The Falling Leaves

I.

The falling leaves
Tell no tales
Silence is golden.

II.

The autumn foliage
The green leaves that never die
Why are we so blessed?

III.

A once proud man
Rattling the tin for a living
How things have changed?

IV.

Love in antipodean garden
I saw the bees kissing the rose
Before the fall.

V.

Autumn has arrived
Witness the flight of the kingfishers,
And the flowering of the daisies!

VI.

Autumn leaves
Red, orange, yellow, and brown
A coat of many colours.

VII.

The magpie sings
And the garden blooms Down Under
Brilliant colours of the rainbow!

VIII.

The falling leaves
Lie motionless in the field of dreams
Feeding the microbes.

IX.

The flaming colours
And the subtle beauty of autumn
Touch my soul.


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

Building Bridges across Cultures

Australia’s Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone, opened the Harmony Day Expo at the Adelaide Secondary School of English yesterday; preaching tolerance and cultural diversity.

Furthermore, the foundation for a new sensibility between Muslims and non-Muslims was laid, so to speak, when the Al-Khalil mosque in Woodville, South Australia, held an open day ceremony for all Australians - a deliberate attempt to build bridges across cultures.

It was a big “Do” for Harmony Day 2006. And a positive stroke for cultural diversity in the land Down Under.

Nationally though, about 300,000 Australians celebrated the Harmony Day with 5000 different events; promoting the social, cultural and economic benefits of multiculturalism.

Surviving the Change (Haiku)

Surviving the change
A long journey of uncertainty
Whispers of hope.

A year of lucky breaks!
Is there a big sting in the tale?
That’s the question.

Lost in paradise
Or poverty in the midst of plenty;
Unbearable sadness of being!

Dream of harmony
But help is needed in all directions
Where’s the love?

By the Murray River,
They sat in profound silence;
Thinking of home.

The spring moonlight
Brings hope for a better life;
Calming the restless!

Rising to the challenge,
A new spirit in the neighbourhood
Wrestles with the future.

Love and laughter
In the secret garden,
Paradise found.


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

The Girl Who Stole the Show

Moleboheng Mafato, aged 21, from the African Kingdom of Lesotho has stolen the show at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. The tiny athlete impressed the 80,000-strong crowd at the opening ceremony when she walked bare-footed and bare-chested in a traditional outfit from her homeland.

When it was all over, Mafato said she was extremely proud to showcase her national costume in the true spirit of the Games – making a huge impact on the audience!

The Queen in Australia

A large crowd is expected at the MCG tonight as Queen Elizabeth II opens the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia – a great sporting and media event.

With a potential TV audience of a billion people in five continents, the Commonwealth Games organisers have staked Melbourne’s reputation, as a creative and vibrant city, on the success of tonight’s opening ceremony.

Love and Laughter in the Camp (Haiku)

Behold the wonder!
The mystical powers of love and
Laughter in the camp.

Dancing with the mystery
The image of a splendid beauty
Kissing my fears away.

Dream of greener pastures
Overflowing with love and happiness
In the dawn of spring.

Life in the fringe
Images of love and beauty
Inspire new hope.

Surviving the passage
A wave of humour and laughter
Overwhelms the living.

The Murray River cruise
The art of love revealed
Perfect harmony!


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo

Fringe Family Day

Monday, 13th March 2006, is the Fringe Family Day in Adelaide, South Australia. And it’s guaranteed to be a day of fun and entertainment for all ages.

African music and dance performances will feature prominently in this year’s Fringe Family Day festivities.

The program includes African drumming and dancing; featuring Sheela Langeberg, the Tanzanian-born diva and playwright.

The master drummer, Sam Oshodi, will delight the crowd.

The family day events also feature story-telling and creative workshops on drum-making.

Not to be forgotten is the Sudanese fashion parade which will be presented by the African Community Council of South Australia.

World Music Festival

Last night, the 10th world music festival kicked off in Adelaide city, South Australia, with a star studded performance by African artists. The African goddess of song, Miriam Makeba, was on the centre stage.

In fact, African stars had the Australian audience on their feet as the mesmerizing fusion of traditional and contemporary dance rhythms started to take hold. And the crowd, increasingly, warmed to the healing songs of the versatile Cameroon diva Coco Mbassi.

In the true spirit of world music, this year’s festival has attracted 430 celebrated artists from 27 countries around the world.


www.womadelaide.com.au

On the Images of Home

They dream of the devoted home they left behind
Of the tropical rose garden in bloom
Of the beautiful palm trees dancing in the wind
And the boundless joy of their childhood playroom.

They say, cheerfully: home sweet home
Because that’s where the real love was born;
And where the young and playful souls roam,
Flowers and the generous spirit adorn.

Yet, their home is not just a home but a castle!
A home is an enduring passion, a creative state of mind
A joyful place to build and settle
Where charity begins and values refined.

Migrants’ memory of home lingers forever
But visions of a new and better life bind them all;
Their shared belief in the divine Giver,
And a passionate love of sports and the shopping mall.

A new home is the sacred place of the heart
Where beautiful feelings come to light
And migrant youths play their part
Inner peace in the darkest antipodean night!


© Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo