A faded rose
Retains its
Fragrance for the nose!

At a train station
Something exemplary
Drew my attention
I saw an old man
Kissing his aged wife
"Love of my Life!"

Cognizant that to
Crosschecking, the credulous
May not pay serious attention,
WHO’s Director General
Abusing your position,
As a hoodwinking trick
Tears trickling down
Each of your cheek
I saw you expressing
A cooked up idea,
An interviewee,
On a so called
Reputed media.
A reputed media
Ironically and terribly
A probing knack
That does lack.
To media weak
Unwilling
To cross examine
Whether the whole
Truth you speak.
“Why your likes—
Terrorists TPLF juntas—
Fired rockets
To a neighboring state
Intent a terror to create?
Why you did the same
On Eritrea
To create
In East Africa hysteria?

“Why in Mia kadra
Your likes
—Genocide perpetrators—
Massacring the feeble
And unarmed civilians
With a machete
Expressed to what extent
The Amhara race
You hate.”
“Why your likes
—traitors—at
The Ethio-Eriteria border
You stabbed in the back many
A national army member
In the back,
Worse waiting till
It gets pitch dark?
Salivating for arsenals
Must you
Your siblings attack?
Is it to invite
Self-defending soldiers
From the border’s other side?
Or is it running amok
To enjoy in Eretria a free ride?
Now playacting a victim
Why you try the truth
To hide?”

“Why the likes of you
—lechers—
For about 3 decades
You bled
The country dry,
Forcing millions
Lamenting their fate
With empty stomach die?
Why including those who
Hail from your ethnic
Background, on safetynet
Leaned for existence to date?

I wonder how now
You dare
To show affectation
Humanitarian issue
In Tigray is in
Your radar of care?

With
Laundered dollars,
Abroad, stashed away
Lavishly dishonest journalists
You buy as it isn’t hard
To get such guys today.
A spoiled brat
Mercenaries you hunt.

Now, barefacedly
Must you cry?
“ ‘Doves are my
Likes and I
How failed you
To pity us? Why?’
Akin a crocodile
Loud you cry?”

“Why atavism of
All-brand
The likes of you—
Mafias— spread
Throughout the land.
While the blood
Of the innocent is
Fresh on your hand,
You dream how
For reinstating
The despotic regime
Another chance
You could stand?

“Why mentally sick
The likes of you—
Colonial legacy mongers,
Vanguards of common wealth
White supremacists –
Disgustingly ingratiate
In a way
Unheard of to date
Ready to receive
And A to Z execute
What they dictate?
And to historic enemies
A hand you lend
A sign moral-wise
You are clinically dead.

“Why the likes of you—
Political thugs—
**** was your
Characteristic feature?
Mr. Director General
To spice the interview
Leave not
Your ****** exploits
That you most remember.
Of course, tell us you can,
While in power
How many
**** victims’ demonstration
In Mekle
You and your friends
Conspired to ban.
Yes **** is a
Worst crime
But registered weres
Many such offences
In your time.

Yours ,sham media
And dishonest lobbyists
Unholy marriage
Provokes the
Innocents’ rage! ///

As we are
Famed for hypocrisy
Do allow us to
Lecture you
About democracy
Though we know
Prior to us
You have the practice
In the timeline, upstarts
Usurping the know-all
Permit us
About democracy  to
Goad you please!

The divide-and-rule
Machiavellian gesture
As an adventure
We admit
And still exercise it
Fomenting
Ethnic-based conflict.

We adore to fish
In troubled water
To sure meet
Own objective faster.
Just like a canopy feeder
With our wings
Eclipsing the water
Striking out light helps us
Unsuspecting fishes  
To pick better.

In a
System of governance
And religiosity
You took the lead
But our piece of advice
How to dine, how
To put on attires
You have to heed,
Forget not
Boiled-wheat aid
You may need.
Disgraced, it is better
For food your pride
You barter.

Don’t think
Humanitarian issues
Or aid
Is what  first comes
To our head.
The economically weak
Their mind we—
Hooligan hypocrites—
Don’t
Allow them to speak
Leave alone
Their own roadmap
To design and
God-bestowed
Wealth to tap.
Worshippers of devil
Head- to -toe
We are evil.

It is our duty
To exhume a
Terrorist party
That shows alacrity
To execute assigned task
The reason behind its back
Remiss to ask.
TPLF is our right arm
We don’t want
On it to happen
Any harm.

We don’t mind
For genocide
A hotbed TPLF members
Or dissenters may find.
Introducing
Modern colonization
Is our covert intention. ///

S/he who
Our amity loves to cherish,

S/he who
The fulfilment of my wish
Has a bent to relish,

S/he who
Serves me a right arm
To parry,towards me,
Inflicted harm,

S/he who
Like a mirror
When I err
Gently draws my attention
To self-image
Tarnishing error,

S/he who
Basks in my success
Than covertly prove
An enemy adverse,

S/he who
Like a wolf in a sheep skin
With my closest ones
Doesn't commit a sin—
Which to forget but not to forgive
I will find hard
Before I am sent to
The graveyard

S/he who
Like a cat or snake
A retaliatory measure
As a knee-**** action
Does not take,
Also  with gentle admonishment
Willing to forgive
My mistake,

S/he who
Without ifs and but
My inborn follies willing to accept

S/he who
During all seasons
Agreeable or adverse
A chameleon
His/her stance
That doesn't reverse,

S/he who
That doesn't
Behind my back gloat
When I lose
A battle fought,

When the aforementioned
Conditions set
Are met,
As gold is tested
With fire
A genuine friend
I admire!

I) Revolutionary

When things
Go out of hand
When citizens
Clamor for their demand,
With snipers
We shall scatter
Them like
Wind-blown sand.

"Embrace what we say!"
Is the order of the day.
Respect  to elites, the elderly
Religious leaders and
Also sacred moral values
Do not pay.
Anti-terrorist law
Stifling media law
Strangulating civic society law
Dampening election law
...
Every law seen low
We shall offer
As a political slaw.

II) Democracy

International aid or loan
When we seek,
A democracy cap
For media consumption
We will pick,
Putting in play actors'
Mouths words
Via which we speak.

Deciding
To be kind
For those in need
I gave money off hand.

But soon
I turned cruel
When many took my giving
A for granted rule!

Savory,
Spoils many
Soft money.

Seeing a swarm of flies
Seeping the sap of
A hand-deprived
Leaper's fresh wound
A good Samaritan
Disarrayed them with
A hand clap “Twa!” sound
Getting as close as he could
In vain expecting
“A thank you!” gratitude.

“You shouldn't have done that
When the former ones,
Who had their fills, depart
The famished ones come forth
For their part
To siphon my blood
To their hearts delight!”

The upstart incumbent
Closed a curtain
On at the-end-of- the-tunnel
-alluring light
Let alone warrant
The much-touted
Days bright—Democracy
Deepening
Across the board wealth sharing.

Revolutionary democrats
Who boast “Brave
In a guerilla fight
We have sent
Tyrants to a grave!”
Serving the people
Opted to forget
So as
From government's coffer
To line up their own pocket.
Tax-comafledged exploitation
Compounded by
Government-sponsored corruption
What is more intimidation
From one's land
Or abode alienation
Research aiming
At ethnic cleansing
Bureaucratic logjams
And maladministration
Creating a non stop
Hassle and tension
From fever-pitch
Brewing up
Political tension
To divert attention
Are the tactic
They use
To sustain
Their tenure
And advance
Bad governance.///
African politics © 23 hours ago, Alem Hailu Gabre Kristos   sad poems • society poems
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Peter the Ce

Absurd it is indeed
Brought together by life's tide
Husband and wife pronounced
We sleep entwined,
Yet our dreams disarrayed
Also by diplomacy masked
Our rancour,
We get out of bed four!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.



ሁለት መንገዶች
አረንጓዴ ቢጫማ ጫካ
ውስጥ ተሰንጥቀው፣
ተለያዩ ባላ ሰርተው፡፡

ቅር የሚያሰኝ ቢሆንም፣
በሁልቱም መንግደ ተጉዤ
አንድ መንገደኛ
ልሆን አልችልም፣
ስለዚህ ቀጥ ብዬ ቆምኩ፣
እንደዛ እንዳደረኩ፣
እስከምችለው ርቀት
ቋጥኙ እስከሚያሽቖለቁልበት
አንዱን መንገድ አማተርኩ፣
ከዚም ምናልባትም ያም
ደህና የሚመስለውን፣
መረጥኩ ሌላኛውን፣
አርንጓዴ ሳራማውን፣
መቀደስ መታሸት የሚሻውን!

ግና በሱም ላይ መረማመድ፣
አዛምዶታል ከዛኛው መንገድ!
የዛን ጠዋት ሁለቱም መንገዶች፣
ነበሩ የተነሰነሱባቸው
የቅጠል ቄጤማዎች፣ ያላወየቦቸው
ተጓዝ እግሮች፡፡

ዘመን በዘመን ከታጅበ በኋላ
በትዝታ ባቡር ይሔን
አጠንጥኜ ወደኋላ
አወሳለሁ
‹‹ሁለት መንገዶች
አረንጓዴ ቢጫማ ጫካ
ውስጥ ተሰንጥቀው፣
ተለያዩ ባላ ሰርተው!››

እናም መረጥኩ
እምብዛምያልተዘወተረውን
ለልዩነቱ፣ ያ ነው ሁሉም ምክኒያቱ!

(በሮበርት ፍሮስተ/ትርጉም ዓለም ኃይሉ ገ/ክርሰቶስ)

Who makes a water speak?                                                           ­                       
A rock!

Coming out of
A nearby hut of mud
A rose bud
Used to mix with
High school
Students’ flood.

On the street
With a bow
Her I used to greet.
Drawing close
And casting an
Affectionate glance
I used to say “Hi”
Often I never
Failed to utter
“Lovely!” “Cute one!” …
In her heart a cherished
Corner to buy.
Though she was shy
Her angelic face
Smiles used to aurify.

When she comes of age
I was sure to propose to her
Though age gap could
Put us asunder
“Does that she too wonder?”
I still ponder.

One sad Saturday morning
A funeral procession
Round the hut
Drew my attention.

To her parents & siblings
And , of course,
To my hidden grief
She opted to be brief
You see
She could not tolerate
“Detained!” on her
Grade 10 certificate.

Vexed
She found it hard
To reflect
A pitch dark night
Will certainly
Cedes place to
A broad day light.

Had she managed  that
Dark moment to outgrow,
She could have
Long forgotten her sorrow.

Two decades later
Whenever I pass
By that place
I see her younger brother
With sadness stamped face!

“Suicide why?”
Is it not cruel
Inflicting
A harrowing pain
On those we
Will be survived by!

Is it not selfish
Taking our life
In to our hands
Our corporeal existence
To finish?

If we share our sorrow
Moral prop
From our confidants
We could borrow
This way
What is unbearable today
We may forget tomorrow.

Is it not better taking
The bull by the horn,
Circumventing challenges
To stand shoulder high
While many are born?///

(BY Alem Hailu G/Kristos)

When my ambition hits its mark
Or when I am in black
No one shows me his back.

Many are at my disposal for sure
So long as, I have some to offer.

They bleed me dry
And away they fly.

When I am in the red
I have no one around.

A true friend
Without saying it goes
Remains close
Despite the test
The turn of events pose!
Alem Hailu Gabre Kristos

Though it is good
To bring to the limelight
Women brilliant,
In different walks of life
Who fought their way
To inaccessible height,
We must not forget
Starving-and-
drudgery-saddled mothers
Who their children
To school send
With full stomach
Too deserve
A tap on the back!
This must be also
Included in our talk
Specially when March 8
We mark!

Her childhood she spent
In a backwater of development
Where harmful practices
Mainly the fair *** that subject,
Thrived rampant.

A blow on the row dealt
Broke she sobbed and wept
Irritate at a community
Social filths that tolerate.

On a way to school
***** by a woody pool,
She and her dream
For a life better
Got asunder,
Not to mention
The lacerating physical pain
She was forced to suffer!

A mental serenity deprived
Panicky rendered
Worse still,
A sinful by all shunned
Her psychological carapace
To panic ceded  place!

A mental serenity deprived
Panicky rendered
Scoffed out from school
She dropped.

