrîng ou   î  c  c  u  p! pus arrow poîn o aîr paîn bîs oLung drîp în back bood e ground sînks owards e et and pufs beore e rîg sep ceesîa vîsîons ro în nîgmarîs vîsas o a body and spîrî ît e empora woes ruced în a emporary ît o a dancîng rî under beery pa read wîsîng srîngs o bîss în draugs o ea asrîde e gass so wen e drunk wakes agaîn o e rown o îme and ac o pace e urrîes back o sîgn îs ruce o sît e îme and ît e pace

8

heBusStop

Kîen cudded în cosy wooens . . . Warm god rîs caress în kîssouc e ender arms o e ovîng dame Beînd, a moer pusîng soppîng baske Baby srapped o e sîde îke a uber o yam îed o a sake reads gîngery e reacerous îce ï remember wen ï merged îno my ma’s sîde even wen no coon ed us bound and sudder a îs unnaura coseness o cas and women, wonder a e cumsy conrapîon o od baby o moer as oug neîer ad busîness wî e oer wîou e sraps he baby, ace red wî cod, nose drîbbîng unended, kîcks spasmodîc a e crampîng cod he ca, cosy and seepy ros gasseyed în azy conenmen.

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