BY FAITH, I BELIEVE...: May 2011

Friday, May 6, 2011

Poetry Reading in DC

Atlas Corps alumna, Jennifer Ehidiamen (Nigeria, Class 3), shares a poem from her recently released book "Preserve my Saltiness." Jennifer paid a surprise visit to Washington, DC, as a presenter in World Press Freedom Day 2011.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

What She Told God...And His Response

"She told God she wanted to fly. To escape every limitation placed on her from birth. To soar to places unimagineable to her ancestors. To reach for the stars and land on her dreams. She told God she wanted to create. To build legacy and transform everything she touched. To inspire generations to come and to nurture the visions of prophets yet to be born. To generate change with her mere words. She told God she wanted to love and trust unconditionally. To be the answer to every prayer he had ever prayed and the manifestation of every fantasy he had convinced himself would never come to pass. To be the breath of fresh air he had never sat still long enough to take in. And God told her that eyes had not seen nor ears heard what was to come for her."

- Rahiel Tesfamariam.

The Book: "Preserve My Saltiness"

"In Preserve My Saltiness Jennifer addresses life's everyday experiences to our world's trends and shared challenges of the 21st century. Every poem embodies piercing insight and breathless passion. This is the work of a career poet." Jess Rimington, Spoken Word artist & Executive Director of One World Youth Project, USA Also available on Amazon.co.uk and a Bookstore near you: Online: http://3minutesbuy.com/preserve-my-saltiness • Florence & Lambard Publisher and Booksellers, 202-204 Ikorodu road, Palm Grove, Lagos.

The Review of "In Days To Come"

Jennifer is a remarkable young lady. Living in a country that she truly loves, yet recognizing the many problems as well. From her young mind she reaches out through her poetry hoping that her messages will reach out to educate, but even more so, to offer hope.

Jennifer does not write in rhyming verse or strict form, preferring the freedom to express her innermost thoughts without restriction. Yet poetry it undoubtedly is.

Many have struggled to define poetry, in the same way that many struggle to define art. Poetry paints with words and expressions and as such can be both art and craft.

I believe that if Jennifer’s words move you, then she has expressed both her art and her craft.

Finally, we have tried to avoid making changes to her writing, except perhaps for a few proof reading corrections. We hope by this you will capture not only the words, but (also) the essence of Jennifer’s culture that shines through her poetry.

Philip G. Bell

Editor,

Young Poet Society.

I surrender

show me a way
a channel, a route
through which I could reachout to this hurting world
and wipe out that tears rolling down her cheeks

I know, I know
I must tread only on that path I know well
else I cramp my style with stinking gibberish

My wallet is flat tonight
please don't count on that
Still this urge to belong
an undiluted desire to serve
yearns so loudly I can hold back no more

I surrender
in total submission my heart cry
Here I am, use me lover of my soul
to be a helping hand in my society
to learn to give without asking for a refund
to able to influence others into aiming for the best
never to try playing god over my peers
to you my king I obediently surrender.

(c)Jennifer Ehidiamen