Ghana is a place of restoration, community, and humanity. The Ghanaian energy of befriending and connectivity has found a part of me I thought was gone. My time here in Ghana has been shaped by my journey to search for healing, both internally and externally, for perspective, and for the relighting of a candle that has dimmed so low my heart is barely visible.
I view myself as a quiet observer, absorbing the sounds, smells, sights, and sounds that surround me. All places have a spirit and an energy. All things are symbolic and contain multitudes. The spirits and energies we bring to a place will either dance us into the night, or will call us the sounds of battle. Unfortunately, many of us and many places, are more accustomed to battle than to dance.
But not Ghana.
Ghana is dancing, singing, loving; a way of bringing joy and community into every space. All energies and spirits, past and present, contribute to the layers of beauty that exist in Ghana. Ghana has shown me that there can be a new way forward, new way to make sure not only is my candle lit but my heart is open and always leading with love.
The following are three poems I have written while in Ghana. They reflect the way the places have spoken to me, guided me, and provided me with gracious energy.
Donkor Nsuo
The silence swallows us whole.
Energy of clutching, yet paralyzing anticipation
drapes over us as a coat.
Can I do this? echoes throughout our minds.
Our varied histories have brought us here together
But our experiences will each have their own page in our shared novel.
The dirt and grass murmur as we walk, we are here to guide you.
The grass whispers to the dirt, their feet are softer but just as resilient.
The wind blows, I am here to provide comfort.
The tree whispers, maybe they too can heal as we have done.
The waves say, I am here! I am here! I have been waiting you. Min Boa Wo.
Together, the mosaic of nature reassure us of our choices, our healing, and our humanity.
The Ocean Reconciles
The thundering waves echo without the landscape of
car horns, sirens, and busy cities.
But this….
is not the thunder to frighten you, nor to capture you, nor to drown you in sorrow.
This thunder is to
heal you, to soothe your wounds,
to show you that you too can bear witness to the most vile acts against humanity,
but continue everyday,
That you too can provide sustainability, play, and peaceful sounds of laughter.
That you too can let go of all that pains you
I, the Atlantic
I can give the children water but I cannot give them their ancestors back.
I can give the children shells and soft sand but cannot soothe the pains of yesterday.
I can give comfort to the heart of the elders but only for this moment.
I can ensure humanity that I can bear their darkest truths but I cannot give them the courage to change, they must love as I do.
Ghana
Here we are celebrating, grieving, exploring the past, and believing in what could be,
Oh what a difference between what could have been… and what could be…
The hopeful beliefs float around our heads, hearts, and bodies.
We look to see your foundation, your strength in the soil that has seen so much pain.
Look up to the sky and you will see me.
Read a story and you will hear me.
We are never alone when our energies are so entwined.
The tree sings our sorrows but they also bring shade and comfort.
They see our struggle but continue to stand strong, unmovable from the brutality the world has unveiled.
Small sweat beads roll down our cheeks
as we listen to the bitter story with such
a forgiving narrator.
Through the crackling voice of others, we find our vulnerability,
the most unloved, vulnerable parts of us shattered like a pot.
What will bring the gold and silver to make us heal, reconcile,
and above all, love?
My heart is still beating, I am still breathing.
My heart has broken over and over but each break makes room for love
Do your breaks make room for love?
What will keep your heart open?
Madeline Vukson, teaches English Language Arts at Humboldt High School in St. Paul, Minnesota