Thank You

Our series of poems in memory of President Mills has come to an end. With 35 poems published over 40 days, this represented a Special Series like none other here at One Ghana, One Voice. Either through poems, or comments, or supportive tweets and emails, or prayers, everyone in the OGOV community contributed in some way or another. Thank you.

While we are no longer accepting submissions of poems for this series, we'd like to offer the comment section of this post as a place to add your thoughts and poems as they come to you. We are still accepting general submissions, of course - view our Submission Guidelines page for more details.

If you are new to the series, all of the poems published during the series are archived here. Please do take your time and read through these many powerful and heart-felt memorials.

We here at OGOV will be taking a brief hiatus to regroup following this major undertaking, but rest assured that we will be back soon enough with more original poems and essays.

You whose strength lay in your silence-
You've never sounded louder in our ears:
It is peace that matters. Peace. Peace. Peace.

Rest in Perfect Peace.

- from Greet Nkrumah for Us (A Dirge), Nana Kofi Acquah

Yours,

Rob Taylor
On behalf of the OGOV team

The Dark Tuesday - Nathaniel Osei

Yesternight of all, you were the first man of the state
Who undertook national assignments without any time waste
But today – too dark a day to date or even commemorate
You lie so still to signal that your limbs have refused to pulsate
Reluctant to believe you’ve embarked on a journey of no return we kept wake
And prayed to the Omnipotent, the Architect of this stage
To help you battle and liberate
Yourself from the master of the dark world’s cold embrace
In ample anguish around the chamber we parade
to gawp helplessly at the lifeless comrade
Who had responded to the sinister call with speedy rate
Only to be branded the late…
Because unripe fruits plucked, we wish not alliterate
Your departure has brought big brains beside the table to arbitrate
The social cankers devouring the unfortunates.
your kinsmen soaked in streams of tears lie prostrate –
Your sixty-eight years as a stranger here they meditate

in the farm He ambled to the heart
and reaped where He sowed not
Annoyingly, the most commercial was what He cherished
and stole it prematurely as He relished
and forwent the rotten remnant
which has no hope – He left us redundant

At the farthest corner stands your rib rumbling aloud
And wishes to slumber in your meager crib but not allowed –
Happy days with you together forever she had yearned
But your untimely departure rendered her stomach churned.
Yonder also stands your monument in the dark
nobody sees him smile except his incessant barks
in the kitchen where he stands soberly and sigh
and shudder to think whether that fruitful tree will reappear to lie
Since in difficult times, his side you always stood by
As a promising star – but on that dark Tearsday, you failed to sound him goodbye

One thing slumbers in their hearts as brothers
That anything beyond their strengths, on you they bother
But now that in their waters, there is not that rock of ages
Forever will the floods of life take them hostages
One thing slumbers in their hearts as sisters –
Your immense love for them exceeds their masters’
Whence should they seek to be pampered?
Now that you have sublimed from them unprepared

From our company in no time did you slip
With cheerful face, but no sound was blurted from your lip
Comrade! Water in our palms we perceived you
But negligence made us open our fingers to let you pass through
Now in vain we’ve dug the ground deep to search for you
But profoundly have you sipped through.
On the vast desert we impatiently wait to welcome our lost entity
Forgetful you have traveled into eternity
Our blooming friendship, you hastily withered to swell it not
Nevertheless! Deep in our memory we will screw it with bolt and nut.

With us so soon you rode
Shouldered high in your unseen palanquin
To your unpaid for rented abode.
In all, a thing will forever distinguish you a king
That cheerful were your followers not
As they pondered over the meal soon gotten by mother earth

The procession of red and black thick vegetation
Marks-enD your worldly and ghostly occupation
Bold heart to keep the stream, we trod your threshold
But an hour to part company, no longer could we hold.
When the time came, our backs to you were turned
And we were very sorry to have breached the pledge we made
That we will go with you to wherever you go; come what may.
The horn was sounded
But even goodbye was too late for you to wave us
Since in a flash, you were chauffeured
Along to the land you have no idea of –
Just as you came, so have you departed from this world
You brought nothing, so you went with nothing.

Upon your soul, Your Excellency Professor John Evans Atta Mills
We all with one accord pray not to be condemned into pieces
But you may swim in eternal peace.

Till we meet again
Goodbye and fare thee well
Is all that we have for you.

Nathaniel Osei is a Ghanaian poet.

A Measure of Greatness - Kofi A. Amoako

Mr. President, what is the measure of greatness?

The support of adoring lovers?
Or fortitude in spite of a foe?
One’s dignity when the night covers?
Or perhaps it's something we'll never know.