With few
To understand her position
She felt it a terrible sin
To give a red card to the seed
That forced its way in.

However unable to withstand
Repulsion to the conceived
Revolt took the upper-hand
As it is not hard to understand.

After the conceived
A cherub turned
Qualms of concise assailed
Afraid abduction
And a **** second
In fleeing to town
She sought salivation,
Expecting people
With a touch of civilization.

There, to a couple with a child
A servant she turned
And some skills she acquired,
But seduced by the husband
By the wife upbraided and slapped
Half her chicken fed salary deducted
To compensate for a glass
She clumsily in haste smashed
Herself she found
Cadging for bread
And shelter in the neighborhood.

By a dealer advised
And lured by what she heard
Hand me downs attired
A brothel she joined
With feelings buyout
Inundated.

Nights wild she spent
With the fortune and alcohol mad
Even the pilferers and the frustrated
To alcohol,'Chat',***-******
And hashish addicted.

So and so her health unheeded
She soon ailed from ailments of every kind
And took to bed.
To the God blest friends who brings
Her bread
This she said on her deathbed,
"As tradition bid
When my obituary is read
My body to my mother town ferried
And dust on me turned,
Make sure this is included
When before God  I stand
And my case is heard
"Where is your conceived?
And why my commandments
You haven't observed?"
I will answer
It is the community that
Me born and raised
And cruelly molded bad shaped
accountable should be held
For all I did ill fate coerced
Besides to hell I am inured!
Thanks to' you revering mankind!'

So God
Hell if once more
I am to be remanded
Am I to be sacred?
From earthly hell
To heavily hell transferred!
© Alem Hailu GAbre Kristos, 5 months ago

Fame is a food that dead men eat, —
I have no stomach for such meat.
In little light and narrow room,
They eat it in the silent tomb,
With no kind voice of comrade near
To bid the feaster be of cheer.

But Friendship is a nobler thing, —
Of Friendship it is good to sing.
For truly, when a man shall end,
He lives in memory of his friend,
Who doth his better part recall
And of his fault make funeral.//



ዝናና ጓደኝነት

ዝና የሙታን ቀለብ ነውና
እንዲህ አይነት ሥጋ፣
ቦታ የለውም እኔጋ!
በዛች ብርሃን በተበደለችው
ትንሷ ደብር፣
ይበሉታል ፀጥታ
በነገሰበት መቃብር!

ከቅርብ ወዳጅ
‹‹ደስ ይላል
ውለታ መላሽ
ያርገኝ! ›› ምስጋና፣
የሆነ ወና!
ግና፣ጓደኛማችነት
ትልቅ ቦታ የሚቸረው
ነውና
ስለባንጅራ መዘመር፣
ያሻዋል ከታች መሰመር፡፡

አንድ ግለሰብ
በሞት ሲረታ፣
በርግጠኝነት በጓደኛው ትዝታ
ይኖረዋል ቦታ!
የሱን መልካምነት፣
አግዝፎ የሚያወሳልት
እንዲሁም የሚስፈፅም
የሱን ስሕተት
ግባተ መሬት!

(አውስቲን ዶብሶን/ ትርጉም ዓለም ኃይል ገ/ክርሰቶሰ)

What a fall from grace
The untrustworthy
Are doomed to face!

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.


ሪቻርድ ኮሪ

ሪቻርድ ኮሪ
ቁልቁል ወደ ከተማ ሲወርድ፣
ሆነን በእግረኛው መንገድ
እናየው ነበር::
ከጫማው ሶል እስከራሱ፣
ተክለሰውነቱ፣ ቀጭን ጌታ እንደንጉሱ፣
ሁሌ ድንቅ አለጫጭ አለባበሱ!

ብንደምረውም ከኛው ጎራ
‹‹እንደምን አደራችሁ!›› ሲል
የቃል አወጣጥ ስልቱ፣
አቤት ማስደሰቱ፣
ድንቅ አረማመዱ አክሂያዱ!
በጣም ሃብታም--ከሃብታምም ሃብታም፣
የንጉሱም ሃብት ከሱ አይጠጋም--
አስፈላጊውን ትምህርተ ሁሉ የቀሰመ
በእውቀቱ ያስደመመ፡፡
በአዘቦት፣ሁሉም ሃሴት የተሟላለት
‹‹ምነው በሱ ቦታ በሆንን!›› ብለን
የሱን እጣ ሽተን
እናም በለት ስራችን ተጠምደን
ብሩህ ተስፋ ሰንቀን
ስጋ ተነፍገን ዳቦን እረገምን!
ሪቻርድ ኮሪ
አንድ ጸጥ ያለ ምሽት
ገብቶ ቤቱ አኖረ ጥይት
በራሱ ጭንቅላት!//

In secret place where once I stood
Close by the Banks of Lacrim flood,
I heard two sisters reason on
Things that are past and things to come.
One Flesh was call'd, who had her eye
On worldly wealth and vanity;
The other Spirit, who did rear
Her thoughts unto a higher sphere.

"Sister," quoth Flesh, "what liv'st thou on
Nothing but Meditation?
Doth Contemplation feed thee so
Regardlessly to let earth go?
Can Speculation satisfy
Notion without Reality?
Dost dream of things beyond the Moon
And dost thou hope to dwell there soon?
Hast treasures there laid up in store
That all in th' world thou count'st but poor?
Art fancy-sick or turn'd a Sot
To catch at shadows which are not?
Come, come. I'll show unto thy sense,
Industry hath its recompence.
What canst desire, but thou maist see
True substance in variety?
Dost honour like? Acquire the same,
As some to their immortal fame;
And trophies to thy name *****
Which wearing time shall ne'er deject.
For riches dost thou long full sore?
Behold enough of precious store.
Earth hath more silver, pearls, and gold
Than eyes can see or hands can hold.
Affects thou pleasure? Take thy fill.
Earth hath enough of what you will.
Then let not go what thou maist find
For things unknown only in mind."

