Haiku Heights Prompt: Betrayal

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The prompt from Haiku Heights today is Betrayal, rather a deep one. I have three offerings. Hope your find them interesting.

(1) Betrayal

Furious winds sweep through
dredges of your betrayal
leaving me with calm
 

(2) Betrayal

His dagger-like words
Pierce through my weak arteries
And oh! How I bleed
 

(3) Betrayal

Your love betrays me
To gladly die by your hands
In Caesar-like style
 
 
 
 
 
 
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu
21/05/13
 

I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom

Haiku Heights Prompt: Egg

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The prompt this Friday on Haiku Heights is Egg. In my country, when one gives birth we sometimes use  euphemism to break the news. ‘The bottle/gourd is broken’, ‘the egg has cracked’ are some of the euphemisms usedMy offering today is based on ‘the egg has cracked’. Please enjoy.

Egg

Gentle crack eases

Glorious bundles to being

The beauty of birth

 
 
 
 
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu
20/05/13
 

I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom

The Classics Spin #2

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It’s time for another Classics Spin by The Classics Club for any who are interested. What is the spin?

It’s easy. Clubbers are to list on their blogs by next Monday, May 20, the choice of any twenty books left to read from the Classics Club list – in a separate post. This is the Spin List. Clubbers are to challenge themselves by reading one of these twenty books in May & June.  The list should be in the following order:

  • 5 Classics Club books you are dreading/hesitant to read
  • 5 Classics Club books you can’t WAIT to read,
  • 5 Classics Club books you are neutral about
  • 5 free choice (favorite author, rereads, ancients — whatever you choose.)

By next Monday, May 20, a post will go up from number 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on the Spin List, by July 1. There will be a check in post for July, to see who made it the whole way and finished the spin book.

I’ve carried over the book corresponding to number 14 in the last Spin, (Oliver Twist)  from April to May which I hope to finish reading soon. I must say that these days, my reading has become so so slow. There are days when I don’t open any book at all. But then I’m game for this Spin #2  so here is my list: a repeat of the first spin actually with a substitute for number 14.

5 Classics Club books you are dreading/hesitant to read                       

  1. Marc Ferro:  – Nicholas II (The Last of the Tsars)
  2. Stoker, Bram    - Dracula             
  3. Tolstoy, LeoAnna Karenina 
  4. Haggard, Rider – Nada The Lily
  5. Shakespeare – Coriolanus

5 Classics Club books you can’t WAIT to read

6. Austen, JanePride and Prejudice
7. Blackmore, R. D. Lorna Doone
8. Bronte, Charlotte  – Jane Eyre
9. Spyri, JohannaHeidi
10. Hardy, Thomas – Tess of the D’Urbervilles
 

5 Classics Club books you are neutral about

11. Twain, MarkThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer
12. Eliot GeorgeSilas Marner
13. Wright, Richard – Black Boy
14. Hardy Thomas – The Mayor of Casterbridge
15. Virginia Woolf – Mrs. Dalloway
 

5 Free choice (favorite author, rereads, ancients — whatever you choose.) And those I have chosen below are my favourites/re-reads

16. Ama Ata Aidoo – Dilemma of a Ghost
17. Hope, Anthony – Prisoner of Zenda
18. Ayi Kwei Armah – Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born
19. Haggard, Rider – King Solomon’s Mines
20. Stevenson, Robert Louise – Treasure Island
 

I do hope my lucky number comes up this time. Wish me luck :-)

Poet At Play: His Presence

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This is an earlier poem written over a year ago. Going through my archives I found it, read it and liked it so much. Then, I did not have a wide reading audience, now I do and I thought you would all love reading it, after a few modifications. :-) It is about my profound encounter with God. :-)

 

His Presence

 
A heart out of the darkness
Reached out to touch mine
Filled with bitterness
My anguish real as I pine
Hoping not to be found
On life’s bleak mound
 
A kind whisper
Out of the shadows
Home, I call it gallows
Brushed against my brow
Wrinkled, with shame as I bow  
At how low I had fallen
Once, full of Me!
 
The softest of words
Spoken out of the gloom
Reached to my core
Beckoning me to rise and soar
Above the grime, and bloom
 
For, love has touched me
Love has touched my essence
And I will no more bleed
I am now in His Presence
 
 
 
 
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu
14/5/13

Tuesday Stealing (I did it)

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I stole this from Nana Prah’s Blog who in turn stole it from Mystical Mimi’s blog who stole it from another blog. And the cycle continues. I couldn’t resist and I know Nana will not mind. Shameless me :-)

 
“CURRENTLY”


Thinking about: The Single Spine Salary Structure that will increase my salary in leaps (long in coming)

Feeling:  Grateful to God for everything in my life, whether good or bad

Reading:  Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (rather slow on it )

Listening to:  Some cool music on the petite radio belonging to my Secretary

Wondering:  At the smooth and fine organisation of pop’s funeral

Looking forward to:  Moving house by September

Missing: My single carefree days at the university

Watching: The letters magically appearing on my
computer screen as I type

Eating:  Rice and Chicken stew ( a simple lunch)

Making me happy:  The fact that I am alive

Haiku Heights Prompt: Bridge

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Haiku Heights is starting the week with the Prompt Bridge. A tad difficult, me thinks

(1) Bridge

To bridge the wide gap
Between the haves and haves not
Is herculean task
 
 

(2) Bridge

The bridge to her heart
Meanders through a wild rose-bush
A thorny journey
 
 

(3) Bridge

Mummies and grannies
Trade good  gossip over bridge
Past time of old age?
 
