Tags
September Heights. Day 24. The Prompt is Strive.
Over the weekend Ghana lost one of her illustrious sons in the Kenyan carnage. Armed men stormed an upscale shopping mall in the capital and opened fire on shoppers and other civilians. About a 60 are reported dead with about a 200 critically injured. Prof Kofi Awonoor, Ghana’s former Chairman of the Council of State, a university don with specialty in English and Literature, a poet, writer and a former ambassador to the UN was gunned down in cold blood while attending a literary event. His body will be flown home tomorrow. His son, who was with him was also shot and critically injured.
This cascade of haiku is my humble tribute to Prof Kofi Awonoor.
Strive
winds of death
sweep in a convulsing arc
we strive for meaning
2
we strive for meaning
in a world of blood and tears
frozen in our hearts
3
frozen in our hearts
grief blurs with unspoken words
nation mourns her son
4
nations mourns her son
as Africa kills her sun
we strive for meaning
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu 24/09/13I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom
Reading Pleasure 
A beautiful tribute.
May Peace Reign soon
xx
Thank you Heidi. Indeed, we need peace all over
Sigh. So sad.
Thanks, Karin.
a fitting tribute Celestine……heartfelt words there…….and the red digits remind me of blood dripping from hearts….
Wonderful perspective, Sumana, I never thought of it that way.
What a beautiful tribute. An awful tragedy.
Yes indeed, Jean. Thank you so much.
Unwarranted loss is cruel. Our news also had local gunmen assaults on innocents. At times like this I wonder why justice is blind. And then I see the outpouring of those who survive and aid those in need. But does it always have to take a catastrophe to set in motion the hands that help? My prayers are with those healing.
Thank you for you good wishes on my anniversary – On one side of the date is a reminder of loss, a death of my father (too soon) and on the other, another wedding…but I think when my brother and his wife set their date they didn’t know ours would be so close.
An unspeakable tragedy captured in beautiful words. Loss of any kind is terrible, but loss to senseless violence is unfathomable.
So well expressed, Susan. Thank you.
so indeed sad; and, a Trinidadian was killed in the mall terrorist attack in Kenya
much love…
Oh Gillena, my sympathies. It is so senseless I just don’t’ know what to say. Hugs to you! 🙂
A beautiful haibun as tribute. I just cannot begin to imagine what they thought they had to gain, what they were trying to ‘avenge’ or what their purpose was. These kind of people cannot be simply motivated by fanaticism, surely. There is real tragedy in this, cheapness to a sickening degree and an almost abhorrent blind eye stance taken by much of the world.
Your tribute was most fitting.
And your words are full of power and indignation, Managua.
oh dear Celestine!!! ..this is very sad …. i hope peace will come over your country soon …. please be safe
Thank you Oman for your lovely concern.
you are welcome ,, i saw the news it is hard to this things
A moving tribute. Please accept my condolences for your shocking loss.
Thank you so much, Marie.
it is hard to lose
when someone die in a war
terrible sad tragedy
Great haiku, my friend.
thanks , i did it for you
Very powerful and sad and true. Hoping for peace and much more love.
Sheila, thanks you. Sometimes I’m inclined to think peace is very much illusive.
A fitting tribute dear, such a dreadful, dreadful thing.
Yes, Gilly!
A very moving tribute, Celestine, and as others have said, this loss is all the more tragic for being so pointless.
Thank you Tish, for your kind concern.
I’m so sorry for Ghana’s loss. This is a loss for the whole world.
Yes, Alice, other nationals lost their lives in this carnage. Thank you.
Sadness in my heart for everyone and prayers to heaven for peace.
Beautiful tribute, Celestine. I read the sad news of the Ghanaian Poet Kofi Awoonor in our Indian newspaper. May his soul rest in peace.
Such tales of horror emerging from the militants is abhorring…The same theme and grievances as 9/11 are woven through this horror. again. It is a heartbreaking indeed!
My heartfelt sincere condolence to the families who have lost their loved ones ,and a quick recovery to those who are injured and a safe rescue to those who are still under hostage….
Than you so much, Panchali.
The horrors of 9/11 will forever stay with me. You know I was then breastfeeding my second boy and was watching the TV at the same time when the breaking news flashed across the screen with the WTC in view, hit by the first and then the second hijacked planes.
I kept on screaming ‘oh my God no! Oh my God no! Is there any meaning to all these I ask again!
No, this is absolutely senseless violence…!! Even I remember, we spent all day watching everything unfold on the TV. The tragedy was universal, though also deeply personal for many–It was about humanity–and not just America!.