Spirit.
“Be still, thou unregenerate part,
Disturb no more my settled heart,
For I have vow'd (and so will do)
Thee as a foe still to pursue,
And combat with thee will and must
Until I see thee laid in th' dust.
Sister we are, yea twins we be,
Yet deadly feud 'twixt thee and me,
For from one father are we not.
Thou by old Adam wast begot,
But my arise is from above,
Whence my dear father I do love.
Thou speak'st me fair but hat'st me sore.
Thy flatt'ring shews I'll trust no more.
How oft thy slave hast thou me made
When I believ'd what thou hast said
And never had more cause of woe
Than when I did what thou bad'st do.
I'll stop mine ears at these thy charms
And count them for my deadly harms.
Thy sinful pleasures I do hate,
Thy riches are to me no bait.
Thine honours do, nor will I love,
For my ambition lies above.
My greatest honour it shall be
When I am victor over thee,
And Triumph shall, with laurel head,
When thou my Captive shalt be led.
How I do live, thou need'st not scoff,
For I have meat thou know'st not of.
The hidden Manna I do eat;
The word of life, it is my meat.
My thoughts do yield me more content
Than can thy hours in pleasure spent.
Nor are they shadows which I catch,
Nor fancies vain at which I ******
But reach at things that are so high,
Beyond thy dull Capacity.
Eternal substance I do see
With which inriched I would be.
Mine eye doth pierce the heav'ns and see
What is Invisible to thee.
My garments are not silk nor gold,
Nor such like trash which Earth doth hold,
But Royal Robes I shall have on,
More glorious than the glist'ring Sun.
My Crown not Diamonds, Pearls, and gold,
But such as Angels' heads infold.
The City where I hope to dwell,
There's none on Earth can parallel.
The stately Walls both high and trong
Are made of precious Jasper stone,
The Gates of Pearl, both rich and clear,
And Angels are for Porters there.
The Streets thereof transparent gold
Such as no Eye did e're behold.
A Crystal River there doth run
Which doth proceed from the Lamb's Throne.
Of Life, there are the waters sure
Which shall remain forever pure.
Nor Sun nor Moon they have no need
For glory doth from God proceed.
No Candle there, nor yet Torch light,
For there shall be no darksome night.
From sickness and infirmity
Forevermore they shall be free.
Nor withering age shall e're come there,
But beauty shall be bright and clear.
This City pure is not for thee,
For things unclean there shall not be.
If I of Heav'n may have my fill,
Take thou the world, and all that will.”


ስጋና መንፈስ

ከለታት አንድቀን ከኝኝ ብላ ወንዝ
በድብቅ ከቆምኩበት ሰዋራ ስፍራ
ስለአለፉና ስለሚመጡ ነገሮች
ሲወያዩ አደመጥኩ
ሁለት እሕትማማቾች፡፡

ስጋ ለበሽ ትባላለች  አንዷ ፣
ግብዝ ሆና ምድራዊ ነገር ላይ
ዓይኗን መትከል ነበር ልምዷ!

ሌላዋ ደግሞ ነፍስ ነው የምትባለው፣
የትኩረቷ ክበባዊ ማረፊያ የተቀነበበው
ምጡቅ ሆኖ ሰማይ ስላለው፡፡

(መጠሪያዋ ስጋ የሆነው)

እሕቴ እኔ የምለው
ቀለብሽ ምንድን ነው?
መመሰጥ፣ በመመሰጥ
ዝምብሎ መስመጥ?

አስረስቶ ሁሉን ነገር
አስከዓለም ዳርቻ
እንዴት ቀለብ ይሆንሻል
ሃሳብ ብቻ?

ግምታዊ ምልከታ
እንዴት ነው የሚፈቅደው
ሐሳባዊ ዕይታ
ተጨባጭ ሁኔታውን
እንዲረታ?

ታልሚለሽ ስለሁሉ
ከጨረቃ ባሻገር
ቦታ ለመያዝ
እዚያ መንደር?

እዚያ ብዙ ሃብት አለ
አንቺን የሚጠብቅ
ምድራዊ ሃብትን
አጠልሽቶ የሚያስንቅ?

ምናባዊ ምልከታሽ ትንሽ
አልተሳከረም አልተምታታም
እነኛን ጥላዎችን የሌላቸው
አካላዊ ድንበር
ለመያዝ ሲፍጨረጨር?››

ስሚኝማ ስሚኝማ
እኔማ  ቀልብ እንደትገዢ አደርጋለሁ
‹‹ጥረት ይገዛል ግርማ
ደምቆ በውጤት ሸማ!››

ምን ልትሺ ትችያለሽ
ከልዩነት መሐል
የአይንሽ ብረት
ከሚያየው
ተጨባጭ ግዝፈት?

ክብር ትወጂያለሽ
ለመሆን ገናና
ልክ  ለማግኘት እንደጣሩት
ሞትን ተሻጋሪ ዝና?

ትፈልጊያለሽ ዋንጫ ማንሳት
ስምሽን ለማስተጠራት
እርጅና የማይገድባት?

በጣም ትቋምጪያለሸ
ሀብት በደንብ ለማግኘት
የሱን ክምር ማየት?
መሬት አላት ገና
መዳብ፣እንቁና ወርቅ
ዓይን የሚሰርቅ
ክጅ እቅፍ የሚተርፍ፡፡

ደስታ ተፅኖ አይፈጥርብሽም?
ልምከርሽ አትንገልጀጅ
የምትፈልጊውን ድርሻሽን ውሰጅ
ሑሉ ተትረፍርፎ
ከመሬት ደጅ፡፡

የምትመኚውን ስታገኚው
እባክሽ እንዳትለቂው
አስበልጠሸ ነገሮች ወና
እነኛን  የምታስሺያቸውን
በምናብሽ ዳና፡፡

(መንፈስ )

ግን አንቺ አሁንም ሳትፀፀቺ
ሆነሽ በስሜትሽ የምትነጂ
ልቤን አትጉጂ!

ታውቂያለሽ ምያለሁ
(በርግጥ አደርገዋለሁ)
አንቺን አንደጠላት
አሳዶ ለማጥቃት!

በርግጠኝነትእንደቤትሥራ
የግድ እንደሚሠራ
እፋለምሻለሁ
እስካይ ተንኮታኩተሽ
ከአቧራ ተደባልቀሽ!