Through you, this much we do know:
We reap what we sow;
As in, patience is next of kin of perseverance;
And humility often harvests excellence

In one swift moment,
You made our hairs stand longer,
And forced our consciousness to broaden

In one swift moment,
You pushed democracy a step further
Though leaving our faces sullen

In one swift moment
Like the flight of a wounded bird
You made naysayers eat their piercing words
They realize, after all, that you were merely bones, blood, frail like them

In one swift moment
during that icy encounter you could not avoid,
You made your beloveds feel the void
They acknowledge, once and for all, that you were truly a gem

Ha! And they say nothing good comes out of death
How else would we've appreciated your time on earth?

So in bitter bitterness, a nation will mourn
as a gentle grave tries to cradle you
But when the next generation is born
The light of your vision will be lit anew

If that's not a measure of greatness, then nothing is.

Kofi A. Amoako is a Ghanaian poet who currently resides in Toronto, Canada. He is a regular contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

The day came like any other day - Emmanuel Ugokwe

The day came like any other day
In our mighty Gold Coast,
Our Atta Mills,
Was taken out from us,
We needed him back,
We never knew it was the last.
Like a candle in the wind,
He would soon be blown by the wind of death,
Oh God! You know this news,
That made me die inside,
I remember him,
I remember my President,
I felt completely lost and empty.
He was the glue that held our dear Ghana together.
Now we are empty,
Few things in life will ever affect you more deeply,
Death. Death of our President,
We will not stop crying,
We have to save ourselves to face tomorrow,
And wait you to come back to life again,
We have to.
We have to endure the intense pain of loss,
We have to face a future that will likely be quite different from what
we had expected.
Oh! You will not be here when we will elect others come December,
When I will graduate from school,
Not even on my convocation day.
Now these hopes have been shattered,
Leaving us saddened, frustrated, or even angry.
Let a day like this never come again.

Emmanuel Ogokwe is a Ghanaian poet.

John Fiifi Atta Mills - Kojo Oppong

Just when we, the nation, really needed you,
Oh, death has laid its icy hands upon you!
How united we all have become;
Now that you are gone forever, only now do we really appreciate you!!

Ever since the unbelievable, devastating news was announced,
Very many people broke down, even your fiercest detractors
Are now waking up to the reality of your legacy.
Now therefore with your death, we all
Say: let us put politics aside and be one people, one nation, one destiny.

Father of All, dedicated in service to our nation and to God,
Incorruptible, humble, honest and a true patriot you proved to be,
Indeed you sacrificed yourself tirelessly even when terribly ill,
Fighting the good fight, with all your might;
Indeed, victory is yours, even in death. The CHANGE is unstoppable!

All Ghanaians were yearning for CHANGE,
To be brought about by you, Atta-Mills.
Travelling all around the country now is really
A refreshing wind of CHANGE, with no political divide.

Mills eeei, Mills, Kofi Mbir, Prof., Asomdwehene!!!!
In fact, now you are truly resting in peace, asomdwe!!
Letting the whole world see Ghana’s democracy in a new light and
Learn a lesson or two about how to coexist peacefully.
So, Uncle Atta, Fiifi, Asomdwehene, we shall really miss you!!!

Kojo Oppong is a Ghanaian poet.

A Tribute to a Great Leader - Ibraheem Karaye

Nice and amiable you were as a leader
With a caring heart as a loving father
To your kids with undying love to serve them forever.

On your desire to serve your country
You offered unselfish service efficiently
As a barangay captain with capability
To initiate development for the locality.

Empowered with a vision as a leader,
as an educator and young entrepreneur
You nurtured dreams for every brother
That you tried to behold with cheer power.

Life you have was truly short in its history
Yet it is truly filled with honor and glory
For you’ve made it useful and completely
In the service of mankind with humility.

Why God had taken you dear father
Is beyond my understanding and power
But I believed t’was part of your journey
Leaving great footprints as your legacy.

All that you have started for your country
The school you have nurtured passionately
With noble visions for the youth of today
Will be sustained by the your own family & the entire nation.

Nothing we can do for your untimely demise
Except to pray for your sins to be dismissed
That upon the Lord’s delight you’ll be alright
And eternally you’ll be embraced by the light.

Ibraheem Karaye is a Nigerian poet, and a student at Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil.

