Author Profile - George Sakyi-Djan

George Sakyi-Djan was born on January 24th, 1984. He is currently reading Political Science with Theatre Arts in the University of Ghana, Legon. Sakyi-Djan begun writing way back in Perseverance Preparatory School (Nsawam) at age 13. He was, however, greatly influenced by his Achimota Secondly School literature tutor Mr.Ariel Adjabeng (Ringo). George Sakyi-Djan is a poet, playwright, and script writer. He is well known in the United States and the United Kingdom for his great contributions to the annual poetry anthology of the International Society of Poetry, in the United States. Apart from writing, Sakyi-Djan wants to practice law and also be in government in the future.


Five Questions with George Sakyi-Djan:

1. In both of your poems featured on OGOV, you've ended your poems with an ellipsis (...) - is this a technique you use often? If so, what draws you to it?

The ellipsis in my poems is basically to stress on the intensity of the subject matter and to make room for the readers own intepretation of the theme.


2. How important is place/geography in your writing?

Geography is very significant to me in my poems. In "Many Miles," I am talking about Africa and Ghana in general, and Keta and Accra in particular.


3. This poem has an irregular, but very pleasing, rhyme scheme. What drew you to making the rhymes you do in this poem?

Equally the rhyme in this poem is to emphasise on the disarray, disorder and filth in our cities, which are supposed to be otherwise.


4. Your images of "swimming" to "the street's fore", "harbouring blame", and man taking a "mental bath" invoke a sense of flooding or erosion of cities - akin in many ways to the plight of Keta. Was this an intentional allusion, or am I reading too much into these lines?

Those words are pure for allussional reasons.


5. When we last talked with you, almost a year ago, you said that poetry on the campus at Legon is "virtually dead". Has any progress been made on this front over the last twelve months?

Sadly, the situation is the same.


Contact George:
georgedjan(at)yahoo.com


George's Past Profiles:

Issue 1.10, May 26th - June 1st, 2007

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