እሕቴ እርግጥ ነው
መንታነታችን
ግና ታውጇል
ፍልሚያ በመሓከላችን
ምከኒያቱም አባታችን
አንድ አይደለም?
አንቺ የአዳም
አምሳያ አይደለሽ
የተገኘሽ ከሱ  ስጋ ና ደም፤
የኔ ግን ስሪት ከሰማይ ነው
ተወዳጅ አባቴን እንዳፈቅረው፡፡

አስመሳይ ነሽ
የምትይው
አይሆንም በጭራሽ
አንቺ መልቲና
ሸርዳጅ ጉዳተት አድራሽ!

ገና በደል ታደርሸብናለሽ
ስለዚህ ያንቺን ከቱ ሙገሳ
ነኝ ወዲያው የምረሳ
በዚህ ምክኒት
ምንም፣ ላምንሽ አልችልም !

ስንቴ ያንቺ ባሪያ
መናጆ ልሁን
ስፈጽም
አንቺ የምትይውን?
ከአሁን ወዲያ
ጆሮዬ ለምክርሽ
መስሚያው ጥጥ
ነው የሚሆንብሽ፡፡

በአንቺ እኩይ ደስታ
በጣም ነው የምናደድ
እንዲሕ አይነት ሃብት
አይችልም አኔን ሊያጠምድ!

አንቺ አንደጀብዱ
የምታነሺውን ተግባር
አልችልም እኔ ላፈቅር
ጭራሽ ስለሚስገድደኝ
ቅንድቤን አንድቋጥር!
ምከኒያቱም የኔ እይታ
ከፍ ካለ ቦታ
አንዲሁም የኔ ስኬት ደስታ
አንቺን ስረታ
በመለጠቅ
የድልአድራጊነት ካባ ሳጠልቅ፤
በካቴና ተጠፍረሽ
ሳይሽ‹‹ ምሪ ቀጥይ ተብለሽ!››

የእኔ የኑሮ ሁኔታ
ምንጭ  ሊሆን  አይገባም
ያንቺ ሐሜታዊ ደስታ፡፡
ስለኔ ስጋ ቀለቤ
በጭራሽ ሊኖርሽ
አይችልም ህሳቤ!

የኔ ስውር መኖ
የኔ ምግበ ስጋ
የህይወት ቃል ነውና
አንቺ ምድራዊ ደስታን
ከመሻት፣ ከምታጠፊው ሰአት
የኔ ምልከታ
ያጎናፅፈኛል እርካታ፡፡

ጥላ አይደለም የማባርረው
በብልጭልጭ ነገር
አይደለም የምደመመው
ሁሌ አርካብ የምረግጠው
ከፍ ወዳለው ለመውጣት ነው፤
ግና ለክፋቱ ይሄ ነገር
ይዘለላል ከአንቺ
አንኮላ  ጭንቅላት ድንበር!

ለሰማዊ አሴቶች
ነፍሴ ተመንጥቃ ሥታበቃ
እኔማ፣
እቀየራለሁ ልክ
በምስኖ አንደለማ፡፡


አይኖቼ
ሰንጥቀው አፍላጦኑን
ያያሉ ስውር የሆነውን
ካባዬ የተሰራው
ከወርቅ ወይ
ሐር አይደለም
ወይ ከተመሳሳይ
መሬትላይ ከሚታይ
የኔ ካባ ልዩ ሆኖ ይልቃል
ከምታንጸባርቀው ፀሃይ ፀዳል፡፡


የኔ ፀዳል
ዘውዴም ከቶፓዘ እንቁ ከወርቅ
ይበልጣል መላኮች ራሰ ላይ
ክብ ሰርቶ ከሚታይ!

ያከተማ
ልኖርበት የማስበው ነው
መሬት ላይ አቻ የለው
ግድግዳው ረዥምና ጠንካራ ነው
በሩን የሚጠብቁት
መላዕክት ናቸው
መንገዱ የተሰራው
አይን አይቶት ከማያውቅ
ብርሃን ከሚያሳልፍ ወርቅ፡፡

ከዙፋኑ ስር ተነስቶ
የወትት ወንዝ ይፈሳል
ቀልብ ገዝቶ!

ለህይወት የሚሆነው ውሃ
ኩልል እንዳለ ይዘልቃል!
ለፀሃይ ለጨረቃ
ማንም ደንታ የለውም
የግዚአብሔር ግርማ
ለሁሉም ስለሚበቃ
ሻማ መለኮስ
መብራት ማብራት
የለም
ስለማይኖር ለጨለማ ስጋት፡፡

ከህማም አንዲሁመ ድካም
ነፃ ይሆናለ ሁሉም
ማርጅት የሚባለ  ነገር
አይታስብመ ከቶ
ውበት ስለሚታይ
ገዝፎ፣ደምቆና አብርቶ!

ያፀአዳ ከተማ ለአንቺ አይደለም
እኩይ ነገር እዚያ የለም፡፡

የኔ ድረሻ ከሆን ከሰማይ
መሬትና በቅፉ ያሉት
ይሁኑ ያንቺ ሲሳይ፡፡

(በአን ብራንደስትሪት/ ትርጉም  በዓለም ኃይሉ ገ/ክርሰቶስ)

I want to relive
That moment why?

An eighth grader
I watched you
A full-brown
Chocolate rose
On the stair sashay
To a classroom
On the row,
While passing by.
That moment
Couldn’t forget I
Till I die.

I want to relive
That moment why?

In the dictionary of
My childhood
I added love
Observing a girl child
At her virginal beauty
Leaping into womanhood
What is more I understood
Bewitching, swing
From earth to sky
A man’s feeling,
And mood
A metamorphosing
Girl could.

I want to relive
That moment why?

I dawned on me
“From my love object
Could I win
A kiss?”
Is what revolves
A man’s axis.
Also
“How could I be
On  romance’s ball
Before her eyes
To stand tall?”

I want to relive
That moment why

That day’s
Fond memory
In the cherished corner
Of my heart
I want to carry
Along with my body
The immortal feeling
Men couldn’t bury.

I want to relive
That moment why

I found it hard
To study
Unable to control
The lower part
Of my body.

When I heard today
Your passing away
Regretted I
Failed to pay
You a visit why?

Regretted I
Why, why, why, why
Failed to say goodbye
On your sickbed
Looking at your eye?

Regretted I
Told you not why
Your kindness and honesty
Were descriptions that defy?

Of course
I was submerged
In life's
Rest -not- knowing chores?