Vos Venit Te Vidit Te Vicit (You Came, You Saw, You Conquered) - Prince Mensah

Journeys start and journeys end, dawn
is born in tears – gone is the son

Only saps can hear and not mourn –
men slowly die when they are born

Here we are, with spirits forlorn,
hearing you bid us to go on –

Now we sit, reflecting upon one
citadel of peace, one swan –


Even moon and stars have no plans
to smile – the winds refuse to dance

Vanity was not counted once
in your manner, truth was your stance

All menson play in remembrance –
your soul is free, no encumbrance

Now friends and enemies announce
their sorrows – we live and die once –

Sir, you won hearts with the romance
of peace, you did enhance Ghana –


As you enter the pearly gates,
may God meet you at the altar –

Tell Him we still falter with faith
and, as always, truth we alter

Tell heaven we still crucify
saviors, dragging them in gutter

Ask for grace for Ghana, counter
what evil says in our matter –


May the hills be filled with your name,
may the wind, your desires, fulfill –

In our eyes, you were filled with strength
full of common sense, full of skills

Leader, we called but you are still –
why don’t you answer as tears spill?

Lion of our nation, the one
who meets hatred and distills it –

Saying goodbye drills our hearts so
good night, John Evans Atta Mills

Prince Mensah is a regular contributor and associate editor at One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Lullaby of Tears - Dextro

A gloomy Tuesday has bedeviled our dear nation
The silky curtain of the castle has torn to shreds
A rainbow of sorrow has painted the skies of our joyful nation
Our elders say ‘sea never dry’
But this sea of national joy has dehydrated beyond recovery
Our dear hearts have been terribly pierced
Streams of melancholy flow through our disturbed eyes
A lullaby of tears is our only resort
Our eyes have refused to see
Our eardrums have refused to vibrate
Our lips have zipped from within
We are speechless!
Could this be one of the tales of Shakespeare
Or a mere Kwaku Anase and Okonori story
By Maame Dokono and Dr. Rokoto on ‘By the fire side’?
How I wish it was!
The copper bullet has mercilessly ravaged the spirit of our dear nation
The curtains have been drawn on the performance of a legend
The sky-flying kite has been entangled by the pylons on high
Akati has abruptly withered the heart of the fertile cocoa tree
The mighty baobab tree has finally taken a painful bow
A crab cannot be eaten in silence
But this hairy academic crab of ours has been digested in noisy hush
A thousand times were you killed by the lips
But a thousand and one times did you resurrect
You stood firm like the slogan on Accra Hearts of Oak
You never said die!
You were a cat with nine lives
A beheaded cockroach which continued to survive for days on end
You led your people fearlessly but with utmost humility
Through thick and thin
You stood firm for your beliefs and faith
You were a lion-hearted dove with the wings of an eagle
Our trembling lips are in dire want for qualified vocabularies
To depict your god-fearing and humble persona
Three times in our hearts have we mentioned your peaceful name
But three times have you failed to respond
Your loud absence has taken the wind out of our rugged sails
Umbrellas of grief and agony shield our troubled heads
A ‘galamsey’ of bottomless holes have mercilessly raped our spirits
You have responded to Kwame Nkrumah’s invitation and left us wailing
But your precious memory will indelibly glue to our heart of hearts
So shall your great works endlessly cling to our thought of thoughts
Safe journey to the other side of the river, Prof
Rest joyously in the rosy bosom of the Maker
Ascend in peace to partake in the glory of the King
PROFESSOR JOHN EVANS FIIFI ATTAH MILLS!
ASOMDWEE HENE!
You shall never walk alone!!
R.I.P.!!!

Dextro is a Ghanaian poet and a past contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

The Tinker - Uncle Ebo Wheelbright

Are we in three-point turn in the middle of the road at midday?
Thrombosis. The tinker has left his tinkling behind.
Tintinnabulation. Tintinnabulation. Tintinnabulation.
A gypsy has passed by and everybody is tipsy.
I am returning to the throwback where thrush has started its life.
Three-legged race. Thrisps swarming till warm days.
The threshold of a doorway has drifted away.

The tinker has passed by and nobody has seen him.
Because we are angry, quarrelling with our gods,
striking each other, scolding each other, shouting and running here and there.
The gypsy has passed by and everybody is touching the end of the pot.
His tinkling is clear in the muggy midday in the distance in our hearts.
Tintinnabulation. Tintinnabulation. Tintinnabulation.
The restless tinker has passed by, leaving the trail of his walk below the mound.

Uncle Ebo Wheelbright a Ghanaian poet and past contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

The Demise of an Icon - Ali Toyin Abdul

The demise of the greatman is sympathetic.
The beautiful sun refused to shine in the east.
The hypothetical train that carried his soul is apathetic.
The running wind blows towards the south-east.

The hypothetical train is timely and punctual.
It refused the greatman to say bye to the wonderful world.
It wait no second to carry his soul.
We pray him to lie in the bosom of the merciful lord.

