13 Wednesday May 2015
Posted in Carpe Diem, Challenges, Haiku, Poetry
Done for Carpe Diem.
Melons
sundown
a mother gathers
her unsold melons
2
counting melons
at sundown
rumbling stomach
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu 13/05/15 I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom
18 Monday Nov 2013
Posted in Challenges, Haiku, Poetry
Done for Haiku Heights
Blood
our red eyes
Squeezing blood from stone
hungry kids
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu 18/11/13I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom
09 Wednesday Jan 2013
Posted in Non-Fiction, Stones
Tags
Today my small Eighth stone is a bit long and in the form of a story prompted by Susan Daniel’s post. Please, humour me.
Stone Soup
I was quite little when my mother narrated this story to me. “There was once a poor widow with three children. One evening there was nothing to eat at home. Her children were hungry but she had nothing to give them. Unable to bear their woeful looks anymore, she lighted the hearth and put a pot of water on the fire. When it boiled she collected some stones and put them in the pot and covered it. By now the children had started to cry, their stomachs growling.
“My children, I am cooking some food for you. I know you love yams so I am boiling yams for you. Have patience, Soon the yams will be ready to eat”
Their crying stopped and soon, with hopes of having food to eat, they were smiling.
“Fan the fire for so the yams will cook faster.” she urged them.
They happily took turns in fanning the fire and they could actually smell the wafting aroma of the boiling yams. This seemed to energise them and they worked harder at the fanning. After a while, the children grew impatient and restless
“Mother, are the yams not cooked?”
“A little more time, my children and we will soon have our meal. Keep fanning the fire.”
The fanned and fanned till their arms ached and still the yams were not cooked. Finally exhausted and immune from the gnawing hunger, the children fell asleep behind the hearth.
When I heard this story, my initial reaction was that the widow was cruel. But my mother said to me. “Think about it, Afua.”
And then it hit me. Little as I was then, I knew my mother was teaching me a lesson in gratitude. Here was a poor widow with nothing to give her children but ‘stones in soup’. And here was I, lucky to be provided with all my wants and still I grumbled and would throw tantrums anytime my mother asked me to wait until the end of month when she received her salary as a teacher to get me my needs.
I never forgot this story. And today, I do my best to inculcate gratitude, graciousness and thankfulness in my three boys.
Yes, Susan, stones can be cooked. 🙂
07 Monday Jan 2013
Posted in Challenges, Stones
Day 7 of the Mindful Writing Challenge. My sixth Small Stone. Please, enjoy
Darling Boy
A surprise visit
To my office today
With his mesmerizing smile
Darling boy brings
Lunch for my hungry stomach
And joy to my heart
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu 7/1/13+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom
06 Sunday Jan 2013
Posted in Challenges, Stones
Tags
Day 6 of the Mindful Writing Challenge. My fifth Small Stone below. Please, enjoy
Hunger
The hut is bare and the pots are dry
The fire in the hearth long gone cold
Clinging to her mother’s worn skirts
A little stomach rumbles incessantly in protest
Echoing the multitudes asleep in forced stupor
A mother’s love is tested
In the most horrible way
Who will buy my ‘priceless’ gem?
I must feed the Multitudes
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu 6/1/13+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom
18 Tuesday Sep 2012
Posted in Challenges, Haiku
Day Eighteen (18) of the September Haiku Heights Challenge and the prompt is Starve, with lots of possibilities. But my lazy self will offer only one:
Starve
My hot pouting lips
Yearning for a soothing breeze
Starves me of his kiss
Copyright © Celestine Nudanu (18/09/12)==============================================================
I appreciate your patience with me as I catch up on your blogs. Thanks a million! Shalom. 🙂
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