One can use
A knife to chop
A potato or a tomato.
Or getting off track
On can use it
To stab people
In the back!
Nations can harness
Nuclear to generate power
Or to eliminate all
Also to tear down many
A tower.

The double-faced
Supper powers
That uphold imperialism
To meet their ends
Subtly cultivate
And promote terrorism.

They condemn it
Only if it rains
Havoc they
Don't permit!

Using terrorism
A midwife to a new religion
Or an independent nation
From all-quarters must be
Denied support and attention!

With an insatiable urge
For your walk
Chalk and Talk
You illumine the dark
With eternal spark.

Teacher, you torch bearer
You render meaning
To the gist of living
Burning and shining
A lighting candle
Every passing second
That does dwindle.

For posterity you pave way
Which is your sole pay!

Though poverty
Is attached
To your holy profession
Keep on building a nation!

Foolishly bold
Abnegating God
To get attention
Famous by
A negative association
Is moral degradation.

The beginning of wisdom
Is realizing His kingdom.

Suicidal, reclining on a sofa
Gazing at his partner’s photo,
A handsome friend of mine I got
He was  by an
Overwhelming love smote.

To optimize hers
And his pleasure to trim
She opted
Suddenly to desert him.

Buddy, what weighs
So heavily on your mind?
Get it off your chest
A solution I may help you find!

“This picture-perfect girl
Sweet-talked me into love,
She playacted
As one sent from above.
But all of a sudden,
Before I had figured it out,
A mishap,
She dropped off the map.
You see, she was ready
To flee to
Her secret fiancé abroad
Simultaneously,
All the while grabbing
My hand
To lead me
Along love’s road.

With her fiancé
Stashed in
The back of her mind,
In a manner
A lead to her secret
I may not find
She was aware
Our love
To a halt
Would soon grind
However absurd
Her act I might find!”

I recited to him
A poem from Debebe Seifu,
Ethiopia’s famous poet,
Cognizant a well prescribed
Poem is an antidote
"You served me
An asinine chalice
Concocted of
Honey and gall,
Which at one shot
I gurgled down my throat.
Your fingers caressed me
To make me forget my pain
To lullaby me in to a sleep
Upon awakening from
My hallucination to get myself
In a thorny bed again."

Reading, re-reading the poem
Laughing out loud,
His anguish he soon forgot.
So make note,
To normalize a mood swing
Reading poems is a nice thing.

Life -->Death

"Why do
People see your
Behaviour uncouth?"

Death-->Life

"It is simple
You are
A savoury falsehood,
While I am
A bitter truth!"

The lapse of
An energetic lad
For the failure
Is a news grand!
'cause getting a balm
His scarred soul
Turns calm--
"I'm not single alone
With ill-fate marked born!"

A warm morning Sun
Flickering a ray of light
Making my fogy
Bachelor's heart bright,
A curtain raiser,
Thawing the ice of solitude,
You afforded me
A turn around
That rendered my life sound.

What a surprise
You gave me children—
God's gifts in a human guise!

Lucy


She dwelt among the untrodden ways
    Beside the springs of Dove,
A Maid whom there were none to praise
    And very few to love:

A violet by a mossy stone
    Half hidden from the eye!
Fair as a star, when only one
    Is shining in the sky.

She lived unknown, and few could know
    When Lucy ceased to be;
But she is in her grave, and oh,
    The difference to me!


ድንቅነሽ

እድገቷ እምብዛም ባልተዘወተረው
የሽማ ማጠቢ አቅራቢያ ነው
እንደአንድ ኮረዳ፣ለአድናቆት ሆና
ፍፁም እንግዳ፣
ለፍቅር ተወስና በጣም በጥቂቶች
የልብ ጓዳ፣
ነው የኖረች
ያቺ ሃምራዊ ፅጌረዳ
ዋቅላሚ በወረሰው ኮረብታ
በከፊል ተጋርዳ፡፡

እንደብቸኛ ኮከብ
ጽልመት በለበሰው ሰማይ
ደምቃ አንደምትታይ
ከማንም እይታ ርቃ
ነው የኖረች
እንዲሁም የሚያውቅ  የለም
ድንቅነሽ መች እንደሞተች
ግና መቃብሯ ውስጥ ነች
ወይኔ፣ ልዩነቱ ለኔ!

(ዊሊያም ወርድሰ ወርዝ/ትርጉም ዓለም ኃይሉ)

Lack is not
What denied me luck
Rather luck is what I lack!

Yet I craft poems a lot
To change  my lot
God willing
One day to hit
Poetry contests' jackpot!

Just to win an argument
Oft the couples
Resort to a heated debate.

For a change
They never tried
To remedy
A rage-rocked marriage.

They have themselves to blame
For a solution begging problem.

You used to soar up with
A philosophic wing
A nightingale a peace-packed
Verse of democracy to sing,
So we became dupes
And thought seconding you
Or voting for you is a nice thing.
But as a Pandora box fate
Or like suffering
Soul-gnawing
Scorpion's sting
Surfaced a strange thing.

Your sanctimonious disposition
Soon came to our attention
When you rosy mask
Suffered a crack
In a way that is stark.

To citizens
Facts on the ground
Has brought
Giving the benefit of the doubt
Accepting what you say
Without a grain of a salt
Is a fault.

On votary's of the truth
That lampoons your partiality
"Uncouth!"
Waving a finger you began to bark
Recoiling back
To "They and we" parochialism sack
The "They" dubbed covertly or overtly
To attack.
Now unmasked you have the teeth of a rat
Revealing you are not better than a bat.

There is a rat to smell,
To the democrats
Which is a warning bell.

As it sounds sad
For a reason
I can't understand
Even after I extended them
A helping hand
Also a good Samaritan
I shook off their dust
And pulled them up
From the sand,
There are people
Who do  me
Things bad
Daring
"Do good to s/he
Who did  you
Things bad!"
Topsy-turvy
On its head stand.

But up on
A bit reflection
Something bubbles up
To my attention
Despite His
Benevolence untold
That is exactly what
I am doing on God.

Envoy

"Forgive your erring friend
Seventy times seven
If you want Me
To welcome you in heaven!"