The greatman during his life was tactful.
The fortitude to bear the loss is painful.
To celebrate and honour the life of a warrior.
People were seen moving towards the mausoleum.

Ali Toyin Abdul is a Nigerian poet, currently attending the University of Ilorin.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Tribute to Professor John Evans Atta Mills (Part 3) - Kwesi Atta Sakyi

When life’s course is run
When dutiful duty is done
When everything is said and done
You played your part
With all your heart
In the wider drama of life-
In football, hockey, swimming, you name it
In academia, politics, management, you made it

When humankind is unkind
To the gentlest of a kind
You blew us out of our mind
When national values and mores nosedive
Knights of valour emerge on the scene
To douse the flagrant flames of the obscene
Yeah, there are many evil forces unseen
Yet valiant knights on the scene are seen

Infidels, mispatriots and misanthropists thrive
Yet with velvet gloves you floored them alive
The incorrigibles, scoundrels and ruffians alike
In the political arena they fell and fled
You taught them hard lessons in soft diplomacy-
Dzi wo Fie Asem concept made them red
With humour and humility you left them bemused
As you tutored your critics and the ruffians

Now that you are gone
Who else will they gore?
You left them the legacy of your lore
Which will be recounted many many years
After you are gone
They are left bored
But one day in the future
They will read your legend of yore-
That Asomdweehene passed on
To draw the fractious factions together-
A feat that defies an encore

Kwesi Atta Sakyi is a Ghanaian poet.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Mills' Number is Three - Philip Addo

He beat three candidates to have the mandate of his party
for the third time he contested
He went with three vices for his presidential dream
He went for three times
and three rounds before he was elected
He was declared the third president of the fourth republic
on the third of January
He died on his third term of office
three days after his birthday
Three days was used to make his funeral

He was a man who believed in the power of three:
God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit
He was an academic, a sportsman and an astute politician
He spoke three strong words:
Ghana will be peaceful before, during and after the December election
He left three main legacies: Peace, Honesty and Humility.
Due! Due!!Due!!!
Rest In Peace

Philip Addo is a regular contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Tribute to His Excellency - Kenneth Afedzi Williams

Patience, tolerance and forgiveness that you preached
Revealed the Christianity and peace that you did teach
Only those who frowned on these fundamentals of life
Failed to recognize that in your teachings was life

Just as the birds kept mute during the dark night
Only to sing the dawn’s praise with all their might
Heaps of sigh and sorrow fill the whole country
Now that the man of peace has left for eternity

Ever since you chose that laborious rocky way
Verily, you were so steadfast every trying day
Although the storms of life were not so kind
Nothing ever derailed you to leave you behind
Since the Omnipotent God was your companion

As meek and as humble as the little wise lamb
The inspiration you exuded was the brightest lamp
That always beat every soul’s imagination
And oiled the wheels for the progress of the nation

Making the nation better was always your main vision
In spite of many attempts to impede this great mission
Leadership traits you displayed with perfection
Leaving critics overwhelmed with much admiration
Surely, goodness and mercy would be your portion.

Kenneth Afedzi Williams is a Ghanaian poet.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Tribute to Professor John Evans Atta Mills (Part 2) - Kwesi Atta Sakyi

Oh Prof, who will your Better Ghana vision carry?
Some say you should have tarried
Are they playing God?
Your death has made many harried
Your fiery critics no longer can hold you in derision
We all mourn you in unison
Ghana and Ekumfi Otuam have lost a worthy son

A great man in death unites
Tributes pour in from right and left
Even your bitterest bashers are cowed
In death you stand so tall
In death you shamed them all
When the physical and political duels were hottest
You elected and bowed
Though it was not your wish
Death is an inescapable path for a mortal
Christ our Lord and St Peter
Receive you at heaven’s portal

Kwesi Atta Sakyi is a Ghanaian poet.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Voices - Phillip Addo

Crucify him!
                          Yeis! Crutipy him!
            Don’t live `im!
Clucify him!
               He be villain! Crushify him!
               …………………………
      No!
              No! Do not crucify him!
             I know Him!
             Truly! Truly!! I know him!

He was an honest man
I am not saying it for fun
He was a man of vision
He was not caught with indecision
He was a man of gentility
He spoke with humility
He was not a pastor
But his sermon was louder
He was a man of peace
His memory should never cease
Do not crucify him! Hail him!
Let the fontomfrom sound his name loud
Because he has made us proud.

Philip Addo is a regular contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

President J.E.A. Mills (1944 – 2012) - Kyilleh Dominic Arituo

He rests here in a dreamless sleep,
And his lovers shudder and weep.
Today, we call him late
And dread about our fate –
Your tears, if you wouldn’t share keep.

