Beyond The Ashes


I met Todd from Santa Fe today. We were introduced by just another young poet walking the broken road to freedom. I invite you to follow the links to each of their spaces.

The Peace Tile above is one of Todd's creations and his creative medium of finding peace through pottery resonates deeply with me; a soothing balm for my wounded soul as I slowly summon the courage to revisit memories of our kiln, destroyed in a ferocious fire that consumed the gallery where I grew up...


...now I can look at the lone surviving figure above.

A small but monumental sculpture
bearing the personification of life force
beyond the anguish,

a gateway to the history of Africa
where slash and burn agriculture
cultivates seeds of creativity
which,

when practiced purposefully
breaks the boundaries
as we reach the unseen,

a more compelling future.

Mama Shujaa.

Copyright © Hana Njau-Okolo 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

  1. JudyJanuary 24, 2009 at 9:14 PM

    We may never "get over" the events that have hurt us, but we have the hope of moving "beyond" them. "Beyond" is a beautiful word!

    ReplyDelete
  2. T.AllenJanuary 24, 2009 at 11:12 PM

    Your post gave me goosebumps, and Todd's art is well worth futher exploration-I'm impressed.

    I'll be back with my notebook in a bit :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. CarinaJanuary 25, 2009 at 9:34 AM

    Such a wonderful post Mama Shujaa, it touched my heart

    ReplyDelete
  4. TessaJanuary 25, 2009 at 9:47 AM

    Painful, beautiful prose. Sometimes anguish precedes regrowth, don't you think?

    ReplyDelete
  5. ToddJanuary 25, 2009 at 3:54 PM

    What beautiful words. Deeply touching. I am humbled that you asked to use the pic of my tile. What a pleasure to have met you!!
    Paz.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2009 at 7:52 AM

    Your sharing is very moving , thank you. And during this week of collectively "moving beyond", it is very timely. I attended the beautiful Inauguration and felt profoundly that our species can move beyond so much when we are together and focused on the Good.

    ReplyDelete
  7. CarinaJanuary 26, 2009 at 10:56 AM

    I have, and I love that song. I can play it over and over.
    I do not know whether he was inspired by the poem. I admire all artists who make a song dedicated to their mothers, it will always be different from others' and yet it is written for the same ones, who have given birth to a child or raised a child with a mother's love. Mother's day should be everyday, nothing's more wonderful than motherhood.
    Have you read the book 'Joys of Motherhood' by Buchi Emecheta?

    ReplyDelete
  8. BarbaraJanuary 26, 2009 at 11:32 PM

    That really is a beautiful piece created by your friend. I am so glad that your families gallery was reborn.

    ReplyDelete
  9. MaithriJanuary 27, 2009 at 6:44 AM

    I am so moved by your life dear soul...

    Your story... speaks of grace and brave humanity...Thank you for your presence in this world...

    For the words that pour like sweet water from your soul...

    May the circle grow and be unbroken
    by and by,

    Maithri

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rose-Anne ClermontJanuary 27, 2009 at 7:48 AM

    Beautiful, Mama Shujaa, as always, ein Geschenk.

    ReplyDelete
  11. TessaJanuary 27, 2009 at 9:40 AM

    Mama Shujaa, I'm just popping back in to say that I have something for you on my blog which I truly feel you richly deserve.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hana Njau-OkoloJanuary 28, 2009 at 8:22 AM

    Hello everyone,

    Thank you so much for your wonderful comments, thoughts, gifts. I've been under the weather for the past few days. I'm on the mend though and I hope to be back to full strength in the next day or so.

    Love,

    Mama Shujaa

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJanuary 29, 2009 at 9:19 AM

    that poem is a masterpiece! quite captivating , i am sincerely moved-thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownJanuary 29, 2009 at 6:08 PM

    Another beautiful poem, Mama Shujaa:)
    everytime I come here it's like a total
    shift from chaotic and busy to a peaceful
    and enlightening place..you're so
    awesome:) your friends piece is
    beautiful also.

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2009 at 9:22 AM

    Lovely, simply rockstar material. I MISS YOU!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hana Njau-OkoloFebruary 1, 2009 at 2:17 PM

    Ms. Bar B:

    Yes the gallery lived up to its name Paa Ya Paa, rose again.

    ReplyDelete

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