The following piece is featured in Enchanting Voices, an anthology of poems and essays written by the winners and finalists of the 1st Annual Sexy Like a Book writing competition for Liberian Girls. Buy the book online at Amazon.
“Soon morning day na breakâ€
Life in Liberia, my Monrovia.
The duration of life is within
The 24-hours of a day,
The rest is in the hands of God.
Life in Liberia starts every morning
To the rising of the sun,
Welcoming a beautiful day
With another chance to start
All over again.
More hustle than you can ever imagine,
But yet, there’s always a smile on our faces;
Forgetting the worries,
And making way out of no way.
People of one kind;
Amazing,
Unique,
Talented,
And beautiful.
The busy life of the people every morning,
Is a daily routine that inspires you to get up,
And look for what you aim to get.
Buyers and sellers,
Students and workers,
Noisy markets and traffic jam;
These crowds are on a busy errand,
And just enough alert,
You can get to start your journey.
Uptown,
Let’s go Monrovia,
A place to be.
Reserved sites,
Nature’s own beautiful treasures
Hidden within the heart of a country so loving.
LIBERIA,
Blessed with the perfect landscape and form;
Different people everywhere,
Making the best out of the hours,
Striving to achieve something.
As the sun gradually sets,
With few more hours to call it a day,
We cheerfully embrace the night,
Forgetting the tension of that day.
Jolly Jolly everywhere;
Dancing away our worries,
And appreciating life.
Making the last minutes worth it
With relaxation and rest,
While we await another day.
We believe
You only live once,
And every day is an opportunity.
L. I. B. life is beautiful.
Enchanting Voices echoes stories of a Liberia that could be but struggles in the now. It echoes stories of hope and dreams; of courage and resilience; of possibilities and a future waiting to bloom. This collection is a poetic celebration of youth, innocence, joy, and emergence from a place of despair to one of progress and fulfilled dreams, if Liberians stay on the path of development, change their mindsets, and value Liberia for the true treasure that she is.
Featured photo by UNFPA