Kyilleh Dominic Arituo was born in Fielmua, Sissala West District. He is currently enrolled in B.A. studies at Valley View University.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Tribute to Professor John Evans Atta Mills (Part 1) - Kwesi Atta Sakyi

Oh, 24th July 2012,
What a snafu day
And a shameful day
For the cacophonous and castigating popinjays,
The whole Ghanaian sky was overburdened and overcast
Every Ghanaian was downcast
Even the sun was not its usual self
Ghana was plunged into a gargantuan
Doom and gloom,
Our bright star was summoned into the ancestral world
At high noon
Every Ghanaian was bereft and in mournful mood

Breaking news, breaking news,
The din on the plenitude of Ghanaian radio stations
Beggared belief as I journeyed from Nsawam to Swedru and Winneba,
The news became bitter and bitter,
There was no better Ghana this time around,
At 15.30 hours Ghana time,
The shocking news graduated from better to bitter
As I had earlier disbelieved, thinking it was the usual hoax,
Professor John Evans Atta Mills (alias Kofi Mbir)
Had joined the ancestors
Dammirifa, dammirifa due
Yema Ghanafuo nyinara yaako

Alas, at last he confounded his virulent critics
Oh what a bitter pill to swallow
Alas, at last there is no more bashing
But weeping and gnashing of teeth
May his good deeds in the Better Ghana Agenda outlast his detractors
May his role model character of modesty and humility
Be a shining example to all Ghanaians
May his soul rest in perfect peace with the Lord

Kwesi Atta Sakyi is a Ghanaian poet.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

Memories of a Legend - Philip Addo

You bid your soul farewell to the ancestral village
To grace an occasion
We have waited for minutes, hours and days
To welcome him back
The sun is going to rest once more
But the dust of Ahimaz is unseen

We have called him by all your names:
Fiifi! Atta Mills! John Evans Atta Mills!
We have used all your accolades:
Prof! President Mills! Asomdweehene!
But there is no response
Neither a sign of his whereabouts
Where should we search to find him:
Beneath the deep blue sea
Or beyond the dense blue sky?
Where should we climb to see him:
Afadjato, Kilimanjaro or Everest?

Uncle Atta! Egya Atta! Okunini Atta!
Ghanaians have gathered
Dignitaries have been welcomed
The forces have been lined up
School children are waiting to wave back your smiles
The press is poised to carry away your message of peace once more
And the perpetual frame is waiting to be lighted.
But your soul is not here to resurrect your mortal body.

Oh! Hmm! Is it all over?
Ei! Ei!! An object bigger than the head
Has fallen on the eye
Pains, sorrows and wailings have visited our homes
We are dirging
All our mornings have turned to mournings
Tears are rolling down our cheeks forming pools at out feets
White has wept to red

Papa, you were rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
But your good handwritings on the wall
Are germinating as the days unfold:
You came to feed; not to fleece.

Prof! Prof!! Prof!!!
The only professor in presidency!
A hero’s welcome awaits you
In the land of our ancestors.
We will continue to miss that your sweet melody:
“My brothers and sisters, I am for peace”
Due! Due!!
Fare thee well.

Philip Addo is a regular contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

The Journey of Fame and Hope - Kyilleh Dominic Arituo

My son, I am sending you,
I am sending you on a journey of fame –
You will meet roaring lions
And Grecian cheetahs.
But I am sending you like a creeping snake,
Walk straight.
Your heart is well protected in a cage,
Neither fear the untamed or the swiftest,
Be a king and never look back.

My son, I am sending you,
I am sending you on a journey of hope –
You will meet screaming eagles
And Russian falcons.
But I am sending you like a harmless dove,
Fly gently into space.
Your heart is well protected in a cage,
Neither fear the untamed or the swiftest,
Go where the stars recline
And with your industrious hand
Get a grip on time –
It is swifter than the falcon;
With a leap it will carry you into the void
And with a dive it will bring you back home
Asleep and “Late”.

Kyilleh Dominic Arituo was born in Fielmua, Sissala West District. He is currently enrolled in B.A. studies at Valley View University.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

In Memory of A Late President (John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills) - Adjei Agyei-Baah

In mockery, you countered with a smile
With humor, your opponents' ridicule diffused
In muddiness, yet your slate stands untainted
Man of peace and humility
Fallen but with grace and dignity
Indeed, death does conquer all
But not your clean seat and high raised flag!

Adjei Agyei-Baah is a Ghanaian poet and regular contributor to One Ghana, One Voice.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.