Peace in East Africa Poetry from Year of The Poet (Vol 64)
Featured in The Year of the Poet April, 2019 Volume 64.
Yorùbá́ Concept of Peace
Language evolves
the Yorùbá́ word for peace is “àlàáfíà”
all is well in all aspects of life
peace at both individual and social levels
with a handful of “ìrẹ́pọ̀” harmony
and a dollop of “ìsọ̀kan” unity
components all of “àlàáfíà ìlú”
peace in society
Language evolves
“àlàáfíà” some say borrowed from the Hausa “lafiya”
good health borrowed from Arabic
“afiyah” health while other words continue to explore
a way of thinking and being
“örê” peace and calm
“itelorun” contentment
“ifokanbale” lack of worry
“sùúrù” peace and patience
Languages evolves
some focused more on wellbeing and balance
others health and peace
seeing the individual
an integral part of the cosmic forces
elements and nature balanced “àlàáfíà”
and with “zaman lafiya” in Hausa
comes a sense of inner peace
Peace Baskets
In a bright blue and white dress
with dark and light shades of blue
she smiles out at me through the camera
across the miles
behinds her a mountain of baskets
intense red and white
black with green juxtaposed
and I wonder at her smile
the text next to her picture tells me
she from the Huye district of Rwanda
a survivor of genocide
a member of the “Agaseke k’Amahoro” Cooperative
“amahoro” the peace she works toward
with split bamboo and raffia
the leaves of a palm tree
native to tropical Africa and Madagascar
she creates one basket at a time
broken lines of black wind round and round
through the white woven strands
of “Agaseke k’Amahoro” peace baskets
that hold flowers, clothing and blankets
side by side with hopes and dreams
of “amahoro”
An Ancient Peace
In the Oldupai Gorge
seat of an ancient civilization
the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania
say “eseriani” not only for peace
but togetherness
communication, health and ultimately the peace of mind
that characterize this birthplace of humans
this “place of peace”
“eseriani”
Originally published in The Year of The Poet (Vol 64) at http://www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet.php on April 1, 2019.