Meeting a stranger
In a bus station
A housewife became
Tempered to cheat
On her husband
"It is alright
As it will be
One night stand!"

She found
The adulterous fling
A nice thing
Which must be kept going.
She began to say
"What could  my husband
possibly bring?"

The couples marriage
Went dangerously awry
When the husband continued
To beset her by
"Why, Why,...Why?"
"Didn't we vow
To stay united
Till we die?
I am afraid
In a fit of rage
I could make a revenge!"

The man who wandered into
Her life off guard to wholesale
Posses her
Continued to demand.
"After lunch we could
Attend a music band,
Before dinner
We could go to a cinema
In the village yonder,
For breakfast
We must drive
To the shore fast!

In vain she began to lament
"Do not hesitate
My peevish husband
Could 2 in 1 pierce us
With a bullet!"
So how can we
Go to another village
Or open
A new page?
Keep we better
Things under cover."

By the time
She got home with a bruise
And a fictitious answer
For ready use
To be accompanied by
The usual
"Give me a break?"
In their bedroom
She found her husband
With a noose
Around his neck
Written on his face
'Give me a break!"

Ironically
The rope was
The self same tie
Up on their marriage
She gifted him
"Forget you
I shall not
Till I die!"

Why my dear
When laid I, my eyes
On you first ,
Heart mine
In my throat
An asylum sought?

Why my dear
When my ear
Fine-tuned got
To your voice
Dulcet
Out of me
I jumped out?

Why my dear
For instance
Your scent
Of a rose fragrance
I inhaled ,
Perched I remained
Than alive more dead!

Why my dear
Me when you first greet
My tongue
Oft adept
Twice as much
To reverberate
Panic gripped slept?

How then my dear
Fidgeting
I to you
Me endear?

On Christmas, when we mark
The saviour's birth, taking
The night out for a non stop bout
Running amok round the clock
Is a far cry from Christendom!

Christ is not risen for the season.
Oblivious to " Give one if you have two"
Hoarding 20 pairs of shoes
Under a lock
While others walk
Even without a sock
In Christendom doesn't work !


Don't you think we have to visit
The imprisoned and sick?
Also be polite & considerate
With others when we speak!

Humble, Christ was born in a barn
So that modesty show we can!

Christmas conveys a message
Past description about God's incarnation,
In the miracle Saint Mary deserves
No less attention!

"I have not seen
The likes of it!"
Reads a caption
On a Facebook
Uploaded utube
That fails not
To immediately
Grab attention.

A bird is seen drawing
Close to a pool
With a speed
Starved fishes to feed
Fishes, eagerly awaiting it
To regurgitate
And drop a seed.

I reflected
Making a paradigm shift
If a bird
In a way that seems absurd
Shows such magnanimity
How then we fail
To maintain unity?

Men are becoming on
Neighbors  brutal
Inflicting an attack fatal,
While animals
Are becoming humanistic
In a way that is fantastic.

Though among the chosen,
Judah opted to cross floor,
Out of his way
Heading to the path of the fallen!

In a spectacular way
Breaking loose from
The tight grip of the fallen,
Mary Magdalene braved
The ardours track of the chosen!

Heedless to a heavenly
Crown at hand,
Judah  hankered
For a monetary reward.
Giving attention
To soul's worth,
While Mary Magdalene
Gave a red card
To her cherished perfume,
Though to procure it
She saved hard.

It was with a kiss
"This is He
You should not miss!
Now, mission accomplished,
Give me the 30 Birr please!"
Judah betrayed Christ.
Repentan, while
Mary  Magdalene
Washed Christ's feet
With tears.

Regretful Judah
Put a noose around his neck,
While ,Mary Magdalene happily
Saw the resurrection of
Christ before a daybreak!

To get a fresh air
A night stroll would be fair,
I thought
And switching the TV
I got up from my chair.

On the pavement
Of a nearby apartment
A lovely girl by accident
I  met,
Who looks timid and decent.

On my part a wink
On hers a response quick
Lovers soon we begin to click
And engaged in a kissing spree
On the street
Our arms locked behind
Our waist
To passers by
Completely indifferent.

"My dear
Your lips
Are meant non-stop
To kiss!"

"I was willing except
For time constraint.
You see, home
I have to report!"

Thus we were forced to part
Fixing an appointment.

Resulting in a great sorrow
It dawned on me on the morrow
She was a pickpocket
When I couldn't get the wallet,
I shoved into my back pocket!

From that day on wards
At night whenever I meet girls
And exchange greetings
I check my hands
For fear even
A finger could run amiss.

"As you are bewitched
By my beauty
Allow me to be a bit naughty!

Pleasure expect not to gain
Without a little pain.

Take me to
The most expensive
Restaurants that exist.
Let me order dishes top
On the menu list.
Hurry, let us go
To another place
Having for an open -kitchen
A space.
Don't you doubt
I have interest
For a none-stop bout.

Buy me
Expensive cosmetics
And shoes
Dresses and an overcoat
And what not?
Not forgetting money
For transport.

Though when
You got me first, I was broke
I had a pride strong
Like a rock!"

Although you seem a dove,
A wolf in a sheep's skin,
You are blind to
A genuine love,
Hence,I have decided
The problem to solve!
Before you jilt me
When I have nothing
For you to siphon,
Finish with you
I ought
As love must not be
A typhoon.


So dove,
Helpless, may helps you
God who is above!

Keeping pace
While they fail
To stride ahead,
Falling down
They opt to be
A barricade.

Never at all
I'm on the
Religious ball
If prophet Simeon's
Painful message
"A sword will pierce
Your own soul!" (Luke 2:35)
That shows
The selfless sacrifice
The immaculate has
To pay
To achieve God's goal,
Fails before me
To stand tall.

For the sagacious
Suffice a word
The immaculate
Herself said
"Great things untold
Things manifold
Had done to me
The Lord
My Son
and my God.” (lk 1:49b)

Take note
When we pray
Excepting her
Is a fault!

On the cross
Before He depart
"She is your mother
And you her children!"
Was what
Jesus wanted to impart.
(John 19:26–27:)

Forefathers shedding blood
In a spectacular
Bravery and unity
Heralded
"A violated-not sovereignty
And self confidence"
For posterity!
What is more
An unpolluted culture
And intact identity!