You captured a terrible tragedy beautifully in words, Celestine. I pray for peace, for the injured and those that have suffered great loss.
Thank you so much, my sweet friend.
A moving tribute paid thru verse. We strive for meaning but do we find it?
I’m afraid not! 🙂 Thanks Kalpana.
This is so tragic…. as is all armed conflict. I pray that it will end quickly in your part of the world and elsewhere too!
Thank you for your kind concern, Wabi.
Wow, Celestine – powerful haiku capturing what, I’m sure, many are feeling.
Thank you so much!
It’s sad when lives are lost due to such insane violence … very sad !!!
Tragically sad, Amrit! Thank you.
I don’t think we will ever find the meaning in useless killing. May he rest in peace.
Yes, Nana. May he find complete rest!
So much grief with all the hateful killings & senseless murders in this world.
So sad.
A nice tribute to Prof Kofi Awonoor.
May all the innocent souls rest in peace.
Amen, Rosy 🙂 Thanks so much for the love!
fitting tribute, Celestine. I was so saddened by the tragedy in Kenya. so senseless. all of it.
Thank you Stacy.
Such a powerful and moving tribute Celestine, this news breaks my heart
Ow, you should have seen me! I was in tears. Thank you Candice.
I understand completely very very tragic news
Beautiful poetry, Celestine. I’m very sorry to hear about Prof Awonoor and the others killed or affected by this senseless violence. 😦
Thank you so much, Heather. 🙂
A great Haiku and tribute I dare say., Celestine.
Yes, we do strive for meaning but can such striving alone ensure Deliverance?
I have just come to know that one hostage was shot in the head since he could not give the right answer to the question, ” Who was the mother of Prophet Mohammed, may peace be upon him.”
What meaning can we gain from this and folks having such mindset?
Shakti
Shakti, when I heard what you just described I could not believe it too. I don’t even know who was the mother of Prophet Mohammed. Must I die then? This is so insane! And much as I hate to lambast people based on religion or the religion itself, I cannot help wondering if Islam has not missed its mark; or perhaps there is something lacking in Islam.
But then again, Christianity could be said to be also lacking because Christians do horrible things. Has religion then failed us? Where then do we find meaning?
Thank you so much for coming by. 🙂
Is there meaning in these senseless killings?
Strive to Be Cactus
No, MMT. Alas!
deeply saddened, Celestine, learning another round of tragic events. your words – moving and great tribute. my heart breaks.
Thank you so much, Sunshine. The pain I feel is palpable.
Deeply felt words in your haiku today!! I believe a great many Indian nationals too lost their lives there!! The world is turning senseless and daily life is turning into a struggle!! Very meaningful Celestine!!
Oh my God! My heart goes out to you, Nanka.
Reblogged this on ANZ LitLovers LitBlog.
Hello Celestine, I have reblogged your beautiful tribute so that my readers from around the world will visit and read it too.
Ow, Lisa, I’m most grateful to you for this. Thanks so much 🙂
Gracias, Lisa. 🙂
Your cascade is beautiful. Peace to all in Ghana. —–Chagall
Thank you for the nice concern, Chagall.
I love the undulation, repetition, and the sense of cycle. It goes perfectly with the tone of the poem. Love your work!
Thank you, Ink Jester, for the nice appreciation and follow 🙂
This is amazing Celestine. A glimmer of light from this haunting event.
Hm! I thank you, Kim!
I have just discovered your blog from your comment on my tribute to Awoonor and I’m glad to have found another Ghanaian poetry blogger with the same sooul as Awoonor, being thrice Ghanaian, Ewe and poet. I will be following your blog, Celestine. Keep writing. Awoonor’s death is a collective loss.
Indeed it was. I’m still reeling from the shock! Thanks Dela and I’m pleased to have you follow me. Your blog is excellent and I’m happy to follow a fellow Ghanaian poet! 🙂
Celestine, you have written a beautiful tribute to this great poet! All the violence and little regard for human life is so sad and horrific in this world of ours, that could be such a planet of peace if we so willed it. When I heard of the tragedy in Nairobi, my heart was there as I lived there for a little more than two years at one point in my life. When I heard that a poet from Ghana was killed—I immediately thought of you! I was so worried — I am sorry anyone died that day — but I was relieved to see that you were safe. Humanity has so much to do to heal itself…your poems will help us on the way!
It was such a senseless tragedy Jane. I thank you for thinking of me. You’ve also been in my thoughts lately especially so as I had not heard from you for a while. I do hope everything is fine, 🙂