 
 
 
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu
14/05/13
 

I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom

Of Gratitude and Awards

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Over the months, (did I say months?) Yes over the months, I have received many awards from wonderful blogging friends that I have not acknowledged. I must admit that sometimes, it feels lazy and monotonous to keep acknowledging these lovely awards. But etiquette and good neighbourliness dictate that you say thank you for every gift received, be it little or small. In the African culture, one wakes up at the crack of dawn to say thank you to anyone who brings you a gift, be it cash or kind.

A spine palm (Aiphanes horrida, Synonym Aiphan...

A spine palm (Aiphanes horrida, Synonym Aiphanes cyryotaefolia) in Aburi Botanical gardens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In that vein, I have been going round saying thank you, ‘me daase‘ to all friends, loved ones and sympathizers who mourned with me during my father’s funeral a couple of weeks ago, be it in cash or kind, all who traveled the long distance to support me, my co-workers, friends and mates from the Class of 1985 of my Alma mater, Aburi Girls Senior High School, and the Uni, my in-laws, relatives from my mother’s side,  (they were all there in their numbers). Since my return from the funeral I have been going round on weekends, with my husband and mother to thank all these wonderful people.  The co-workers received their thanks during the week-days.

I would be remiss if I don’t extend the same heartfelt gratitude to you all who have shown so much support and, extended so much love my way during my bereavement. I know I have skimmed the surface of my thankfulness in other posts, but we say in Ghana that ‘lots of fish and meat in a soup do not spoil the taste’. So do bear with me as I express my truest appreciation and humbling love to you my blogging friends. Like I keep saying to my ‘buddies’ in Ghana, such love overwhelms me. I promise that in due course I will post some pictures of the funeral on my blog. :-)

Now, my deep thanks to all the lovely friends who have honoured me with so many awards over the months. I am truly grateful.  God bless you all.  The following bloggers are being honourably mentioned and if I have forgotten some, do pardon me. It is a genuine oversight. :-)

  • Mary Okeke Reviews for the Sunshine Award. Visit her blog for truly inspiring and wonderful reviews of African literature
  • johannisthinking for the SHINE-ON AWARD. Jane is such a lovely woman. You will love her blog
  • RoxiStClair.Com for the Hope Unites Globally Hug Award. Roxi’s poems are awesome Do visit and read them
  • JUST PEANUTBUTTER N JELLY for the You Make My Day Award. Kim is a very special friend. This wonderful second blog for her grandson reflects her deep and abiding love for his truly.
  • Silentlyheardonce for the 2012 Most Influential Blog Award. Kim is super on this blog, you will read so many of her deeply felt poems and fine short stories
  • Maxima for the Blog of the Year Award Dear Stefan writes such beautiful  romantic poems. You will love them :-)
  • MYOWNHEART.ME for the Blog of the Year and Liebster Awards. Len is a Christian blogger whose posts always inspire and uplift me to higher heights with the Lord. I truly love reading her writings.
  • It’sCrazyinHere for the Prolific Blogger Award. Visit this great blog for good and sensuous poetry.

Shalom :-)

Haiku Heights Prompt: Story

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The prompt this Friday on Haiku Heights is Story. My offering:

Story

Like spider’s antics
He spins me blue in a maze
Complicated yarn
 
 
 
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu
10/05/13
 

I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom

 

Poet At Play: I Fly Without Wings

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I Fly Without Wings

I fly without wings
And soar above the trees
  Gliding over peaks
My eyes closed
Holding dear the memories
Of your kisses
Under the sparkle of the stars
 
I fly without wings
Buoyed by your love
Your passionate embrace my anchor
Against the buffeting winds
Your powerful whispers the strings
That hold me captive in a duel of words
 
I fly without wings
And dare to reach the skies
Aglow with your sweet caress
For with your confidence in me
I do not need wings to fly
 
 
 
 
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu
09/05/13
 

I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom

Good News!

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Guys, I’m so tickled and over the moon with joy. I sent a couple of Haiku to Dagda Publishing some months back, about five in all for consideration. Frankly I forgot all about it until a few minutes ago when I received this mail from Reg Davey, the Editor-in-Chief:

Hi, your haiku “Render” has been successful and shall be included in the anthology, Western Haiku: A Collection. Release date is 4th June, and proceeds from the sale of the anthology shall be helping to fund Scope, a UK mental health charity.

Me, Celestine, to have a haiku of mine published in an anthology. Oh la la! To God be the glory. One haiku is too many for me and so I just want to share this great news with all of you my wonderful friends who have encouraged and supported me throughout my blogging journey. Thank you so so much. Without Haiku Heights I wouldn’t have been able to perfect my talent. Thank you Leo.

Such delightful news
Elixir to spur me on
To much greater heights

Shalom :-)

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