Thus, maintaining integrity
And hard-preserved identity
Getting poverty and lack
Behind our back,
For the coming generation
We have to pave the track
With Mega projects  Like
--GERD--
So that on a bright tomorrow
Our children embark!

It will not change now
After so many years
Life has not broken it
With parting or tears
Death will not alter it
It will live on
In my all songs for you
When I am gone.


አይለወጥም

ዓመታት ቢነጉዱም
በዘመን ደለል አይዋጥም፣
በመለያየት፣ በእንባ
ሕይወት አላጋዘውም
ወደ አለመኖር አምባ!
አይበግረውም ሞት
ዘመን ይዘልቃል ይዞት!
በሁሉም መዝሙሮቼ
በማልፍ ላንተ ሠውቼ!

(ሳራ ቲሰዳል !)//

Though they have
Different tongues
All religions
Have the same speech,
Peace,Love, Considerateness
And Hope
Are what each preach!

Is it not  then
A glitch
Under the guise of religion
To teach
"Spell death!'
To s/he who has
a different faith!

Nay, you wrong her my friend, she's not fickle; her love she has simply outgrown:
One can read the whole matter, translating her heart by the light of one's own.

Can you bear me to talk with you frankly? There is much that my heart would say;
And you know we were children together, have quarrelled and 'made up' in play.

And so, for the sake of old friendship, I venture to tell you the truth,-
As plainly, perhaps, and as bluntly, as I might in our earlier youth.

Five summers ago, when you wooed her, you stood on the self-same plane,
Face to face, heart to heart, never dreaming your souls could be parted again.

She loved you at that time entirely, in the bloom of her life's early May;
And it is not her fault, I repeat it, that she does not love you to-day.

Nature never stands still, nor souls either; they ever go up or go down;
And hers has been steadily soaring - but how has it been with your own?

She has struggled and yearned and aspired, grown purer and wiser each year:
The stars are not farther above you in yon luminous atmosphere!

For she whom you crowned with fresh roses, down yonder, five summer ago,
Has learned that the first of our duties to God and ourselves is to grow.

Her eyes they are sweeter and calmer; but their vision is clearer as well:
Her voice has a tenderer cadence, but is pure as a silver bell.

Her face has the look worn by those who with God and his angels have talked:
The white robes she wears are less white than the spirits with whom she has walked.

And you? Have you aimed at the highest? Have you, too, aspired and prayed?
Have you looked upon evil unsullied? Have you conquered it undismayed?

Have you, too, grown purer and wiser, as the months and the years have rolled on?
Did you meet her this morning rejoicing in the triumph of victory won?

Nay, hear me! The truth cannot harm you. When to-day in her presence you stood,
Was the hand that you gave her as white and clean as that of her womanhood?

Go measure yourself by her standard; look back on the years that have fled:
Then ask, if you need, why she tells you that the love of her girlhood is dead.

She cannot look down to her lover; her love like her soul, aspires;
He must stand by her side, or above her, who would kindle its holy fires.

Now farewell! For the sake of old friendship I have ventured to tell you the truth,
As plainly, perhaps, and as bluntly, as I might in our earlier youth.///
//////////////////



--->Specialy this part(how could growing out of love make a lady pure?)


She has struggled and yearned and aspired, grown purer and wiser each year:
The stars are not farther above you in yon luminous atmosphere!

For she whom you crowned with fresh roses, down yonder, five summer ago,
Has learned that the first of our duties to God and ourselves is to grow.

Her eyes they are sweeter and calmer; but their vision is clearer as well:
Her voice has a tenderer cadence, but is pure as a silver bell.

Her face has the look worn by those who with God and his angels have talked:
The white robes she wears are less white than the spirits with whom she has walked.

And you? Have you aimed at the highest? Have you, too, aspired and prayed?
Have you looked upon evil unsullied? Have you conquered it undismayed?

Have you, too, grown purer and wiser, as the months and the years have rolled on?
Did you meet her this morning rejoicing in the triumph of victory won?
Some part of this poem is not clear for me, I indicated after the arrow.I did translate two of her poem into Amharic.I am trying to translate this one

"Even for a fraction of a second
You, I don't want  to miss!
In dancing attendance on you
I will never be remiss!"
This was your pledge
When in an eye-opener
Romance we were on
The same page.

Also it was your
Wont uttering
"Allow me please,
Now and then,
On your dainty lips
To plant a kiss!"

Putting at risk my health
Passing through
The valley of death
I gave you an offspring
Which we found
A miraculous
And strange thing!

When fantasies
To responsibility
Ceded place
You made a habit
Driving me
To the end of
My patience!
You drop to a pub
For quick once
With  your bachelor friends,
Who affectation-packed affection
On you dance!

I don't think
You will lack
"Quick you have
To get back on track!"*

Standing firm
And close by a  lactating spouse
In the teeth of responsibility
Also adversity
Is the acid test of
Love's intensity!

You must not jump ship
The cream of the cake
After you did sip!

An unforgettable
Memory to cherish
A glimmer of hope
To relish
Renders life,sandwiched
In between,
A sumptuous dish!

Turning a blind eye
Also, intimidated to
Challenge the autocrats "Why? "
I condoned the slaying
Of the honest and workaholic
Subordinates on integrity's altar
Allowing on my conscience
An indelible scar.

History has it that
“United we stand
Divided we fall!”
Was the secret
That helped
The victorious
            stand tall.

Similarly A,b...Y and z
Ethnic groups all
Some major,while some
In number small
For ages were
          on the ball
Whenever there is a call
Eveready nation's
     development spur
Or aggressor to deter.

Pursuant of a trick
“Divide and rule!
Fish in a troubled water
Putting siblings asunder”
The formula for the cruel, z
Tried to thwart A,b...Y's
social fabric
Not sparing a single brick.

An upstart  z drove a wedge
Among A,b....Y, on the sly.
But they asked “Dissension why?”
Isn't UNITY what in our
Formative years we bought!
And together they went
For z's throat
To deprive it the devilish power

it terribly sought
Now z is fighting a
             battle lost
What a lesson  it got!

Before I got me
Back in shape
Life's unilateral
And busy train
Opted to escape.

Opted life to escape
While I was
Dreaming about
An elixir
Or some sort of help!